With just a few weeks left in FY21, many of us who are small business government contractors are scrambling to put together teams for last-minute bidding opportunities. Are you searching for potential partners that qualify to meet your requirements? It’s essential that your team helps you win government contracts and works well together throughout the contract.
With that in mind, here are four ways that you can build that team on a strong foundation.
Know your own role and need
As you find opportunities, you need to know where you fit into the opportunity. You can ask yourself these questions:
- Would I be better as the prime or a sub?
- If I think I would be a good prime, do I have the experience and qualifications to lead a contract?
- What are the gaps in the contract requirements that I cannot fill?
- How many partners will I need for the team and what are the requirements that they must meet?
Assess your potential teaming partner’s qualifications
When you talk to people about teaming opportunities, it is easy for them to say they meet the NAICS codes and are a certified small business but are they the right codes and certifications. The proof is in the details, so it is important to know the contract’s requirements, so you can match up with the best potential partner. If you need a SDVOSB small business, but the partner is VOSB, you need to decide whether they can still be a benefit to the team or if you need to keep looking.
Evaluate their experience
A potential partner may have the right certification and NAICS codes, but do they have the experience? Here are a couple of questions to ask:
- How long have they worked in government contracting?
- Have they worked in a team environment as a prime or sub?
- Have they worked with the government agency that published the opportunity?
Talk to references
The potential partner may have the qualifications and the experience, but how well do they work in a team environment? If they were the prime, did they lead well? If they were a sub, did they collaborate well? We know that a partner who does not play well can affect the success of a contract or can make or break the chances of winning. Before making a final decision, you need to ask for references, have they been on other teams, what is their reputation among government agencies. After all, if agencies do not like working with them even though they are qualified, it is better to find another partner.
Conclusion
Before you can assess potential partners, you need to find them as well as opportunities. BC2Match is an online platform that matches you with opportunities and potential partners who meet your requirements. Our “intelligent matching” technology scours reputable sources and matches you with the best government contracts based on your criteria. Sign up for a free trial and start finding potential teammates as well as federal, state, and local opportunities today.