Ask any government contractor what they think of partnering or teaming and they will probably murmur something close to, “It’s probably a good idea.” There are a lot of benefits to partnering and almost every government contractor understands the basic concept. However, many also have false perceptions of what it takes to form a partnership, believing it’s daunting, difficult and not a priority for their government sales strategy.
Let’s squash that myth once and for all - finding a partner can actually be extremely simple, and one of the most effective ways to search for the ideal partner is by using GSA eLibrary.
GSA eLibrary – How to Find a Partner
1. On the home page of GSA eLibrary, select the schedule that you would like your partner to have.
2. Use the drop down menu on the far right to do a quick search.
3. Once under the appropriate schedule you will have the option to choose which category you would like your partner to be under.
This can be one of the same categories you’re already under, or a category that may be compatible with your current offerings. From here, you will then have the ability to view all contractors under your chosen category.
4. While some smaller categories make it easy to scan the list of contractors due to a low number of contractors on the SIN, larger ones, such as 132 51, can contain thousands of contractors. Thankfully, GSA eLibrary allows us to filter these results with some important criteria:
- Choosing Socio-Economic Set-Asides:
- Decide what socio-economic set-asides, if any, you would like your partner to hold. Remember that partnering with, and acting as a subcontractor to, a business with a different set-aside than you will allow you access to new opportunities.
- For example, if a small business partners with a service disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), the small business acting as a subcontractor to the SDVOSB can work on SDVOSB set-aside opportunities. This can be especially advantageous for mid-sized businesses or when targeting agencies that favor one set-aside type over another
- Viewing Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) and Pricelists:
- After you have chosen your set-aside type, you will then want to search the contractors T&Cs and pricelist.
- To do this, use the small search bar with the title “T&Cs and Pricelists” found on the far right of the page, above the list of contractors. Searching in this manner will allow you to filter the contractors listed to those performing the specific type of work you’re looking for.
Remember that partnering can help you in a variety of ways, from boosting your past performance on an RFP to allowing you to compete for set-aside opportunities you wouldn’t originally qualify for. Using this method as part of your government sales strategy is extremely important for every government contracting business to consider. If you need additional information, contact the Winvale team for assistance.
Photo by Highway Agency
