Responding to a government Request for Proposal (RFP) can be a daunting task. I have often heard the comment “I don’t even know where to start.” It is normal for companies, both large and small, to use outside proposal support to help them through this process. But before you run out and hire a proposal company to help you on your next big proposal, read through our Do’s and Don’ts to ensure that your dollars are being spent wisely.

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Many companies make the mistake of depending on FedBizOpps and General Services Administration eBuy to find all of their government opportunities. This strategy is problematic, in ways other than the obvious limitation of utilizing only two government procurement databases for your search. It is not incorrect to use GSA eBuy, however it only displays opportunities associated with the categories you have be awarded.

The GSA can reject a proposal or modification for many reasons. One of them is the proposal of an incorrect Special Item Number (SIN). Each GSA Schedule has its own select SIN’s that are subsets of the Schedule offering. For example, Schedule 70 (General Purpose Commercial Information Technology Equipment, Software and Services) has 24 SIN’S. These SIN’s represent IT related subsets, such as Term Software License (SIN 132-32), the Purchase of New Equipment (SIN 132-8), and Information Technology Professional Services (SIN 132-51). When deciding what SIN to propose on your GSA Schedule contract, there are a few factors to consider:

Unprecedented changes to the GSA’s CAV and OIG Audits are just around the corner. And while the GSA does make changes to their policies and procedures on occasion, this has more potential to be a disruptive force for so many contract holders.

Did you miss our presentation yesterday on how you can easily improve your government marketing strategy today? You can now download a free copy of this presentation. If you're looking to optimize your space within the government marketplace, you understand just how important a successful government marketing strategy can be. Download our presentation: Government Marketing: 10 Tips to Ramp Up Your Government Marketing Now! today to learn about: