Government Contracting Blog

As a small business, you have a lot of resources available to help you succeed in the government marketplace. In an effort to increase small business participation, the federal government has designated small business contracting vehicles set aside specifically to support small business efforts. Small businesses can also compete in other contract vehicles meant for both large and small businesses.

A threshold, simply put, is a ceiling or limit and when it’s exceeded, triggers an action. Through the government contracting lens, a threshold is the figurative ceiling placed on the total cost to purchase supplies and services, including construction as well as research and development. If the total cost of a purchase is below the ceiling, no additional action is required to issue a purchase order. However, if the total cost of a purchase reaches or exceeds the limit, the government buyer must follow additional streamlined acquisition processes before and after issuing the purchase order. So what does all this mean for GSA Schedule contractors?

Since the federal government is so vast and is comprised of hundreds of agencies, departments, and units, organization is key. This is especially true when it comes to government contracting. One of the numerous ways the government streamlines and standardizes the procurement process is with National Stock Numbers (NSNs).

So, you want to sell your solutions to the government—where do you start? Unfortunately, you can’t just start cold calling government agencies or launching targeted campaigns for your solutions. Government buyers have several rules and regulations they need to follow before they can purchase products and services. In most cases, if you want to sell to the government, you will need to become a government contractor.

President Joe Biden delivered his first address to the nation in a joint session of Congress last month. In this State of the Union style address to Congress, President Biden discussed the direction he would like to see the nation heading.  The vast array of challenges the new administration faces has already resulted in a quick uptick in government spending. With the Biden Administration planning to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, economic insecurity and job creation, national security threats, and environmental challenges, your company may be in a position to respond to government solicitations.

Since you clicked on this blog post, there is a good chance your business could qualify as a small business government contractor, or perhaps you are simply looking to learn more about the calculations that determine small business status. Regardless, it's important to determine your business size designation, because there are certain advantages associated with being a small business in the federal government. In this blog, we'll help you identify whether your business qualifies as a small business with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Small Business Association (SBA).