We want to welcome you as a PTAC client interested in developing and expanding your customer base into the government contracting arena. The Florida PTAC is a statewide non-profit organization supported by private and public funding. It is designed to provide No Cost advice, guidance and general assistance to Florida businesses in all levels of government (local/state/federal) contracting. The PTAC mission is to educate and assist Florida businesses throughout the government acquisition process, from registrations, proposal guidance, contract award review, and post award guidance and support. We provide counseling to owners of small, medium, or large-sized businesses and to those starting up a business. We will not make business decisions or judgments for you, although we will make recommendations and suggestions as appropriate. These will be based upon our best efforts to apply the experience and resources available to us in order to assist you in making your own business decisions. Since its inception in 1986, the PTAC clients have been awarded more than $8.5 Billion in government contracts, creating or retaining 191,871 Florida jobs. PTAC services assist in developing and job creation opportunities. business growth and job opportunities. Please utilize this New Client Guide in your efforts to contract with the government. In order for us to best assist you, please review the enclosed pages of resources to help you through the process. We encourage you to call on us at 815-229-7500 if you have any questions or comments regarding your Rights and Responsibilities or with respect to our services. We wish you success in your efforts to contract with the government.

Sincerely, John DiGiacomo

OK, so what do you have to do to actually sign that first deal with the government? We have broken down the actions you need to take into a series of steps. In the following Segments and we will guide you through the process of completing each one.

But before I start let’s talk about the most important thing you must have first. You must be in business and let me explain what I mean by that. “I have this great idea and I know that the government is going to just want it”. (I have no production, no idea where and who is going to manufacturer it, how to build it in

quantity, I do have a wooden model of it and I just know once they see it they will flood me with orders” or “yes, I have a business” it’s five years old and I am on the state’s e-business website, I am on SAMs and have that CAGE number AND a DUNs number. Buttttt, I’ve never received an order or request and I have not looked at who might be buying (insert product or service). But I do have a business?” Right?

Let’s be honest of the above samples, taken from real life, do they really have a business? If you guessed no then you are right and if you are at this stage of just creating your business then you do have a lot of resources available to you to help, but you are not ready to get a federal contract – have you planned everything out? Do you know what you will need to be a successful contractor: true story, Veteran owned business got a contract for clean up at a local AFB that had been hit with Hurricane Michael, he showed up in a pickup, with tools from his garage, no workers, no plan, no supplies, nothing (did I mention that he was smoking within a very short distance from aircraft fuel that was to be cleaned up?). The Government Supervisor and buyer asked him his plan and when he brought out his plan written on a napkin, then they asked him to leave. He was not ready!

SIDEBAR: The Small Business Development Center (http://floridasbdc.org/new-business/) provide you with an entire cadre of services to help you with your business idea. One of the first things they will suggest is a “business plan” – because if you have a great idea in your head and it’s not on paper then it’s really just a dream.

Please understand that if you want to do business with the Federal government or any level of government you must be in business to do so. If your just starting your business - PLAN then plan some more.

Here’s a list of things to think about before you open the doors:

Things to Know Before Starting a Business• Don't underestimate a business plan. If you're not seeking outside funding at the start, it's

tempting to forgo writing out a formal business plan. Writing a business plan, including a profit/loss forecast and a cash flow analysis will help you think out what you’re doing.

• Use a break-even analysis to determine if your idea can make money.

• Don't hire friends or relatives....never, ever!

• Research your idea from top to bottom looking to see if your idea already exists. If it does, it’s certainly not the end of the world. Simply ask yourself if you can find a unique angle or a different, better approach to the idea.

• Ask yourself if there’s no one doing “this” why aren’t they? There may be a very good reason that no one is doing “insert great idea” in a certain area or if it’s a radically new idea, why has no one thought of this before?

• Have you thought about suppliers? Have you thought about workers how many, what are you going to pay them and do they need fringes, what about tax’s, bonding and everything needed for them?

• Don't dive in without a plan. • Don't fall into a discount trap.

• Determine if the type of business suits you.

• Go to your local SBDC and take classes – they are either free or very inexpensive and you will learn a lot.

• Don't be afraid to fail. In case you have not heard this one…. miners in the gold rush days, followed a vein of gold until it stopped. When it did, they continued to follow it for a while, then gave up. The miners sold the deed and the next owner that came in, was hard headed enough to not stop…within just a few hundred feet they hit the biggest vein of gold found in California at that time. That mine continued to produce for decades. “just a few more feet”

These are just a few of the questions you should be asking yourself. Again, your best friend and counselor should be the SBDC and its resources.

IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN IN YOUR HEAD - YOU HAVE A DREAM OR AN IDEA NOT A PLAN

These Are Essential Steps! Growth Action Plan

Step 1 - Get the Right Registrations and Certifications • Register with the State of Florida as a Business Entity http://www.myflorida.com/

Step 2 - Register with Florida PTAC client database; www.fptac.org if not already • Obtain Tax ID number (TIN) or an Employer Identification Number (EIN): Call

1.800.829.1040 or http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-SelfEmployed/Apply-for-an-Employer- Identification-Number-(EIN)-Online

Step 3 – Get a D&B number. You need at least one North American Industrial Classification code to complete your Data Universal Numbering System registration with Dun & Bradstreet: https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ http://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/sicsearch.html

Step 4 - Obtain a FREE DUNS Number from Dun and Bradstreet by applying on line to: (Mention you are a vendor wanting to register in System for Award Management): http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. • Identify your North American Industry Classification codes:

http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ • Identify your Federal Supply Code and/or Product Service Code codes:

These are optional in SAM but are useful for other agencies to locate you. http://outreachsystems.com/resources/tables/pscs .

Step 5 - Register in SAM: https://www. beta. SAM.gov -- this is an Annual Registration; it must be kept up to date! First go to Login.gov and set up an account there.• You will receive a Commercial and Government Entity Code (CAGE/US

vendor). • Complete the SBA Profile. (After completing the Profile you return to it

through SAM.) • If you are a manufacturing business or selling to DOD, you must

register in Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF): https://wawf.eb.mil/or call 1.866.618.5988

•

Step 6 - Register/Apply for Socio-Economic Preference Programs • Small Business Administration: • The 8(a) Business Development Program is a business assistance

program for small disadvantaged businesses. 8(a): http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation- structure/contracting/contracting-support-small-businesses/8a-businessdevelopment

• The Historically Underutilized Business Zones program helps small businesses in urban and rural areas gain preferential access to federal contracts: http://www.sba.gov/content/hubzone

• The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts for eligible:

• Economically Disadvantaged/Women-Owned SB (EDWOSB/WOSBs) • http://www.sba.gov/content/women-owned-small-business-

program • Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Veteran Enterprise • Veteran-Owned Small Business Verification Program: This Program

verifies both Service- Disabled Veteran Small Business (SDVOSB) Owners and Veteran Small Business Owners (VOSB). http://www.va.gov/osdbu/veteran/verification.asp

• Other Certification Programs: • State of Florida Department of Transportation (CDOT) Disadvantaged

•

Research to Find the Right Opportunities □ Florida Bid Match provided by FPTAC: your search criteria including:

o 1) NAICS codes,

o 2) keywords and descriptors, what you do, think Google search.

o 3) geographical region. Bid Match searches over 2000 government sites for opportunities and emails you daily results.

o FedBizOps: https://www.fbo.gov/ : Register and read the Vendor’s Guide. If you sign up for our Bid Match service, you won’t need to set up additional Search Agents as Bid Match already searches FBO. Subcontracting: Regardless of product or service, it is important to consider secondary markets.

o DoD Office of Small Business Programs: http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sb/dod.shtml. This website presents information for small businesses such as the “Guide to Marketing to DoD”.

o SBA Subcontracting Opportunities Directory: http://web.sba.gov/subnet o GSA Subcontracting Directory: www.GSA.gov/subdirectory. State and Local Procurements:

□ Florida Vendor Self Service: www.myflorida.com To find bid opportunities with Florida State agencies, register with Florida Vendor Self Service.

□ Describes State purchasing processes and policies and provides a listing of contact information for State Agencies.

□ Other Florida State resources: Tracking and Forecasting Federal Spending:

□ Federal Procurement Data Systems (FPDS): https://www.fpds.gov/fpdsng_cms/ Use EZ-search with your NAICS and State to find government entities who awarded contracts and vendors who received awards.

□ USA Spending: http://usaspending.gov/ is a tool to find government spending at your fingertips. Easily navigated, businesses can determine government spending trends for their product or service.

□ GSA Schedule Sales Query: https://ssq.gsa.gov/ : See who is selling similar products or services, and if GSA Schedules are good vehicles for you. You still must market aggressively!

□ Federal Agencies forecast procurements in their Five Year Plans o US Air Force Small Business: http://airforcesmallbiz.org/ o Department of Energy: Western Area Power Administration: http://www.wapa.gov/ o NREL: http://www.nrel.gov/business_opportunities/solicitations_rfps.html o DoI: Acquisition Forecasts: http://www.doi.gov/pmb/osdbu/procurement-

opportunities.cfm Business Resources and Contacts □ General Services Administration Schedules (GSA): http://www.gsa.gov

□ Federal Small Business Administration (SBA): http://www.sba.gov/ □ DoD SB and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Offices: http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/ □ FedSpending: http://www.fedspending.org/ . Use their tutorial for more information.

Florida PTAC Bid-Match Service

What is Bid-Match?

Bid-Match is a “Web-crawler” that searches over 2,500 government websites for bid opportunities. Bid-Match searches Federal, State and Local sites - over 130 within Florida alone.

It is a “no-cost” service to our Florida PTAC clients. Because it searches for you it can be a great time-saver.

This includes the Florida Vendor site, the State of Florida official procurement announcement site, FEDBizOpps, DoD Blue Tops and other State(s) and local (county and city) bid opportunities.

What must I do? Tell us you want to take advantage of this valuable service. We’ll help you get it set up and working for you.

Bid-Match searches by three criteria: geographic preference, NAICS Codes and keywords.

Geographic preference: You can request just Florida, several or all 50 states, and even international opportunities.

NAICS Codes: The NAICS Codes you have registered in your PTAC profile with us will be used; we will review them with you to ensure they’re what you need. Although we do not recommend using NAICS for matching unless it is an exact match to what you do.

Keywords: These most important factors are critical; the Bid-Match provider gives us a good starting point for most kinds of businesses; we will work with you to refine these.

We can make changes for you at any time (Bid-Match requires the changes to come from a PTAC Counselor. Has a client of the PTAC you cannot have direct access to the bid service, to have it provided at no cost you will have to use the PTAC to make changes and agree to provide us with an update of any opportunities that have been awarded to you during the year.)

Bid-Match will send you an email every day telling you its findings. These are short synopses of the actual solicitation it has found but it will not give the entire announcement.

You must use the link in the email to go to your “My Bid-Match” page. This page gives a more complete picture of the daily “Articles” found in your searches.

Bid-Match will tell you where it found your “hits” (the original

website or announcement location), it will tell you why it included

this hit in your Article list (location, NAICS Code, keyword), and it

will provide a link directly to the original announcement.

Warning: if you sign up for the Bid-Match, remember that if you do not use it for 90 days, we will suspend your account. If you wish to cancel your profile, we can do that but keep your information until or unless you wish to restart.

John DiGiacomo Procurement

Specialist

Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center University of West Florida College of Business

815 Beal NW, Suite A

Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 P. 850.586.7809

C. 815-229-7500

jdigiacomo@uwf.edu www.FPTAC.org