Make sure your government bids and government proposals are practical -- and your government paperwork is perfect. You may write the greatest government bids or proposals in the world, but if you fail to present them in a sophisticated, professional manner, you won't get the government contract.
10 Common Pitfalls to Avoid when Submitting Government Bids or Proposals
1. Using complex language in your government bids and government proposals. Keep your proposal simple and easy to follow. Use easy-to-understand language and avoid long-winded sentences and paragraphs.
2. Submitting a bid on government contracts that will place your current government projects at risk. All too often, businesses submit government proposals or bids they can't fully complete. Before applying for a contract, make sure you possess the skills and resources required to finish the project. Otherwise, you'll find yourself scrambling to meet the contract requirements while your other projects suffer.
3. Not accepting credit cards for payment. Many government agencies now prefer to use merchant credit cards and government purchase cards to buy goods and services. If you don't accept plastic, you may miss out on these government contracting opportunities. Many government contractors are also waking up to the benefits of credit card transactions. Instead of having to fill out detailed paperwork and wait for a check, they receive immediate payment.
4. Pricing an item in incorrect units. Many experts say this is the most common mistake made in submitting a bid. A typical example is submitting a bid on gallons when the request was for quarts. It may seem like a simple error, but it could cost you a government contract.
5. Submitting messy government bids. Just as you wouldn't send a coffee-stained business card to a potential client, you should not submit a proposal that is unprofessional in style or appearance. Before you seal the envelope, double-check your document for typos, blank pages, unnumbered or mis-numbered pages, smudges, rips and poor grammar.
6. Having preconceived notions about what specific government agencies need. Don't knock yourself out of consideration by assuming a government agency doesn't need your products. You never know: the City of Seattle may, in fact, be looking for scuba equipment. Contact the government agency before you decide. Businesses are often pleasantly surprised by what agencies will buy.
7. Focusing on frills rather than fundamentals. Instead of putting all your effort into dazzling government buyers with your marketing flair, you should concentrate on making your proposal or bid rejection-proof. Begin by responding to each and every requirement in the government solicitation. This makes it impossible for the agency to reject you for being non-responsive to the solicitation. Next, make sure your proposal offers a clear and well thought-out solution that will solve the problem at hand while calling attention to the direct benefits of your proposal. This makes it impossible for the agency to reject you for being not as qualified as other bidders, and the client cannot reject your bid on the grounds that you will not add value to the contract. Finally, make sure you firmly follow the rules of government bids and government proposals.
8. Not allowing enough time. When it comes to government bids and government proposals, the clock starts working against you from day one. Not only will you need time to check and recheck your documents, but you'll also need time to read any agency-specific rules and regulations and other information that will help you write your submission. Most importantly, you'll want to begin calculating the time and materials you will need to fulfill the government contract. You'll need this information to determine your bid price -- a vital part of the proposal. Finally, make sure you allow enough time for your proposal to reach the agency office before the deadline.
9. Ignoring or underestimating your competitors. A crucial goal of your proposal is to differentiate yourself from your competitors. How much more efficiently will you do the job? Why is your price better than theirs? What benefits will the agency receive if it works with your company instead of your competitor? If you haven't taken time to study and understand your competitors, it's unlikely that you'll beat them to the contract.
10. Inconsistency. Last but not least, it's important to review your bid for consistency before you send it off. Is your work plan in agreement with your budget and schedule? Do your figures add up? Are you consistent with measurements and any other elements that are vital to your proposal?
About Irv: Competing for government contracts can be extremely profitable — if you know how to approach them. After I grew my own business to one of the top AEC market information sources in the country through working with the government, I decided to start a company that helped other businesses be able to do the same. In our years of working with different government agencies, we've learned a thing or two about what works in the government procurement process and what doesn't. My site contains some of the most useful and important tips we've discovered for finding and winning the right government contracting opportunities. If there is a topic we don't cover or a question about doing business with the government we don't answer, send me an email at AskIrv@onvia.com. |
1 comment:
Finding new government contracts has been facilitated thanks to many small businesses that provide internet directories with available agreements. Some small businesses provide a chance to get notices for Government Bids in order to have all the important info available as soon as it is ready.
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