Contracts: How to Land the Big One

“People do business with people they trust, and that takes time,” Dexter says. “You can’t rush experience. These are the unwritten rules of the game.”

My business partner at Civil Solutions Consulting Group, Kahli Cohran, and I were recently interviewed for an article in the Baton Rouge Business Report that touched on how small contractors looking to pursue government contracts need to do more than just get small business certifications to win projects.

As consultants working with government agencies on transportation, infrastructure, and disaster recovery programs, having a Small and/or Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (SBE/DBE) certification can be a good start, but it is not the be-all and end-all when looking to win opportunities with the local, state, or federal government. As I stated in the article, “You have to get out there and show that you’re valuable. Establish relationships. Go to meetings. Shake hands.”

I recommend reading the article in its entirety to learn more about our start and the types of programs and projects we're currently working on. There's also a certification how-to guide for firms looking to obtain DBE and SBE certifications.

A big thanks to Annie Ourso for writing the story and to Don Kadair for the photo!

Eric Dexter is the Director of Business Development at Civil Solutions Consulting Group, Inc., Downtown Development District Commissioner, Immediate-Past President of Forum 35, Vice-President of the Baton Rouge Blues Foundation, and Chairman of the Board for Apex Collegiate Academy, a 6-12th grade STEM-focused charter school in Baton Rouge, La. He is also a 2015 Forty Under 40 honoree as well as the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) 2016 Free Enterprise Champion.