Speaking up to be heard
Neil McDonnell
Helping small businesses win federal contracts: AI Tools | Expert Guidance | Supportive Community
If you are a HUBZone-certified small business, or certified in any SBA small businesses socioeconomic program (8a, WOSB, SDVOSB), you’ll want to take notice. Over the past 6 months, there has been a tidal shift in how organizations engage with government contracting and we are really starting to see some results.
Contracting officers frequently complain they can’t reach even half of their 3% HUBZone goal simply because they can’t find enough qualified procurement-ready companies during market research phase.
The HUBZone Chamber has set out to change that situation and our daily Set-Aside calls are part of the solution. Just look at the HUBZone Chamber of Commerce Event Calendar to see how busy things are. Over 50 member-driven conference calls in just the past few months.
As one contractor put it to me recently, “you’re not all talk, you are actually TALKING!”
So how does it work? First, one of the thousands of HUBZone Chamber members, many active in our LinkedIn group, identifies an intriguing Sources Sought or RFI. Next, the HUBZone Chamber searches DSBS (just like contracting officers do) and invites HUBZone-certified small businesses to a Skype conference call to discuss possible response strategies.
As many as 40 members have participated on a single call in recent months, however, the average is 15-20. Many women-owned and veteran-owned companies are also HUBZone-certified and are encouraged to become members and join the discussion.
Within a few days, interested businesses meet online for 30 minutes to discuss on the opportunity, consider opportunities to collaborate and agree to register as “interested venders.” Typically, at the completion of each call, at least four companies will have committed to respond to the opportunity using specific language requesting the opportunity be set aside for HUBZone. In many instances, HUBZone Chamber leadership will contact contracting officers notifying them to expect a strong HUBZone response.
Why the Chamber?
The HUBZone Chamber of Commerce is a 'dues-free membership' organization formed for one specific reason– to maximize the true value American communities can achieve through the HUBZone Program. Although the federal government designated 3% of small business contracting dollars to HUBZone ($13 billion), barely 50% of the designated money is distributed each year.
Connecting directly with HUBZone business owners, encouraging cooperation and creating collaboration opportunities, like the daily Set Aside calls, the Chamber is working to radically change those results.
Learn more by visiting the HUBZone Chamber of Commerce and help us get the full $13 billion off the table and into American communities.
Join the discussion on Twitter @Hubzonechamber and please help share our story.
Author: Neil McDonnell
“Government Contracting is NOT a Secret... It's just a Process.”
Neil's podcast series offers key information and tips to help small businesses gain insight into government agencies and large prime contractors, and develop strategies to effectively sell in the federal government market.
Neil McDonnell is an experienced small business owner and seasoned entrepreneur. An Army veteran, founder of the HUBZone Chamber of Commerce, and President of the Small Business Success Club, Neil is a government contracting subject expert and Small Business advocate for media and conferences. Neil is a motivational speaker, trainer and vocal advocate for the potential of American small business government contractors.
His passion is drawn from personal experience in the US Army, from contracting and subcontracting for decades with numerous government agencies, and from the many successful and failed companies he has founded since his youth. Neil is the youngest of ten children, a training ground for competition, determination, optimism and tenacity.
Neil is the Founder & President of the HUBZone Chamber of Commerce and leader of the Small Business Success Club. He is committed to giving small business government contractors a "Voice" and helping them unite for mutual success in the federal government market.
After spending more than 20 years owning and operating small businesses in the federal government market, Neil has turned his passion and energy towards other small business owners. In 2018, after helping over a thousand small business, he founded the Small Business Success Club, LLC. Neil's goal is to help small businesses in the federal market understand that "Government Contracting is not a secret, it's just a process." When enough small businesses are following a proven process, Neil believes that more federal contract dollars will flow to local communities through those same small businesses as they support agency missions.
Neil welcomes all questions whether you are experienced in government contracting or just getting started; whether your small business needs help registering in the System for Awards Management / SAM.gov, need advice about your Capability Statement or need more in-depth guidance and insights.
Check out the www.HUBZoneChamber.org for free content and training - 90% of what Neil has learned over the past 30 years, he provides for free through the Chamber.
CONNECT with Neil
- LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/neil-mcdonnell
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/neilmcdonnell
JOIN The HUBZone Chamber of Commerce (FREE Membership)
- Website | https://www.HUBZoneChamber.org
- LinkedIn | https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/hubzone-chamber
- Twitter | https://twitter.com/HUBZoneChamber
- Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/HUBZoneChamber
LISTEN to Neil's Small Business Success Tips PODCAST
STAY IN TOUCH
This free educational webinar represents over 100 hours including video preparation, interviews and original research. If you find this presentation valuable, please reach out to Neil directly and share your comments and feedback.
The HUBZone Chamber is not SBA or government-funded and provides enormous content for free to all small businesses looking to succeed as federal government small business contractors.
Neil’s Small Business Success Club is the exclusive sponsor of the HUBZone Chamber of Commerce. Neil believes that price should not be a barrier to access and that no one should have to pay simply to learn the rules of the road.
PROCESS TIP FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS
Success in government contracts begins with your SAM login and entering your DUNS number and EIN for use in SAM.gov where you'll get your CAGE code.
The System for Award Management (SAM) profile requires that you select the correct NAICS code and keywords among other information, in addition to what can be entered into the Dynamic Small Business Search tool or DSBS.
In my course "Your Key to Being Discovered by the Federal Buyer" (free to HUBZone Chamber members), you'll see how to use FedBizOpps and FPDS to learn from other federal contractors and see how these small businesses have won federal contracts themselves. You'll also gain insight that will help you complete your Capability Statement in a way that gets read and understood in 6 seconds.
When you have all of this in place, you can then pursue other certifications such as WOSB or women-owned small business, SDVOSB or service-disabled, veteran-owned small business, 8a or HUBZone (just make sure you check your eligibility on the HUBZone map before pursuing).
Read Other Great Articles on Government Contracting (#GovCon) in the Federal Sector
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- Speaking up to be heard
- STEP UP- HUBZone Small Businesses can do more
- HUBZone Set Asides to Increase
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#HUBZone #WOSB #VeteranOwned #VOSB #SDVOSB # 8a #SDB #SBA #PTAC #DSBS #GovCon #GovernmentContracting #SmallBusiness