Government contracts offer $400 billion in opportunities each year to businesses registered with the federal government including over $92 billion earmarked for small businesses. Being contracted with the government provides a steady source of revenue to grow your company but it comes with lengthy registration and certification requirements. Many businesses choose to hire a third party government contract consultant to complete these tasks to save work hours and have an experienced consultant walk you through the process.
Once your company has decided to hire a third party consultant to navigate the government contracting maze, you need a consultant you can trust… There are many consultants on the web so how do you evaluate which government contract consulting firm to trust with your business.
- SAM.GOV registration is free through the government website. Third party government consulting firms charge for the convenience of processing the registration for your business, providing expertise in promoting your business to government procurement officers and highlighting further opportunities to increase your success at securing government contracts. Government consulting firms are not affiliated with the federal government and should immediately disclose this information to you. Any firm that represents themselves as a government agency or leads you to believe they are the government needs to be avoided.
- Check the Better Business Bureau for information on the company. The BBB keeps records on millions of companies and provides a good source of impartial information.
- How do they collect fees? A reputable company will have established merchant accounts with Visa, MasterCard and Amex. Avoid companies that only accept easily established online payment sources like PayPal or checks.
- Review their website for content information and security profiles. Any firm that will be handling your business information should have a secure website with a SSL designation. This ensures that your information is safe and the company is using responsible business practices.
- Ask who will be your contact with the company. A good consultant should provide a dedicated agent to handle your registration. The agent should be knowledgeable and have a history of working with government contracts.
- Consider the length of time the business has been active and their company ratings on Dun and Bradstreet. Search reviews on social media sites like LinkedIn or Facebook
- Ensure their fee schedule and company information is consistent. Do they have multiple online ads that offer services at different prices? Most companies who advertise online do utilize different ads to attract a variety of customers but the information and pricing should be consistent.
- Study the full range of services offered through the firm. Beyond basic registration with SAM.gov, can the firm help your company with a woman owned small business (wosb) certifications, hubzone certification or a service disabled veteran owned small business (sdvosb) certification. Does the firm offer GSA help? Be sure when discussing these options for certification and GSA that the consultant is up front about the minimum requirements to participate in these programs. An ethical consultant will go through a list of prerequisites to ensure your business qualifies for these programs before taking any fees.
Follow these EIGHT STEPS to evaluate your government consulting firm. Remember your company’s future opportunity with federal contracts is in the hands of your consulting firm so choose a firm that will focus on growing your business and has the expertise to make your company successful.
Select GCR is a consulting firm committed to helping small and medium-sized businesses achieve growth through government contracting. We identify the best path to success for each individual business and assist in the completion of all necessary registrations and certifications. Our strategic involvement simplifies the overall process and allows business owners to focus efforts on their principle business activities.
We proudly maintain a first time 97% approval rate with applications and registrations submitted on behalf of our clients. For more information or assistance, please CONTACT US TODAY!
