Getting Started with Government Procurement

The Pace SBDC assists small businesses in identifying procurement opportunities and obtaining contracts from the Federal, State, and City governments, as well as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Read below for recommendations to help your business prepare for and win government contracts, and contact a Pace SBDC Business Advisor to help your small business implement these strategies.

A variety of Pace University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) clients have found that obtaining government contracts has been an effective growth strategy. With local projects ranging from micro-purchases to multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investments underway or on the horizon, business owners may want to consider partnering with the government across various levels to grow their business. As part of our advisory support, we help small business owners in securing financing and working capital to onboard new staff and purchase needed materials or equipment to take on new contracts.

We encourage entrepreneurs to contact an SBDC Business Advisor to enroll in BidLinx, New York SBDC's web-based "bid-matching" service for government contract opportunities, to zero in on projects where your small business may be a good fit. This free service for SBDC clients monitors thousands of Federal, State, County/Local Government bid sources and sends email notifications of opportunities that match a company's products, services, and capabilities. With this information, small businesses can strategize with their Business Advisor about which contracts to pursue, based in part on their capacity as well as agency purchasing patterns.

A capability statement, a 1-2 page summary of your business to provide to prospective clients at procurement and business networking events, is one of the most effective procurement marketing materials. The capability statement should highlight the firm's qualifications and select clients/projects, key leadership's experience, and relevant codes (e.g NAICS), in addition to relevant certifications (eg. MWBE). Consider it company's resume. Some clients seek guidance from our Business Advisors to develop a brief elevator pitch to deliver to prospective clients, investors, and other relevant stakeholders in addition to this written piece.

Our Business Advisor team also assists clients in obtaining Minority & Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and other certifications from the Federal, New York State, and New York City governments, as well as the Port Authority, and encourages them to incorporate the certifications into their online, print, and other marketing materials when applicable.

Set up a no-cost 1:1 meeting with a Pace SBDC Business Advisor to explore contract opportunities and develop or fine-tune your capability statement and/or elevator pitch today!