By Scott Dorney, Executive Director,
North
Carolina Military Business Center
Since your business is registered on MatchForce.org – the State of North Carolina’s free web portal for federal opportunities – you are receiving plenty of purchase opportunities. Now what do you do?
If you need help tailoring your MatchForce profile to deliver you accurate opportunities, call the North Carolina Military Business Center for assistance. The NCMBC will help you tailor your company’s keywords, identify NAICS industrial codes and even help you limit your options geographically, so your business opportunities match your company’s capabilities.
Interpreting the opportunities you receive – and knowing how to respond - starts with a basic understanding of how the federal government buys. Fortunately, the NCMBC’s business developers can help you interpret – and respond – to all types of government opportunities.
When a government buyer begins sourcing a current requirement, the first decision is whether statutes, regulations or standard procedures dictate where and how to procure the supplies or services needed. These mandatory sources of supply can include other government agencies, federal prison industries, federal supply schedules (GSA) and non-profit agencies employing blind and severely disabled (Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act, or JWOD agencies).
If mandatory sources do not apply, buying offices will procure from commercial sources. How they procure will depend on what is being procured, and the expected value of the procurement action.
Goods and services that do not exceed $2,500 will normally be purchased using micro-purchase procedures. Normally, government buyers use credit cards to make these transactions. Buyers may call, post or find you on MatchForce – if you take Visa, the government can buy from you.
For purchases that do not exceed $100,000 or for commercial items up to $5.5 million, the government will use “simplified acquisition procedures” (SAP) to make the buy. The government may buy goods and services under the “SAP threshold” using blanket purchase agreements with pre-designated contractors, or issue requests for quotation or offers in one of several formats – and on one of several media.
You may receive a call or a MatchForce match from a contracting official, and later receive a Standard Form 18 (SF18) Request for Quotation. Your non-binding response – or “quote” - on the SF18 may become the basis for a purchase order.
More frequently, the government will solicit offers for SAP purchases on an SF1449, or “Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items.” When you receive the SF1449 through MatchForce and a posting on either FedBizOpps or an agency website, carefully complete the form with your offer, follow other instructions on the solicitation document and attachments and return it to the contracting office by the specified deadline.
The government may also make purchases under the SAP threshold using a streamlined combined synopsis/solicitation method. Your MatchForce match will take you to this combined document on FedBizOpps or an agency website. The combined synopsis/solicitation provides all the instructions and documentation necessary - but normally not a standard form - for the vendor to submit an offer to the government for the purchase. The government will make the purchase on an appropriate contracting document.
No matter how the government solicits quotes or offers, some general guidelines for vendors apply! Read the solicitation document(s) carefully – including the due date, schedule of supplies/services, delivery date, and amendments. Be clear and concise in your response, and careful in your calculations. In orders for commercial items, your offer becomes a binding contract when the contracting officer signs the SF1449 - so be careful!
When procuring supplies and services expected to exceed the SAP threshold, buyers will use either a sealed bid or negotiated procurement process. For these procurements, the government issues “Invitations for Bid” and “Requests for Proposals” in one of several formats. We will cover IFB and RFPs in a future article.
Simple acquisition purchases represent real opportunity for North Carolina companies. The government uses SAP for more than 90% of its purchases - although they account for less than 20% of government procurement dollars spent. Purchases expected to cost between $2,500 and $100,000 are reserved exclusively for small businesses and procured through SAP procedures.
Take advantage of SAP opportunities that you find on MatchForce and other sources. If you need help with your offer or quote, contact the NCMBC for assistance. Our team of business developers – including former contracting and industry personnel – will help you understand and respond to government opportunities.
Contact the NCMBC any time, toll free, at 877-245-5520, or visit us at www.ncmbc.us and www.MatchForce.org.
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