For small businesses and businesses new to the government’s contract arena, teaming with a Prime may be your best avenue for developing business. It’s your company’s opportunity to get some on-the-job experience selling products or services in a large playing field, which you may not have considered tackling on your own.
There are several teaming vehicles for small businesses; Federal Programs embrace Mentor Protégés, where 8(a) companies are qualified to team with a major Prime. The objective is to nurture the small business, sharing technology and methods of doing business with the government.
Set asides programs, solicitations and subcontracting opportunities for small businesses are listed online at various government business sites. In most cases, it’s the responsibility of the small company to do the research, identify your business models and locate a match for teaming.
On occasion the Prime comes looking for the small company with core competencies to add value to the contract. The bottom-line, the teaming has to be a WIN WIN WIN for the government, the Prime and the small business.
It’s important to be prepared, since teaming can propel your company into the next stage of business with the government. The questions of the day is where do you look, who do you ask and how do you prepare for doing business with government?