The government of the United States of America has a program that seeks to have contract benefits to small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans (Kim, 2013). This initiative offers a platform to the innovative minority, who are marginalized, a chance to compete with big companies, in terms of accessing the benefits of doing business with the federal government. As a service-disabled veteran who made the hobby of building model airplanes into a small business that produces very small remote control aircrafts capable of long sustained flights, these benefits can be accessed by replying to a U.S General Services Administration (GSA) Schedules solicitation, regarding the product in question. The paper uses a reply to the U.S General Services Administration (GSA) Schedules solicitation, to examine the Federal Supply Schedule program, assess the different marketing methods used to market to the Federal government, as well as to compare the support programs available to small-business contractors.
Electronic Submission Process
eOffer, or simply eMod acts as the platform through which all responses to the GSA Schedules solicitation are submitted electronically (Roland, 2011). The electronic submission process is one that has several security measures, regarding the responses to the GSA Schedules solicitation. The system provides both interactive and secure environment, aimed at simplifying the entire solicitation process such as the submission of an offer and contract modification by contractors or prospective contractors (Kim, 2013). The electronic submission process, therefore, involves the submission of an offer to a GSA Schedules solicitation, via the use of technology, as opposed to the classic paper solicitations.
The electronic submission process regarding the GSA Schedules solicitation is therefore advantageous over the classic paper solicitations, largely due to the improved security features offered by the use of technology. Firstly, the eOffer platform used for the electronic submission ensures data integrity by allowing electronic signatures, via the use of the latest digital authentication technology (Roland, 2011). With the electronic submission process, users are allowed to modify data or information in the best way possible, while the classic paper solicitation process does not provide such latitude to the users, since the provision and submission of data or information occurs only once, without the opportunity to rectify any data or information that has been improperly filled or entered (Doyle, 2013). With the electronic submission process, data and information security, integrity, and safety are ensured while in the classic paper solicitation submission methods, lack of authentication can result in data errors, insecurity, as well as unreliability. In terms of convenience, the electronic submission process is more convenient in the sense it provides step by step guidelines, necessary for effective solicitation submission, in relation to the classic paper solicitations.
The Chance of Acceptance of the Company’s Bid
According to Roland (2011), the effectiveness, reliability, and the overall quality of production and service delivery of a given business or company dictate the chances of that company’s bid being accepted by the General Services Administration. Several aspects have to be observed, which enable a small business to effectively compete with a large company such as Boeing, in terms of having its solicitation being accepted. The following aspects are necessary for boosting the chances of the acceptance of a small business’s solicitation, in comparison to a larger company.
A detailed business plan that explicitly indicates the importance and the benefits of the business in the prevailing economic conditions is of paramount importance. The business plan would consider critical aspects such as the rapid developments, witnessed in technological innovations.
The acquisition of the right solicitation would be necessary for increasing the chances of solicitation acceptance, in comparison with a big company like Boeing. This aspect would be achieved by conducting a prior analysis and understanding of the appropriate channel, via reviewing the GSA information concerning the solicitation process.
It would also be necessary to ensure legal compliance of the business such as certification and legal registration. Other requirements and policies, as required by responsible authorities or by the government must also be complied with.
The business would also ensure the effectiveness of the solicitation responding process by familiarizing itself with the entire process, via prior research and inquiries.
The above-mentioned aspects have the potential of increasing the chances of solicitation acceptance of a small business, upon their compliance, in comparison to a big company. Therefore, by fulfilling those requirements, a small business would have as much of a chance of having its bid accepted as a much larger corporation, such as Boeing.
Negotiation during the Contract Award Process after Acceptance of Solicitation
The process of negotiation is vital since it determines whether the business will be awarded the contract or not. For the awarding of the contract, a small business should present competitive discounts and prices, regarding the product or service being offered, to the Procurement Contracting Officer, hence creating a positive influence as to why it would be beneficial to award the business with the contract. Also, it would be necessary for the business to conduct a prior study of the Procurement Contracting Officer requirements regarding the contract award negotiation, to ensure that those requirements are fully complied with, during the negotiation for the contract award process. Prior to the negotiation process, it would be necessary to prepare to answer any question by the Procurement Contracting Officer, both effectively and positively, hence convincing of quality assurance and future business expansion.
Value of the Most Favored Customer to GSA and its Impact on the Business
The U.S Military and the government agencies constitute the most favored customers for the business. To both the government and the GSA, the security as well as the safety of air transport passengers and the citizens at large forms an area of priority. Consequently, the introduction of model airplanes which are remote control enabled, and with the ability for long flights would be instrumental for the security and military departments, thus making the small business of great value to GSA. As a result for the value of the business to GSA, the impact of this aspect would be the consideration of the business’s solicitation by the GSA, hence increasing the likelihood of being awarded the contract.
Advantages of being a Small Company over being a Larger Firm in Terms of Contract Administration and Management
According to Roland (2011), reliable and effective measures are required in managing and administering a contract schedule, for the purpose of ensuring success and productivity. As a small business, there are several advantages of contract administration and management, which include:
Efficiency: A small business can easily be managed to the finest details hence increasing its efficiency of operation.
Low cost of production: Due to the limited personnel involved in a small business, the overall cost of production is relatively low, due to the low wage bill involved.
Easy monitoring and control: Due to the small nature of a small business, it is easier for a manager to easily monitor and control various aspects of the business, resulting into an efficient operation and quality production.
However, being a small company is associated with various disadvantages regarding contract administration and management. Such disadvantages include:
Low production quantity: A small company is limited in terms of resources, an aspect which allows the production of only a limited amount of products in a given period of time.
Inadequate skills and experience: This aspect is particularly present in a small business, mainly due to lack of capital to invest in capacity building of the staff.
Inadequate capital: Due to the small nature of a small business, raising adequate funds to fund most of the operations is a big challenge, which tends to limit the quantity production of the business.
A large company is associated with the following advantages:
High production quantity: Due to the heavy investment in a large company regarding its ability to produce quantity products, it is able to achieve a high production quantity within a given period of time.
High skills and experience: A large company has the advantage of having a high capital, which enables it to invest in capacity building, hence resulting in high skills and experience.
Nonetheless, the large companies are also associated with several disadvantages such as:
High production cost: A large company is characterized by a large staff, which means a higher wage bill, which translates into a net increased production cost.
Complexity in management: A large company has many aspects which cannot be successfully managed by a single manager, thus requiring several managers to address such complexity.
Different Marketing Methods Used to Market to the Federal Government
According to Roland (2011), there exist different marketing methods used to market to the Federal Government. Such methods include Target Market Method, Competitive Pricing Method, Online Marketing, and Market Analysis Method. For a small business, Market Analysis Method, Target Market Method, and Online Marketing Method would serve as the most effective methods to market products or services to the U.S Government.
Market Analysis Method scrutinizes the prevailing market to identify the resources available and the missing products or services (Doyle, 2013). This method would be instrumental in enabling the business to obtain the appropriate market information, necessary for ensuring profit as well as a good market for the federal government.
Online Marketing Method uses the internet as a platform to reach out to different clients, concerning their needs and requirements (Doyle, 2013). For the business, this method would ensure that a large market base is obtained, to reap the benefits of a large market.
Target Market Method involves the searching for specific target customers for the government (Kim, 2013). This method ensures a higher value of the most favored customers to the government. The benefits realized are to the advantage of both the business and the government.
Conclusion
Schedules solicitation as a process is critical for businesses in terms of negotiations for the award of a contract by the government. Electronic submission process provides better security features than the classic paper solicitation. A small company can have several advantages over a large company regarding contract administration and management. Several marketing methods such as Market Analysis Method, Target Market Method, and Online Marketing Method would be effective for a small business to market products or services to the U.S Government.
References
Doyle, B. (2013). General Services Administration: Contract Guard Services at the Anchorage Federal Building. Bibliogov.
Kim, D. (2013). General Services Administration: Status of Achieving Key Outcomes and Addressing Major Management Challenges. Bibliogov.
Roland, H. (2011). General Services Administration: Response to Follow-Up. Bibliogov.
