Local Government Contracting

With government spending at all levels now at an unprecedented $5.5 trillion, it's no wonder that businesses large and small have joined the competition for government contracts. Many companies begin by bidding on federal procurements, but the size and complexity of these projects can be overwhelming. There's a better place to start your quest for government contracts: at the local level.

It's a lot of work to win a local government contract, especially if yours is a small business strapped for time and resources. Yet winning these contracts can be lucrative and well worth the effort.

Before pursuing a local contracting project, familiarize yourself with government requirements of small business contractors and make sure you can meet them:

Winning local government contracts can take a lot of work. Before you pursue a local contracting project, it is important to review the positioning of your company relative to the government market. You will need to know what your small business may need to work on, and what will be expected of you. Here are some of the requirements that you will need to fulfill in order to complete the contract:

By Irv Alpert
Executive Vice President, Onvia, Inc.

If you are just starting to look into government contract work, you may need local contract funding or small-business government loan options to help you work the contract. Here are some tips to help you make the best funding decisions.

By Irv Alpert
Executive Vice President, Onvia, Inc.

Earning a place for your business on an approved vendor list can be your ticket to winning more government-contract work. Nearly all prime contractors maintain lists of preferred vendors and subcontractors based on the quality and timeliness of their work and other attributes. Many businesses work diligently to get on these lists because they put these businesses one step closer to participating in a government procurement.

By Irv Alpert
Executive Vice President, Onvia, Inc.

If your small business is hoping to capitalize on the economic stimulus by pursuing government contracts, here are several ways to improve your chances.

Working with the federal government has its pluses and minuses, but one major advantage is the consistency of regulations. Unfortunately for contractors, that's not the case at the state and local levels, especially with policies involving the amount of risk associated with a contract. Here are two of most common risk-related clauses and policies that state and local government contractors need to be prepared for: