Writing procurement bids and proposals requires the utmost care during preparation.
Before preparing and submitting an offer, closely study the description of the requirements to be sure that you can meet the government's needs. This is critical. Particular attention should be given to the instructions of the requesting agency and to conditions of purchase, delivery and payment.
When determining the amount of the offer, the small firm should be especially careful to include all costs of material, labor, overhead, packaging and transportation. Furthermore, it should be sure to comply with other important provisions of the solicitation such as properly tagging, and marking and mailing any required samples well in advance of the opening date.
SBA Assistance
Marketing your business is critical to its success. The SBA offers many programs and services to help you better market your business. Consider using one or more of the following resources:
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
This training resource is a cooperative effort of the private sector, the educational community and federal, state and local governments. It is SBA's largest resource partner and an initiative that enhances economic development by providing small businesses with management and technical assistance. There are more than 1,100 SBDC lead and service centers located around the country.SCORE
The SCORE Association (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a resource partner of the SBA dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small businesses nationwide. There are more than 10,500 SCORE volunteers in 389 chapter locations who assist small businesses with business counseling and training. SCORE also operates an active online counseling initiative.Women's Business Centers (WBCs)
Women's Business Centers represent a national network of more than 80 educational centers designed to assist women start and grow small businesses. WBCs operate with the mission to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs, who still face unique obstacles in the world of business.SBA District Offices
In addition to its resource partners, the SBA operates full service district offices in every state of the country. Locate the district office closest to you.E-Business Institute
The E-Business Institute is an Internet-based learning portal for small businesses. It operates like a virtual campus and offers numerous management and technical assistance courses.
Information courtesy of the Small Business Administration.
