From Page 131
Dawn Halfaker President and CEO Halfaker and Associates
What surprised me most after winning my first contract award was the big role that geography can play in your over- all success. We’re headquartered in Arlington, VA, and our first big contract was located in Kentucky. We needed to work twice as hard to build the close customer relationship needed to deliver a high level of service.
Also, one of the major obstacles in expanding my business with the Army was not having a facility security clearance that the majority of the contracts with the Army required. It was a Catch-22 situation of needing a facility clearance to win contracts, but also needing contracts to obtain the facility clearance. We were able to move past this obstacle by building relationships with other companies, which allowed us to gain enough relevant experience as a subcontractor to be able to win work and obtain the facility clearance needed to expand our presence with the Army.
John Rogers President and CEO TRINE Environmental Inc. Te advice I’d give to any small business trying to work with the Army is [pay] attention to details. If you’re prior service, you’ll easily understand this concept. If you’re not, learn it. To overcome obstacles, you must know your “enemy.” Te enemy for most small business is the RFP language. I had to learn to thoroughly read each RFP, look up each FAR clause—which is painful but beneficial—and then respond exactly as it’s requested in the RFP.
Another key is to have no fear. Do not let the fear of being a young business deter you. If you can build the right team, age does not matter. A final key is to respond to sources-sought requests. Contracting officers pay attention to respondents. It’s also a good way to encourage them to set aside potential solicitations. To date, I have two USACE [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers] contracts and [am] bidding on two more, one of which is a SDVOSB [service-disabled veteran-owned small business] set-aside.
Francis Covington Managing Partner and CEO Covington & Associates, LLC Tere is no open door currently that we have found that will
allow new software to be reviewed and tested within the Army environment. What I mean by this is we have a dynamic solu- tion and we have no door to open. We believe we have a niche market, but it’s not working. We don’t have a door to get into to present our solutions. Large firms have multiple doors that we just don’t see.
Manoj Bhatia President Network Runners Inc. As a new small, disadvantaged business back in 2009, what surprised me the most was the importance given to the small business sector in the federal government procurement process. Our contracting officer was very supportive and understood the need for us to learn the process of working with the govern- ment. What I have learned since 2009—or, rather, have had reinforced to me—is the critical importance of small busi- ness performance. Without strong and reliable performance, we would not still have the work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA), which was known as USDA/Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service back then.
Jacqueline K. Johnson, CFM Owner and CEO Mercy Medical Supply LLC Being a small business owner has taught me to respect busi- ness owners and their businesses both small and great. I have learned that it takes a community. It is with this realization that I give my perspective of the small business set-asides, which are programs set up by the government to help small businesses to succeed. One of the greatest incentives that set-asides offer is that they gives minority-owned businesses, women-owned small businesses, 8(a), economically disadvantaged women- owned small business and SDVOSBs the opportunity to do business with the government. Set-asides give small businesses the opportunity to compete with larger businesses, and the opportunity to help grow the economy by creating jobs.
Robert Severson President and CEO The Severson Group As a small 8(a) and SDVOSB firm, we add the more direct and personal interface to the government in a way that large businesses will never be able to. Small businesses add superior response time and robust capability without the red tape and many approval processes for large business.
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CRITICAL THINKING
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