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Getting Started with Contracting

If you’re exploring ways to sell to the federal government, you’ve likely come across the GSA Schedule. It’s one of the more well-known entry points into federal contracting, but it’s often misunderstood. At its core, the GSA Schedule, also called the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), is a long-term contract that allows approved businesses to sell […]

“I have a quick question….” By ND APEX Accelerator staff I have a quick question: What agency buys my products or services? Is this a simple answer? Easy to find? Takes only a minute? Nope. This is a common question we receive which takes researching the market, searching databases, and drawing conclusions. Researching what agencies […]

Information can feel like a kept secret only for those with years of government contracting experience. Want the secret? Here are a few of  some ‘best-kept secrets’…well, a better statement would be…information you want to know. Searching for subcontracts? The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides a list of prime contractors required to award subcontractors to […]

  By: Abby Dschaak and Sherry Neas, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), State Procurement Office   Responding to government solicitations can be challenging – attention to detail is imperative! When preparing a response to a solicitation, the first step is to read the entire solicitation from beginning to end to understand what the entity […]

Being on the hunt for government contracts can seem like a snipe hunt. Not familiar with a snipe hunt. As early as the 1840s in North America, a snipe hunt was duping an unsuspected person into hunting for a nonexistent animal called a snipe. Surprise, a snipe is real; it is a North American bird.  […]

Every solicitation generally receives multiple proposals. One area that should be discussed is why your proposal failed. How can you increase your competitive edge to win a contract? Not a pleasant subject; however, there are good topics to learn, discuss, and apply. Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) gives reasons that can cause a […]

Come celebrate with us, it’s National Procurement Month! The North Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center (ND PTAC) wants to recognize all the North Dakota businesses that sell to schools, universities, cities, counties, states, and federal agencies! Moreover, we cannot forget to say thank you to our public and private sector procurement professionals who are committed […]

Are you looking for a new market sector to expand your business? Did you know each year there are thousands of opportunities listed through North Dakota’s State Procurement Bidding Opportunity website? These solicitations range from equipment to fuel to janitorial services to construction. On the ND OMB website you can complete a Bidders List Application […]

Subcontracting. Really… who wants to do that? Most want a government contractor. But it’s important to remember that a subcontract is still a perfectly viable contract and option for business owners. In fact, sometimes it’s the best option for small businesses. First, let’s go over the basics of contracting and subcontracting. A prime contractor works directly with […]

As most people know, the US Federal Government starts their new budget year on October 1st and ends 12 months later on September 30th. With a new year and new budget, October is the perfect time to reconnect with your federal government contacts. And for those businesses who have never sold to the federal government before, […]