June 2021: Skill Builders
Everyone wants to ‘land’ the big government contract. However, landing any contract takes time and skill. You and your company need the skills to submit, win, and manage a contract. To build your skills in the world of government contracts, consider the following:
Communication is a must. Brush up on this skill by taking business, proposal, or other writing classes to develop your skills in writing correspondence, proposals, and documents. Besides written skills, you need networking and relationship skills. Why? To form alliances for teaming with other contractors, forming joint ventures, and working with small business specialists and contract officers.- Project management is often overlooked as a skill, but it is highly valuable when managing one contract or a multitude of contracts. Project Management, a website that provides tips and tools for project managers, offers five essential skills for contract management in this article.
- Internet navigation – exploring websites, registrations, portals, etc. – is also an essential skill. All federal and state solicitations, registrations, and awards are online. Researching on the web can be challenging, take tutorials offered locally or on websites.
- These seven habits offered by the Market Connection can be considered skills and never age. These habits include being educated on the market, being educated about the client, leveraging partners and clients, and more.
- Calculating your direct and indirect rates is a skill worth the time to develop. Left Brain Professionals provides a tutorial.
- Comprehensive reading is another underrated skill. Closely reading solicitations, the FAR, the DFARS, and state regulations is important for your company to maintain records, ensure compliance, follow documentation rules, and more.
The list of skills needed for government contracting can be daunting. But the final skill included in this blog is the most important… the skill of asking for help. Government contracting is a complex market sector. Seek organizations that support your success in government contracting. There is no shame in seeking support and gaining new knowledge from trained and experienced advisors. This is one reason the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) were created; PTACs support the businesses seeking government contracts at any level of government. Register for the no-cost services, training, and lifetime advisor.
As always, if you are not sure where to start or how to get organized, connect with the North Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center (ND PTAC). Our services are at no cost to businesses registered in the state of North Dakota. Register on our website to schedule an appointment.
Not from North Dakota? Find your closest PTAC on the APTAC website and then click on your state.