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Selling to the government

GSA, Pandemic Style

GSA is moving quickly to enact several initiatives while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because the current state of emergency necessitates the Federal Acquisition Service to purchase medical supplies and other equipment at a fast clip, Contracting Officers have no choice but to react with a fair amount of speed and flexibility. (Federal News Network, May 1, 2020)

This includes:

  • changing policies for prompt payment and onboarding/offboarding of contractors
  • construction of the new e-commerce marketplace platform, which was paused during the first few weeks of the pandemic, is now moving forward, albeit at a much slower pace
  • monitoring other initiatives possibly impacting by the pandemic, such as Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS)
  • continuing corrective actions on Alliant 2 revised proposals
  • expanding the small business innovation research (SBIR) program, part three

Some government markets, like travel, have declined; however cleaning products and enhanced screening services have increased exponentially. (ibid)

Any questions about getting your product or service in front of government buyers? Give us a call.

In the Navy (with Small Business)

The U.S. Navy, Office of Naval Research is offering $30 million in grants through 31 May to companies providing advanced technology. Through this effort, the Navy is funding its supply chain to ensure that their contractors can stay in business during the pandemic. An additional $250 million in small business awards is expected over the next 90 days. (FedScoop, April 28, 2020)

Awards are through the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grant programs, which get money to small businesses more quickly than traditional solicitations. The following technologies are of interest:

  • modernization and sustainment
  • digital logistics
  • deployable manufacturing
  • resilient communications (ibid)

James Geurts, the Navy’s lead acquisition official, said the department is monitoring its supply chain in real-time with new tools to maintain stability. Many worry that a faltering economy and the shelter in place regulation will affect the supply chain and the military’s readiness. Guerts says the Navy is closely watching its research and development for emerging technology so as to stay a step ahead. (ibid)

Other Navy research offices are also serving as “technology enablers.” The Naval Expeditions Agility Office is looking for ways to better connect warfighters to tech experts and small businesses. Here again, the goal is to bring advanced technology solutions to national security challenges while helping small businesses to continue working with the Navy. (ibid)

Are you a small business with advanced technologies the Navy can use? Give us a call.

Bye Bye Self Certify

Certification changes for Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs) and Economically Disadvantaged WOSBs (EDWOSBs) will occur this summer. The Small Business Administration (SBA) expects the updated regulation to be published on 30 June 2020, and to go into effect 30 days after. (U.S. Small Business Administration)

Info we have so far includes:

  • Self-certification as a WOSB or EDWOSB will end
  • Certification, going forward, will be accomplished through an approved third-party entity or through SBA’s free online certification at certify.sba.gov. (ibid)

To assist in awarding women-owned business contracts, the government limits competition, by including just those businesses participating in the women’s contracting program. The goal of the government is to award the contracts to women-owned businesses in industries where WOSBs are underrepresented. Some contracts are restricted even further to include economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs) only. The SBA keeps a current list of those eligible industries. (ibid)

Eligibility for the women’s contracting program:

  • Qualify as a small business
  • Company at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens
  • A company with the day-to-day management of operations and long-term decisions controlled by women

Eligibility for the economically disadvantaged business within the women’s contracting program:

  • Meet all requirements of the women’s contracting program
  • Business is owned/controlled by one or more women, each with a personal net worth less than $750,000
  • Business is owned/controlled by one or more women, each with $350,000 or less in adjusted gross income averaged over the previous three years
  • Business is owned/controlled by one or more women, each $6 million or less in personal assets

The eligibility requirements are spelled out in Title 13 Part 127 Subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). (ibid)

To participate in the women’s contracting program, you must be certified as a women-owned business. First the company must have a profile on SAM.gov, and then go through the aforemention process at certify.SBA.gov. The SBA has approved the following four organizations to provide third-party certifications:

Updating certification information annually through both SAM.gov and certify.SBA.gov will maintain your status within the program as well as make contracting officers aware that your business meets the eligibility requirements to compete under the WOSB or EDWOSB umbrella.

Questions about self-certification, third-party certification, or the women-owned business contracting arena? Give us a call.

 

Emergency Rules

Government ontractors and small businesses should be aware of increased opportunities during the current COVID-19 national emergency. The government is permitted, during a national emergency, to set aside solicitations to allow awards “only to offerors residing or doing business primarily in the area affected by …[a] major disaster or emergency.” Contractors can verify if they fall into this category by reviewing Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.226-3(d). (Law360.com, April 13, 2020)

A national emergency declaration allows the government to (restrict) certain solicitations to small businesses in certain areas. These solicitations are either a set-aside or an evaluation preference is given to small businesses. (ibid)

During national emergencies, large contractors should look to team with small businesses, or to current teaming agreements already in place. In addition, contractors who are at the ready to produce/provide goods or services may be called on to contract with agencies to battle COVID-19. (ibid)

Micro purchase thresholds are another acquisition procedure government agencies may use during a national emergency. These allow for a simplified acquisition methodology for specific items or services required under emergency situations, such as the COVID-19 national emergency. (ibid)

State and local governments may also procure under the Stafford Act, wherein state governors request financial relief via federal grants that allow procurement under their own procedures. The Stafford Act authorizes federal contracts for “debris clearance, distribution of supplies, reconstruction, and other major disaster or emergency assistance activities.” In 2006 the Local Community Recovery Act amended the Stafford Act mandating local organizations to be given preference when using full and open competition. The FAR was also amended to align with the Local Community Recovery Act. Under the act, if a contractor does not meet all of the Recovery Act stipulations there are other factors that may be considered. (Contractors may self-certify that they are local.) (ibid)

Other streamlining acquisition procedures are available under federal supply schedule contracts, multi-agency blanket purchase agreements, and multi-agency indefinite-delivery contracts. Additionally, there is an easing of the requirement that a contractor be registered in SAM.gov at the time an offer is submitted to the government. (ibid)

The emergency declaration allows state and local governments to purchase from all GSA schedules. It also encourages accelerated payments to small business contractors.  (ibid)

Additional modified procedures to facilitate swift responses are:

  • Relaxation of qualifications requirements
  • Use of sole-source contracts
  • Use of oral requests for proposals
  • Use of letter contracts
  • Interagency acquisitions
  • Awards to small disadvantaged businesses
  • Retroactive overtime approvals
  • Waivers of bid guarantees when an emergency exists
  • Use of protest overrides where necessary for a contracting process to continue

In order to track procurements related to COVID-19, GSA added a National Interest Action (NIA) code to SAM.gov. To find information on the site, simply type COVID-19 2020 in the search bar. (ibid) Contractors can register with SAM.gov under the disaster response registry, and be sure to monitor the portals most closely aligned to the goods or services you provide.

Have questions about the many opportunities available under the current national emergency? Give us a call.

GSA Allowing Some non-TAA Compliant Products

Demand for essential supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic has escalated to the point that GSA Senior Procurement Executive (SPE) has issued a Class Determination and Findings (D&F) that temporarily allows procurement of non-Trade Agreement Act (TAA) compliant products through the GSA Schedule contracts. Unavailability of the Federal Supply Classes found in GSA’s SPE memo dated 3 April 2020 is cited as the rationale for the change in contractor procedures. (GSA Interact, April 15, 2020)

All MAS contractors with access to products under these FSCs and able to meet the urgent need should submit a stand-alone modification request via eMod. Information and detailed instructions for submitting the modification along with required templates can be found on the GSA.gov, MAS Contractor and Modification Requirements page. (ibid)

The Federal Acquisition Service will email contractors to which the D&F may apply . If you do not receive an email or your authorized negotiator is not up to date, please contact your Procurement Contracting Officer (PCO). A PCO listing may be found by searching your contract number or company name on gsaelibrary.gsa.gov.

Are you able to meet the urgent needs of the government but do not know how to navigate the MAS Contractor and Modification Requirements? Give us a call.