8(a), MBE, SDVOSB ….A Strategic Market Advantage

by Beverly Kuykendall

Are you attending what seems like hundreds of government conferences, workshops and seminars with NO idea how to get one of those coveted government contracts?  Leaving empty-handed? Are you able to create an approach that will make your firm stand out in a crowd?   What is your approach to attracting a mentor or other strategic partner?  Are you able to present the capabilities of your firm as a strategic market advantage for a potential mentor?  What is a strategic market advantage?  A strategic market advantage is a plan, method or series of maneuvers that are intended to lessen the ability of/or render your competitors incapable of competing with your firm in a given market based on your favorable position in that marketplace.    

On December 16, 2003 the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 was enacted, amending the Small Business Act.  This established a procurement program for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans.

On May 5, 2004, the Small Business Administration (SBA) published implementation providing guidance for the usage of Public Law 108-183 in public contracting.

During June of 2007 The Veterans Benefits Act was augmented and Public law 109-461 was put in place to give Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting Officers a mechanism to award to firms certified as SDVOSBs up to $5MM on a negotiated (non-competitive basis) designed to offer opportunities to SDVOSB Concerns. The key to bridging the gap between the promise of federal and state SDVOSB opportunities and actual contract awards is what YOU decide to DO with your status as an SDVOSB.  All companies, large and small, strive to create a strategic market advantage; and with good reason.  What’s the point of being in business, if your only marketing strategy is to enter a crowded field with no unique offerings?

Public Law 108-183 provides firms owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, a strategic market advantage.   VA Contracting officers now have procurement mechanisms in place that allow them to reach their 3% goal for SDVOSBs.  Without 109-461 Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses would be forced to compete against an infinite number of firms for federal and state work.  Under the scenario of Full and Open Competition, it is more difficult for SDVOSBs to compete and harder still for Contracting Officers to reach their 3% goal.

Your company status as an 8(a), MBE or SDVOSB can narrow the competitive landscape and actually makes it easier for Contracting Officers to award contracts to firms that are certified under one or more of these designations. This is a strategic market advantage when your industry competitors don’t have the special status and you do!  However, YOU (Certified Small Businesses) must understand the regulations for yourself.  Help the SBA and Contracting Officers help you!  Research 109-461 to determine how to put this Public Law to work for your firm to secure contracts. 

Full and Open Competition is only one of many procurement mechanisms used by Contracting Officers.  Offer the features and benefits of your product or service, AND your “protected” procurement status as an incentive for large firms to hire, subcontract, mentor or team with your firm.  Consider this: YOUR Certified Small Business status grants you a strategic market advantage by narrowing the competitive field.  This is a unique characteristic to market to potential partners...large government primes, commercial firms, other  small businesses.

There are two sides to each and every sale: (1) How the characteristics of the product or service meet the needs of the customer AND (2) The procurement mechanism (how the customer chooses to purchase the product).  Will they use the IMPAC Card, GSA, FSS, Full and Open Competition, existing IDIQ Contracts, IDQ, FFP, Set-Aside, Sole-Source, Proprietary Product, etc.?  If you don’t know how your potential customer is inclined to purchase, then you are not fully engaged in the selling process.  Sell! Sell! Sell!

Be the expert on Small Business Contracting.  Know how to work your status in the Contracting arena.  This expertise will enable you to effectively market your Small Business Contracting knowledge along with the features and benefits of your product or service to large business.  To learn more about your SDVOSB status, visit the website of SBA’s Office of Veteran’s Business Development www.sba.gov/vets. , visit your local SBA District Office for additional information, attend VOBE Conferences and read the Veterans Business Journal.       

If you are 8(a) certified or want to know the specifics regarding the benefits of this certifications also visit www.sba.gov and click on Programs. If you are a state certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) then go online to the office of procurement for your state and search for MBE/WBE Programs.

Remember, be the expert!  That is your real strategic market advantage.