If you search all opportunities in the past 365 days, you will see that only 196,564 actually were posted. Let’s look closer… 74,426 were not even real opportunities (Presolicitaions, Sources Sought, Canceled etc.). That isn’t all… When you consider some were not awarded at all and about 80% of RFP’s are so heavily influenced by industry (winnable only by the contractor who assisted in writing the scope), that leaves about 3,000 opportunities per month – Nationwide across all industries. That is why most companies think there is too much competition – and they are right if FBO is your source.

Last year according to isiFederal Intelligence research, 2,623,071 contracts were awarded last year with 218,589 contracts being executed every single month (now that is more like it). That means only about 4.5% of opportunities actually hit the street on FedBizOpps and most of them are already baked for the competition.

FedBizOps Myth? BUSTED

Here is a video with some more on FBO… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNapeaNsJ3A&feature=share&list=UUT7lk1QZ641AoAeFE8YUG8g

This is important because without some pre-proposal insight, it is often too late to have any influence or really understand the requirement fully once the opportunity hits the street. We have a rule around here, if we didn’t influence the scope, somebody else did. Sometimes that is the incumbent, sometimes it is a new player and if you have some connectivity beforehand, you can be that new player. The key is to focus on the people with decision making authority and influence.

Several of our clients have databases and monitor for opportunities. Here is the main issue they find… all of the databases concentrate on opportunities that are $500k and above AND once it hits the database radar, they let everyone know and because of the threshold. Now the big boys are paying attention and those big boys are well entrenched and have a lot more resources than most of my clients. This does not excite me.

Whenever I use any kind of analysis tool I like to look at what I call “feeders”. Using construction as an example, look at the food chain of a construction project. It starts with planning, surveying and permitting – then architects and environmental engineers – then GC’s and specialty trades – then maintenance and grounds keeping. The person responsible for the build is often the same person who starts the planning and permitting. Get to them and you not only know of an opportunity way before everyone else, you can often influence the next phase of the process.

This works in almost all industries. A few years ago we began doing market research for clients to find the “under the radar” contracts and contacts associated with those contracts. It was a pretty cool expedition and we learned a whole lot in the process. We did research for industrial battery company and used pallets as a feeder because if a customer has pallets, they need a fork lift and half of the forklifts use batteries. This gave us hundreds of buyers that would never show up on FBO or even the individual agency monitoring sites.

If you want to see how it works, you can find samples here:

Market Essentials Overview Video

STEALTH Tactical Intelligence – SAMPLE EXCEL.xlsx

STEALTH Tactical Intelligence – SAMPLE.pdf

Now, this is a different approach than a bid database because it revolves around people instead of opportunities. If you know who the people are, then you proactively go after those buyers and PMs as you would any strategic account. A byproduct of this approach is identifying the firms/primes that are winning. Who could possibly be a better referral source than the federal buyer or PM who refers you to the company PM? It is a beautiful thing when you bypass all the vendor databases and get to the PM of the prime for the project. At least you have the chance to be on the short list…

What I like most is identifying the key contacts of the competitors so I can target them directly. Since most of the accounts are at risk at some point, being in front of the right people makes all the difference.

Every day I am asked about key contacts in specific industries.  Why? Because there are over 80,000 federal buyers with authority to purchase and there are probably a few hundred that purchase what you sell on a regular basis.  Your proactive efforts should be focused on key contacts that are in line with your capabilities and past performance.

When we started isiFederal, it was critical to me that we be able to identify high probability targets.  Sure, you can track an opportunity but that can take up to 5 years before that comes around again with that buyer.  What about the other 25,000 or contracts that will be executed in that time period?  Who handles those? How can you find them?

Great questions.  The answer revolves around power.  Power is money and budget is king.  Nobody in DC or anywhere in the federal government wants to lose a dime of budget.  It is clear in year end use it or lose it spending and it is evident in the contracts that you want to compete for.  If the agency spent $100 Million last year, they will do it again this year and who do you think will be spending that money?  That’s right, the same people as last year.

We have developed an advanced intelligence that sifts through the contract information and compiles a complete report of information that is pertinent for your company. Most importantly we cross reference the contracts with the contacts responsible.  This gives us the contacts in context with your company’s strengths and capabilities. Here is a sample of what we have done, see what you think…

Every single thing you do is advancing (or not advancing) a sale. Maybe it is selling the meeting, a follow-up or your actual product or service. The important thing to know is where you are relative to your buyer’s buying motives.

Think about the federal buyer for a moment… What are some of the stereotypes that come to mind? Write them down and you have a great foundation of the make-up of a federal buyer and what they need from you…

If you are a typical business person frustrated with government bureaucracy and inefficiency, did you know that you probably are projecting those negative thoughts in your phone conversations and maybe even in person?

How? We as humans “can’t not” project these things subconsciously because we believe them. That is why we need to be careful about our belief structures and what we are projecting. In fact, if we understand what makes the federal buyers buy, then we can project the solutions to that and they will receive these positive reinforcements to their buying motives- and it all happens subconsciously.

Hard to believe right? Well think about this for a moment… How is it that you and your best friend can finish each other’s sentences, move the same way, act the same way without any scripting? It all revolves around rapport and rapport starts, or doesn’t start within milliseconds of meeting or talking with someone. You know it happens because sometimes you just “click” and other times you can’t seem to generate a connection.

Now, when it comes to federal buyers, there are two important components to understand. First, where are you right now, and second where are they and what are their buying motives.  Federal buyers are not complicated, they are just like you – they want things to be easy.  That doesn’t mean they don’t work, they just don’t want to have to do extra work to buy from you.  So, if you can help them trim the work load, you are golden!

3 Golden Nuggets

Provide them with sample scopes of work that they can use in their next procurement.   Provide them with Sample Standard form 1445 filled out with the appropriate boxes filled, ready to go with item descriptions and all.

Provide them with your certifications- especially the ones that help them like small business, 8(a) and SDVOSB.

If you get into their world and understand what they do, you can positively change your belief structure and become more aligned with them – generating real rapport.

CapturePlanning.com features Dave Lowe, CEO of isiFederal in webinar discussing “Getting Ahead Of The RFP”. Slides are available at http://proplibrary.com/files/file/22-webinar-slides-getting-ahead-of-the-rfp/

Influencing The Scope
Influencing the Grading
Positioning Your Company with the RIGHT People – People That Buy.

This session examined the buyers, especially contracting officers that are so important this time of year. Understand their importance, how they make decisions, their buying motives and what they need from you so you can win. Look at your market and the resources you need to be able to effectively reach key decision makers so they remember you when the time comes to purchase products or services that you sell.

The federal space is a long term sales cycle and it will take time and dedicated effort to reach your sales goals. You need to know what success looks like before you start making money in your expansion efforts. Let’s say your isiFederal intelligence reveals 500 buyers for what you sell. Our goal is usually 15% dialog within 60 days and 20-25% dialog within 6 months. This means conversations with 125-150 people responsible for purchasing what you sell. These contacts will range from unsellable (in tight with your competition) to HOT. All of them can be your customers if you have the right message at the right time.

BD Key Performance Indicators

1) Introduction e-mails sent

a. Positive responses
b. Negative responses
c. Bounced

2) Follow-up

a. Calls per hour
b. Decision Makers Reached per Day
c. Follow-up Meetings Set per Day

3) Follow-up E-mails sent

a. Capabilities
b. Pricing
c. Sample SOW

4) Initial Meeting/Conference Call

a. Upcoming opportunities
b. Recent
c. Missed/Long Range Opportunities

5) Follow-up touches (every 21-30 days)

a. E-mails sent
b. Decision Makers Reached per Day
c. Meetings Set per Day

6) Opportunities

a. HOT (immediate)
b. High potential (next 180 days)
c. Mid-Range (Next 18 months)
d. Long Range (More than 18 months)
e. Outside Core
i. Partner to capture
ii. Refer to competent non-competitor

7) Influence Scope

8) Pre-Proposal

9) Proposals

10) Wins

Sure there are initiatives and forecasts released by the agencies every single year but they are only a fraction of the total spend and have full exposure to everyone on the planet. Plus, most of the big initiatives have been influenced by the most formidable competitors with relationships and political connections that are impenetrable. Your job is to find “the right people” under the radar of the big boys.

So far I haven’t found a better way than looking at the historical data. Why? Because power in DC is based on budget and if they had budget last year they will protect it for this year. More importantly, whoever spent the money on your services last year is most likely to be spending the money this year.

Three ways to find “the right people”:

1) Look at your competition. If they are doing it, so can you. How much is GSA? How much is another vehicle? Who are their contacts? How are they procured? Not just Sole source, BPA, 8(a), SDVOSB etc, but what NAICS and PSC are they using?

2) Look at the whole market. If you look at the entire market you will probably find competitors that you never thought you had because they are in places you never knew existed and are putting millions into their bank accounts that could be in yours.

3) Look for your sweet spot. Chances are your sweet spot in expansion in a new federal market (that means anything outside your current influence) will be about half of your average sale AND under $750k. Interestingly enough, this is under the radar for most of the big boys so they don’t even care to pay attention. Get to $1.5M and you have entered the realm of serious, formidable competition.

Now, you can spend 3-4 months on GSAadvantage and a host of other government sites looking for this information but you need it NOW if you are going to be able to make a dent in this year’s sales efforts. In most instances we can provide you what you need in three weeks for three grand. Take a look at the sample Marketing Essentials Intelligence here:

Market Intelligence Overview Video- 3 Min 44 Sec

STEALTH Tactical Intelligence – SAMPLE EXCEL.xlsx

STEALTH Tactical Intelligence – SAMPLE.pdf

I think we can be pretty certain…

1) The federal government is not going to fold. If that happens, it won’t matter who has what contract anyway.

2) Spending will happen again.

3) They will buy what you sell.

So??? Plan.

1) Plan to take advantage of companies that don’t plan.

2) Plan to take advantage of companies on the fringe that might not be able to weather a storm.

3) Plan to take advantage of a lull and build relationships with your competitors’ best contacts.

How? Find your competitors contacts and go get them. You know, this concept really shouldn’t change whether business is good, or business is bad. It is just extra effective if you keep your head during troubling times when you position yourself as a qualified and ultimately pancake your panicking competitors.

Don’t know who is buying what you sell? Click here for a 4 minute sample of how you can find out.

Market Essentials Overview Video

Federal Marketing Essentials – SAMPLE

STEALTH Tactical Intelligence – SAMPLE EXCEL

Now, this is a different approach than a bid database because it revolves around people instead of opportunities. If you know who the people are, then you proactively go after those buyers and PMs as you would any strategic account. Check out how you can find the projects in your sweet spot.

Market Intelligence Overview Video- 3 Min 44 Sec

STEALTH Tactical Intelligence – SAMPLE EXCEL.xlsx

STEALTH Tactical Intelligence – SAMPLE.pdf

So, you are monitoring NAICS for your company right?  Well, it is a virtual certainty that you are missing some really lucrative opportunities.  Let’s look at the top NAICS codes for tactical gear and see where it shows up…

336992 MILITARY ARMORED VEHICLE, TANK, AND TANK COMPONENT MANUFACTURING

315999 OTHER APPAREL ACCESSORIES AND OTHER APPAREL MANUFACTURING

922120 POLICE PROTECTION

Most tactical gear folks don’t even look at 336992 because they are not thinking of where the gear is being used. Also, take a look at 315999- this is an “other” category and there are several that are important in the tactical gear space. Take a look at the Excel file and click the “NAICS” tab. You will see that all three of these NAICS account for about 51% of the total spend ($5 Billion) but only 25% of the number of contracts.

This means that the other $5 Billion is split between 453 other NAICS codes like $58 Million in 561210 FACILITIES SUPPORT SERVICES and $27 Million in 315211 MEN’S AND BOYS’ CUT AND SEW APPAREL CONTRACTORS and most of these are less than $150k per contract. Now that is a sweet spot!   How and why does this happen? It happens either because the contracting officer doesn’t know what to do with the opportunity or he/she has a preferred vendor and doesn’t want 25 responses (especially for smaller projects). Either way, it is benefitting a select few federal vendors and you are not one of them.   NAICS anomalies happen in every area of the federal government in every industry because it helps minimize the competition. Your best customer doesn’t want 25 responses any more than you want 25 competitors. Take a look at your competition (see pages 56, 60, 67 for their NAICS wins) and then you can understand how you can do it too!   NAICS Myth: BUSTED