Have you considered doing business or expanding your current business with the local government?
Municipalities (aka city governments) are often overlooked by companies considering government contracting. But many times, this is where the opportunity lies for contractors that target a specific geographic area, such as state, city, and county parameters.
CIRAS Government Contracting Specialist
Municipalities are responsible for obtaining many things necessary to keep their communities running smoothly. Would your goods/services be needed to help the following common city departments function?
- School systems
- Administration
- Maintenance & repair
- Fleet
- Law enforcement
- Airport
- Parks & recreation
- Water systems
- Cemeteries
- Construction (roadway and building)
Doing business with city governments will vary from city to city. Smaller communities often lack a robust procurement program, and website information on bid opportunities may be sparse or non-existent. Therefore, you will need to reach out to the local city administration/procurement officer and ask a few standard questions to help you better understand how they procure goods and services. Some of the questions you can ask include:
- How do you advertise procurement opportunities, and how can I be considered in the future?
- What is your dollar threshold that you can purchase within before having to put it out for public bid?
- If there already is an established contract for the product/service you offer, you may inquire when the contract expires and advise that you would like to be a part of future bid opportunities.
Lastly, follow-up your calls by sharing your capability statement and continue to cultivate the relationship with your target government customer. If you haven’t yet developed a capability statement, reach out to your local PTAC counselor who will be more than happy to help you develop one.
For more information, contact Julie Fagle at jafagle@iastate.edu.