Your company may have the opportunity to explore many aspects of government contracting. One such contract could be with an intelligence agency, which could raise several issues for the members of your team and considerations for the work you perform. Before bidding on or starting one of these types of contracts, it’s helpful to know what to expect.
Tony Summerlin, senior strategic advisor with the Federal Communications Commission, and Diana Hughes, director of the Office of the Small Business Programs in the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, shared their knowledge and opinions at an event titled “How to do business with the intelligence community.” They shared insights based on their experiences with their agencies and working with contracting companies. Here are some tips to consider if you’re interested in working with the intelligence community on government contracts.
- If a company does not respond to a Request for Information (RFI), they are not going to win the award. Responding to the RFI is an opportunity for a company to sell itself and shape the solicitation.
- If your company is having issues obtaining a security clearance, build a relationship with an agency. Some agencies are friendlier than others.
- Certifications are considered to be “nice to have,” but a company’s core competencies are most important.
- Some intelligence agencies are exempt from meeting small business goals.
- Many companies focus on cybersecurity threats instead of the solution. The government is already familiar with the threats.
- Advisers on source selection ensure that cybersecurity regulations are met.
With these tips in mind, your company can make a better bid for contracts with the intelligence agencies.
If you have questions, contact us today at 703-218-3600 or click here. To review our government contracting articles, click here. To learn more about MCB’s government contracting practice and our experts, click here.
©2019