Yes, the federal government buys a lot of stuff…but does it buy what you sell? At a price you can offer? What agencies buy this stuff? Who does the agency buy from right now? Can you compete with that? How does the agency make their purchases? How can you let them know you exist?
Before you chase your tail looking for RFQs on FedBizOpps, or getting ‘on schedule’ with a GSA contract, it’s critical to get to know this market, understand how each agency operates, and become familiar with key parts of the federal acquisition regulations.
The Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) can help you answer some of these questions. FPDS contains purchasing data on almost all federal contracts, and is free to use.
GSA contract holders must report their GSA sales each quarter, and the information is available on the Schedule Sales Query site.
FedBizOpps can give you history of agency purchases and awards, as well as notices of upcoming opportunities.
All agencies have an Office of Small Business Utilization (OSBDU), and most post a forecast of contracting opportunities for the upcoming fiscal year.