“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” ~Albert Einstein
We talk a lot about gaining quality information and using it to solidify opportunities for your government contractor. I am very often in settings, whether conferences, educational presentations, networking events, etc, surrounded by motivated and inspired business leaders thirsting for the knowledge they lack to bridge the gap and see the pathway open up to opportunity. Parabilis has many of these events on our monthly schedules because we are always looking to learn so we can share the quality information we collect with our clients and broader network.
In these experiences we find inspiration in seeing your efforts and hearing your excitement for your potential in the industry. But we also hear the concerns and the skepticism that pervades when things don’t always go the way you had planned. This season is full of RFI opportunities, so we are focused on setting the proper expectations and sharing the best information we can with you so you can deliver the information to the buyer in a way that will keep your response at the top of the heap.
Don’t die on the vine
At the last event we sponsored we had government “buyers” together in a room with the small businesses who want to work with them. The discussion was palpable. But even for the tenured leaders in the room, there is always room for more information, new ways of thinking and better perspective. It’s like the saying, “when you assume…you…” well, you know the rest. There were a lot of assumptions flying around the room that small businesses have a disadvantage in many RFI opportunities because some feel that the “buyers” already know who they want to buy from, i.e. mostly larger businesses, and the “little guy” has no shot.
One prospective customer went so far in voicing his skepticism that he said his company was backing off of certain RFIs that they were sure to be well suited for because they didn’t believe the buyer would give them a shot and they didn’t want to waste their time preparing information for an opportunity that was out of their reach.
Many insiders that I trust said that this common misconception leaves the smaller businesses “dying on the vine” because they are spending too much time looking for excuses of why not to go after the work, rather than crafting an RFI that showcases exactly why they should get the work. Don’t leave opportunity on the table because you have to take a risk by throwing your hat in the ring. Once an RFI is released, reach out to the Office of Small Business liaisons from the agency and ask the questions you have and seek out the information you feel you need to accurately and adequately provide that agency with what they need so they “see” you and choose your solution.
A bad attitude won’t win you any contract awards. Neither will a flashy capabilities statement or even every certification the SBA offers for small businesses. What wins out in the end is following the request instructions, providing the answers to the questions in full or reasons why you can’t answer some that apply, researching how what you do is the best option for that agency’s needs, and presenting it all in the format requested.
Remember: the answer is always no if you don’t ask.