Product Description

Succeed in the Federal Government Marketplace Today!

Learn how to break into and succeed in the federal government marketplace with this comprehensive guide outlining everything you need to know about federal contracting. Federal Contracting Made Easy, 3rd Edition, is an all-in-one source designed to give you a full understanding of how the federal government acquires supplies and services. This practical handbook provides references to contracting regulations, size standards, contracting activities, federal publications and forms, subcontracting opportunities, and much more!

This fully updated, step-by-step guide will help you:
-Understand how the government issues procurement opportunities
-Navigate the red tape to speed your way to a successful contract
-Decode confusing rules
-Get to know the key players
-Learn the various types of contracts
-Overcome contracting obstacles

Federal Contracting Made Easy, 3rd Edition, will guide you through the inevitable challenges of federal contracting. Use the most current resource available for your organization today!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35572 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 376 pages

Review
I have read and re-read [this] book and find it to be a treasure trove of information on the 'how to' of federal contracting very well done! It has a place of pride on my desk as a reference. --Michael Thompson, Configuration Management Supervisor, Computer Sciences Corporation

I have read and re-read [this] book and find it to be a treasure trove of information on the 'how to' of federal contracting very well done! It has a place of pride on my desk as a reference.
--Michael Thompson, Configuration Management Supervisor, Computer Sciences Corporation

I have spent more than a dozen years working in the federal contracting industry, and Stanberry has penned the only book on government contracting that has earned a permanent place in my reference library my well-thumbed and annotated copy is on my desk, right next to my computer. --Michelle L. Hutchens, ProCom: A Proposal Communication Company

From the Publisher
To many companies, the process of winning a government contract seems impossibly complicated. But while it's true that the process does require a lot of paperwork, the financial rewards are well worth the effort. With 2,500 buying offices nationwide, the federal government needs a huge array of products and services. Whatever supplies or services your company offers, chances are that the government needs them somewhere.

This practical handbook will help you find your opportunity. Federal Contracting Made Easy explains the process in terms that are easy to understand and follow. It shows you how to navigate the red tape and speed your way to a successful contract.

Whether you are a new start-up seeking government business for the first time or a current contractor with years of experience, Federal Contracting Made Easy offers you a treasury of proven methods. You'll learn how to identify new contracting opportunities, enhance your efficiency, and boost your profitability when doing business with the federal government.

From the Author
Federal Contracting Made Easy is designed to help you break into and succeed in the federal government marketplace. Written in real English, not government jargon, it gives the reader a basic understanding of how the federal government acquires supplies and services. This book also provides references to contracting regulations, size standards, contracting activities, government personnel, federal publications and forms, subcontracting opportunities, and much more!

Customer Reviews

Clear roadmap out of the quagmire
This book is not only an essential guide for small and medium businesses seeking federal contracts, but also serves as an excellent resource for companies that bid for commercial contracts.

The five parts to this book form a clear roadmap to doing Federal Government business. Part I gives the big picture and rules of the game. These rules cover the sources of contract terms and conditions that you are going to see in any federal contract, including applicable laws with which you need to comply and the role of agencies such as the Defense Contract Auditing Agency. If you've never engaged in a federal contract these rules will determine whether you should even be in the game.

Part II describes special programs and opportunities available to certain businesses, subcontracting (especially useful if your business model is to team with prime contractors), and Federal Supply/GSA opportunities for companies selling finished products. Part III describes marketing strategies for federal business. This area is vastly different from marketing to commercial entities, but is similar in many respects for going after business at the state and county government level. This information is also useful when you're marketing to large companies that do government contracting, such as aerospace. Their procurement policies and processes will probably mirror those of the Federal Government.

Although Part IV is about government procurement and acquisition procedures, most large companies have similar procedures, so this part of the book is useful for both government and commercial contracting. Part V is my favorite because it explains in great detail each contract type (fixed price, cost reimbursement and other types and variations). This information is applicable to both government and commercial business and the in-depth treatment that the author gives is the best I've seen. If you're considering or are engaged in government contracting this book is one that should be close at hand, both as a reference and as training material for your project managers, marketing staff and anyone who is a part of a proposal team. I also highly recommend augmenting this book with Robert S. Frey's Successful Proposal Strategies for Small Businesses - the combination of both books will give you and your company a significant advantage in winning and keeping federal contracts.

Best General Book on Subject for Small Businesses

This review is updated for the 3rd Edition.

I've read many books on government contracting. I think this is the best primer on the market for small business owners and managers. Chapters are well-organized and the writing is succinct. The graphics are useful, including government forms, rate calculations, sample cost formulas, and more. The bid formula example for a small disadvantaged business and the progress payment schedule are just 2 of many excellent and easy-to-understand graphics.

The author, Scott Stanberry, is well-known in the field because his successes in helping businesses to get established as government contractors. His book, now in its 3rd edition, has been the favorite beginning book for small business owners for several years.

Federal contracting has grown steadily for many years now for various reasons. Even though the government is now bringing a lot of this work in-house instead of continuing to outsource it, most economists expect the sector to remain a large part of the national economy. Since the scope of federal procurement is so large, it makes sense for many businesses to evaluate the potential benefits of becoming vendors to the federal government.

From the Horse's Mouth - Where's the Best Value
Currently a member of the Federal Acquisition workforce, I see this book covers the gamut, as we know it. Particularly impressive is its coverage of GSA. GSA is a prime Federal market research tool. This can give prospective contractors an idea of what government organizations regularly buy, and government contacts for soliciting business.

As an insider, there does still exist widespread indirect nepotism; cronyism; military who roll into contracts, and other versions of same (so much so that various government bodies such as Government Accounting Office handle contests of unfair play), so the better you know the rules of the game, the better your chances of getting in and getting your fair play of public funds. Government is pro small business; however, you have to slog thru bureaucracy, and that means having the information to even get started and what to do. The driving force is supposed to be acquiring the "best value" for public funds for a requirement. This book can be a map to help you on your journey to propose how you can get the job done. If you know where you want to go, pick up this map, and get the edge to get there.