Top 5 Tips for New Government Contractors (That You Might Not Know Yet)

In this episode of FedBiz'5, host Bobby Testa shares practical, real-world advice for small businesses entering the government marketplace. Pulled from our popular "Top 10 Tips for New Government Contractors" blog, Bobby dives into the five most critical lessons new contractors need to know.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn the FAR: Focus on Parts 12, 13, and 19 to understand commercial items, simplified acquisitions, and small business programs.
• Optimize Your SAM.gov Profile: Your SAM registration is your storefront—make it complete, accurate, and keyword rich.
• Choose Strategic NAICS Codes: Align your codes with what agencies actually use when searching for vendors.
• Create a Strong Capability Statement: Stand out with a clear, sharp, and buyer-focused document—plus a 60-second snapshot video.
• Leverage OSDBUs: Agency small business offices are powerful allies—approach them prepared and professional.

Government contracting isn't just for big players. With the right approach, smart small businesses can thrive.

If you need expert help navigating registrations, marketing, or agency outreach, FedBiz Specialists are just a call away. Schedule a complimentary consultation today by calling 888-299-4498 or visiting FedBizAccess.com.

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Transcript

My name is Bobby and I work with small businesses in the government marketplace. You're listening to FedBiz'5. Get informed, get connected, and get results on everything government contracting.

Hey there and welcome to the FedBiz'5, the podcast where we take the complexity out of federal contracting and turn it into practical and tactical insights you can actually use. I'm your host Bobby Testa and yep, I am also part of the crew over at FedBiz Access. We've helped thousands of small businesses navigate the federal marketplace and this podcast is just another way we're sharing what we've learned over the years.

No fluff, no jargon, just real advice from folks who've been in the trenches. Now, I've been talking to a lot of newcomers lately, folks who've got the skills, the hustle, the business acumen, but still end up hitting avoidable roadblocks just because no one ever told them the unwritten rules. So, let's skip the boring orientation checklist and dive into five real deal insights from the field pulled from a blog we did called Top 10 Tips for New Government Contractors.

Now, I'm only going to give you five today because, well, this is the FedBiz5 after all, but trust me, these are the ones you'll wish you knew before diving in. Now, keep in mind, these aren't the basics you hear in an everyday startup webinar. These are the things you only find out after banging your head against the wall for a few months or working with someone who's already made the mistakes for you.

So, let's get into it. Tip number one, learn the FAR or at least three parts that matter the most. All right, let's start with the one that tends to make our eyes glaze over, the FAR, Federal Acquisition Regulation.

Now, I get it, it sounds dry and yeah, it's a giant document, but here's the thing, if you don't at least get familiar with the key parts, you're basically playing in the NFL without knowing the rule book. The three parts you need to know right out the gate, let's start with part 12. This deals with commercial products and services.

If you're selling something the government buys off the shelf, this is your lane. Part 13 covers simplified acquisitions, which is where a lot of small businesses get their start. Think micro-purchases and streamlined buys under $250,000.

And the third, part 19. This one's the big kahuna for small businesses. It lays out the small business programs, including 8A, SDVOSB, HUBZone, all that.

Now what we do at FedBizAccess is actually walk clients through the FAR with real examples. So instead of me saying, hey, part 13 is important. I'll say, look at this $90,000 simplified acquisition your agency posted last week.

This falls under part 13. Here's what that means for your bid. Trust me, once you see how these parts apply in real bids, it clicks.

Tip number two, sam.gov is not just a form. It's your storefront. If you've ever registered your business on sam.gov, you know, it feels like filling out a tax return in a foreign language.

And what a lot of people don't realize is it's not just about getting your unique entity ID and calling it a day. Sam.gov is searchable. Contracting officers use it like a vendor directory.

If your profile isn't complete, or if your NAICS codes are off or worse, if your narrative is bland, you're missing out. I've seen businesses literally sit invisible for months because they put the wrong email address or forgot to hit public display. Now FedBizAccess, we've helped tens of thousands of companies, not just register, but optimize their SAM and dynamic small business search or DSBS profile.

That means making sure that the capability narrative is updated and making sure that that hits keywords. Buyers are searching for aligning NAICS code strategically and even updating performance history. So it looks current.

Think of it this way. If someone Googled you today and your LinkedIn was blank, would they call you? No. Same deal here.

Tip number three, strategic NAICS codes equals visibility. Now let's keep this real. If your NAICS codes don't line up with what buyers are actually using to search, you're invisible.

You might do IT consulting, but if agencies are searching for custom computer programming instead, and you're not listing the adjacent code, you're not getting seen. This is something we attack head on. We look at live award data using our FedBiz365 tool, see what codes buyers are using in your niche, and then we build your profile accordingly.

Quick story, we had a client who listed just one NAICS code related to staffing. After running a market scan, we found five others that officers were using way more often. We added them, optimized his DSBS profile, and within a month, he got two inbound calls.

No bidding, just being found. Tip number four, don't phone in your capability statement. A capability statement is the resume your company sends to the government.

But most of the ones I see, generic, uninspired, copy-paste jobs from websites. Here's the deal. If a contracting officer opens your capability statement and can't understand your differentiators in the first 30 seconds, you're out.

Especially at industry events or OSDBU matchmaking meetings, you need something tight, visual, and memorable. Now, we design these things to look sharp, speak directly to the buyers, and communicate value. And we often pair them with something we call a snapshot video.

It's a 60-second pitch of your company. These get attached to emails, posted in profiles, and used in elevator pitches. Super effective.

Let's be honest, attention spans are short. If you can't get them in 60 seconds, you've lost them. Tip number five, OSDBUs are your friends.

Use them. Okay, this one's way underrated. Every federal agency has an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, or OSDBU.

These folks are your inside track. They're literally paid to help small businesses engage with their agency. They host events, share forecast updates, help you understand how that agency buys, and in some cases, they'll advocate for your company internally.

The problem? Most businesses either don't know about them or don't approach them the right way. We coach our clients on how to reach out professionally with a clean, targeted email, a capability statement that speaks the agency's language, and yes, that polished snapshot video that says, we're ready. If you show up prepared, the OSDBU can be a huge lever in getting the first conversation and that first contract.

All right, let's land the plane here. If you take nothing else from today, remember this, government contracting, it isn't just for folks with 50-page proposal teams and secret handshakes. It's for the smart, persistent businesses who learn the rules, show up prepared, and maybe, just maybe, listen to a podcast or two along the way.

If you work these five tips into your strategy, you're not just playing the game. You're setting yourself up to win it. And hey, if you want a guide, instead of wandering the sand desert alone, like Indiana Jones with a broken GPS, FedBiz Access is here.

We've been doing this for over two decades and we've seen it all. Yes, even the guy who accidentally registered his landscaping business under deep sea mining. True story.

Thanks for hanging out with me today on FedBiz'5. If you liked today's episode, do me a favor, hit follow, leave a review, or share it with a friend who's thinking about getting into government contracting, but still hasn't figured out what NAICS stands for. I'm Bobby Testa, and remember, register smart, market smarter, and whatever you do, do not let your capability statement look like it was made in PowerPoint 2003.

Catch you next time. Thank you for listening to the FedBiz'5, where you get informed, get connected, and get results on everything government contracting. Today's podcast is made courtesy of FedBiz Access, government contracting made simple.

Visit them at FedBizAccess.com, where you can find all the FedBiz'5 podcasts, related blogs, government contracting news, and of course, information on the various products and services that can assist your business in becoming visible to the government buyers. FedBiz Access can be reached by calling them at 888-299-4498.