Are you a small business competing for Federal government contracts in a large-business world?  Well, your 911 call has been answered and help is on the way.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is sponsoring a pilot grant program to teach small businesses how to leverage their capabilities by teaming with other small businesses to compete for larger Federal procurement contracts.  That is, contracts valued above $10,000,000.

As a part of that new program, SBA held an all-day small-business teaming workshop on 15 May 2012 at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma.  Hosting about 30 small business firms, the workshop covered strategy development for the Federal market, opportunity identification and assessment, proposal development, and contract execution.  I presented the keynote block on why teaming between small businesses is so critical now and some approaches on creating an effective contract team. 

Shrinking procurement budgets and the scarcity of experienced acquisition personnel in the Government are prompting an increased trend toward consolidation of contracts.  In the past, small and midsize businesses could look forward to smaller separate contracts for which they could compete on a stand-alone basis.  The stark realities of the current entrenched Federal market, particularly within DOD, is that small businesses must increase their scale through teaming to compete for these larger, consolidated contracts.

LSI Business Development, Inc. (LSI) holds the SBA grant for the teaming pilot program in the Southwest Region and prepared the overall workshop agenda.  If you’re interested in this SBA initiative or know of someone who might be, contact the LSI program manager Leshia Pearson at (405) 741-0700.……………………………………………………………………………………….

Just two months ago (March 2012), the House Committee on Armed Services (HASC) completed a report (following six months of research) on the challenges small and midsize companies face in doing business with the Department of Defense (DOD).  A key recommendation from the HASC report was that DOD increase the number of contracts awarded to small businesses.  This recommendation includes both direct contracts in which small businesses deal directly with the Federal government as well as subcontracts in which the small businesses work through a prime contractor.……………………………………………………………………………………..

A new small-business-oriented organization gaining traction in the Southwest Region is MAGIC—Mid America Government Industry Coalition.  MAGIC is a regional trade association based in Oklahoma City that promotes an atmosphere that allows companies to secure new business independently or through strategic alliances.  The membership is primarily companies and associations working in Federal contracts and located in the Midwestern states.  Contact Kay Bills at (405) 455-3800.

Oklahoma City (April 21, 2011)—Oscar Womack, Jr. of Coherent Contracts, LLC has achieved the status of Certified Management Consultant (CMC) by the Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA).

The CMC designation is awarded to management consultants following a rigorous process of examination to those who have demonstrated a history of substantive results for clients, show adherence to the IMC USA Code of Ethics and professional practice management.

CMCs are acknowledged as leading experts in their fields, with track records of significant accomplishments in their consulting engagements.  In order to maintain their status, CMCs must recertify every three years.

According to IMC USA Board Chair, Drumm McNaughton, Ph. D., CMC, “Clients who choose a Certified Management Consultant can be assured that the consultant they’ve chosen is highly recommended by expert consultants, and maintains a high standard of performance.”

Established by Womack during 2006, Coherent Contracts provides contract management support services to companies pursuing or currently performing Federal Government contracts.

Founded in 1968, IMC USA is the national professional association representing management consultants.  IMC USA establishes professional and ethical standards for management consultants, provides continuing education and information relevant to the profession, and increases public awareness of the management consulting profession.

IMC USA is the U. S. member of the prestigious International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), a UN-NGO which has more than 10,000 CMCs worldwide in its 46 Member Institutes that include the UK, China, Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan, Canada, and others.

For more information about IMC USA and ICMCI, visit www.imcusa.org.

Look for incisive comments starting March 1, 2011.