BGMT 339 Introduction to Federal Contracting Week 1 learning activities

Learning Activity #1

Imagine for a moment that there were fewer rules and regulations as related to federal purchasing. Yes, the issue arises all the time, especially after election years.

So, let's imagine that Congress decided to get rid of some of these regulations and to "open up" the federal market place to more potential contractors. Based on what you know from your experience, would that be a good idea? Are there too many regulations? Are there any regulations that you have encountered that you would agree should be eliminated? Perhaps you think that there should be more regulations so that "the big guys" can't dominate?

And if you are new to federal contracting, think about whether it is good idea (or a bad idea) for marketplaces to have rules and regulations. Some people advocate for more rules; others argue for fewer regulations. Can you identify any areas where you could argue one way or another?

Learning Activity #2

You have just discovered that the US Government could be a big buyer of your company’s products. What are some of the first steps you need to do to tap this vast new, and potentially lucrative, market?

Learning Activity #1

Imagine for a moment that there were fewer rules and regulations as related to federal purchasing. Yes, the issue arises all the time, especially after election years.

So, let's imagine that Congress decided to get rid of some of these regulations and to "open up" the federal market place to more potential contractors. Based on what you know from your experience, would that be a good idea? Are there too many regulations? Are there any regulations that you have encountered that you would agree should be eliminated? Perhaps you think that there should be more regulations so that "the big guys" can't dominate?

And if you are new to federal contracting, think about whether it is good idea (or a bad idea) for marketplaces to have rules and regulations. Some people advocate for more rules; others argue for fewer regulations. Can you identify any areas where you could argue one way or another?

Fewer rules and regulations are warranted sometimes however, where government contracts are concerned the regulations and rules are put in place to protect the contractors and the United States Government. Although the rules are burdensome, there are processes that make allowances for amendments of the rules and regulations.

The FAR Council uses FAR Teams that are created by the FAR Council and receives direction from the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (CAAC) and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (DAR Council). The councils review the requested changes and after review publish the decision in the Federal Register as proposed, interim final, or final rules (Manuel et al., 2015).

The rules and regulations create uniformity for companies doing business with the government. The way requests for proposals are formulated, the proposals are explained in detail and assistance is available to any contractor (Manuel et al., 2015)

References:

Manuel , K. M., Halchin, L. E., Lunder , E. K., & Christensen , M. D. (2015, February 3). The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR): Answers to ... The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR): Answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R42826.pdf

Learning Activity #2

You have just discovered that the US Government could be a big buyer of your company’s products. What are some of the first steps you need to do to tap this vast new, and potentially lucrative, market?

The first steps to take are:

Verify what agency will use the product. Who the agency’s market is. Check the GSA schedule for product info for the agency (staff, 2009).

Register with the Central Contractor Registration. An entry in the CCR (ccr.gov) is a mandatory requirement for doing business with the federal government (SBA, n.d.).

Review SBC Federal Business Opportunities.

Solicitations can be found through the GSA's website, that is directly linked to the solicitation on FedBizOpps.gov (staff, 2009).

Ensure all terms of the proposed contract are thoroughly understood. Additionally, use the FAR as a reference which has the governing rules and regulations.

Incorporate the assistance of the SBA to cover the basis for the contract and obtain assistance with business opportunities.

References:

staff, I. (2009, April 1). Growth strategy guide: How to become a government contractor. Inc.com. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://www.inc.com/magazine/20090401/how-to-become-a-government-contractor.html

SBA. (n.d.). Small Business Administration Office of Government Contracting. Office of Government Contracting. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/headquarters-offices/office-government-contracting