Posts Tagged ‘federal government contract’

E-verify Is Here

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Effective Sept. 8, 2009, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will require government contractors and subcontractors  to use the E-Verify system to verify their employees’ eligibility to work in the United States if their contract includes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify Clause.

According to information published on the USCIS website, in July, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano “strengthened employment eligibility verification by announcing the Administration’s support for the regulation that will award federal contracts only to employers who use E-Verify to check employee work authorization.”

E-Verify is a free online platform that compares information from the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9) against federal government databases to verify workers’ employment eligibility. It works to deter unauthorized individuals from attempting to work and also helps encourage employers to comply with federal immigration laws.

After Sept. 8, companies awarded a contract with an “e-verify clause”, will be required to enroll in E-Verify within 30 days of the contract award date. E-Verify will then confirm that any employee working for the company that is contracted, is legally able to work in the U.S.

Click here for more information on E-verify.

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Posted in Government Requirements | 1 Comment »

Government Seminars Drawing Large Crowds

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

According to a recent Las Vegas Business Press article, a government seminar held in Las Vegas drew a crowd of approximately 60 business owners together to learn about the opportunity available through federal government contracting.

According to the article, the seminar drew “architects, engineers, financial service providers and other professionals who (were) looking to tap into government contracts as private-sector projects dry up. What used to be a largely untouched frontier is becoming a battlefield as companies see the county as a business partner that could bring in new revenue.”

“People like us wouldn’t typically approach things like this, but right now government projects are the way to go,” said Gloria Long-Hernandez of architectural firm GMRA. “We are definitely interested in the new opportunities and we have all the credentials for them.”

“There were times when we would send out requests for proposals and no one would show up,” said Nita Lopez, the county small-business coordinator who produced the event. “Now people would even come to prebids. The providers are hungry for jobs and it’s a good thing for us.”

Did you know that the B2G Institute offers free workshops on doing business with the government? Click here to find out when we will be in your city.

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Federal Government Contractors Performance Database

Friday, September 11th, 2009

According to a recent Federal Registrar article, the government is developing a database to track federal contractor performance.  

 According to the Proposed Rule, current federal contractors with more  than $10 million in current grants or contracts will have to submit data on any criminal, civil or administrative proceedings against them dating back three years. The rule projects that each year about 5,000 contractors will file reports.

 Federal contracting officers will be required to review the database prior to making award decisions for all new contracts worth more than $500,000, the proposed rule stated.

 If contracting officers determine that an “otherwise successful offeror is not a responsible source due to lack of satisfactory performance record or satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics,” then they must include such information in the system.

 “The database will be private and only federal officials will have access. Contractors will be able to view information about themselves, and post comments in response to information that has been included by the government”, the proposal said.

 According to David Drabkin, GSA’s deputy associate administrator for acquisition policy, “GSA expects to award a contract by the end of September that will implement a new way for the agency to manage and possibly merge the nine separate acquisition-related databases that make up its Integrated Acquisition Environment.”

 For more information, check out the proposed rule.

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Interested in Doing Business With Africa?

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Are you a business interested in doing business with Africa?

The U.S. Commercial Service  has created a “one-stop-shop” portal just for businesses interested in trade opportunities with most African markets.

 Portal features include:

-Market research

-Up-to-date trade leads

 -Updated trade event announcements 

 -Specific business opportunities

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Posted in General Information | 2 Comments »

The Rich Are Getting Richer

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

According to a recent Government Executive article, some of the largest existing federal government contractors are collecting the majority of the stimulus contracts.

 “During the past five months, 17 of the largest government contractors have won more than $1.6 billion in Recovery Act contracts — more than all small businesses combined” according to a new spending analysis conducted by Government Executive. The data, which is updated through July 15, was obtained through USASpending.gov.

 Although nearly $7 billion in stimulus contracts have been awarded, nearly one-quarter of that money is going to large, well-connected federal contractors.

 According to Government Executive, a significant number of these  contracts were issued by the Energy Department, “primarily for construction, demolition and environmental cleanup projects at its laboratories.”

 ”These contracts go against the grain of what the stimulus is all about,” said Guy Timberlake, CEO of the American Small Business Coalition. “How much of a stimulus do these companies need?” The list of Recovery Act awardees Government Executive examined reads like a “Who’s Who” in federal contracting.

 Is the problem that small businesses are not stepping up to the plate to claim their share of the stimulus contracts? How can small business start to claim their share?

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Posted in ARRA | No Comments »

Recovery.gov Web site Redesign

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

According to a recent Next Gov article, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board has hired  Maryland based company, Smartronix, to complete an $18 million contract to redesign the Recovery.gov Web site. 

Recovery.gov is a site that The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board claims that Smartronix  “won the contract over two other bidders, according to the General Services Administration, which made the award.”

A notice posted on Recovery.gov adds that Smartronix is teaming with three subcontractors: Washington-based Synteractive Corp.; TMP Government of McLean, Va., and New York-based KPMG.

The redesign project will cost $9.5 million through January 2010 and up to $18 million if all contract options are exercised through January 2014.

This federal government contract calls for Smartronix and its subcontractors to:

-Develop the next generation of Recovery.gov, which will be visually pleasing, user-friendly and highly interactive.

-Create a mapping capacity that will allow users to search for spending down to the neighborhood level.

-Provide the capacity to store and easily download massive amounts of data.

-Build a state-of-the-art security platform that will protect the integrity and availability of the data and a back-up system in the event of a major catastrophe such as a terrorist attack or large-scale power outage.

-Provide contract support to perform an array of hosting, maintenance, and operational services.

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$300 Million GSA Efficient Vehicle Plan

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

In a recent article posted by the GSA Press Office, The U.S. General Services Administration announced plans to buy and deliver $300 million worth of energy-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  “GSA will focus on vehicles that will provide long-term environmental benefits and savings by increasing the energy efficiency of the federal fleet,” said GSA acting Administrator Paul F. Prouty. “We will achieve this by using newer, more energy-efficient vehicles and advanced technologies while spending the money quickly to stimulate the economy.”

The plan includes a budget of $285 million for 17,600 commercially available fuel-efficient vehicles and $15 million to pilot advanced technology vehicles in the GSA Fleet.

 However, GSA does not intend to award new schedules to fill this hefty $300 million order. “GSA will use existing, competitively bid contracts for all orders and does not intend to award new contracts to spend Recovery Act money,” said Commissioner James A. Williams of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service.

How can a GSA Schedule help the small business owner compete in the government contracting arena?

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Small Business Opportunities at the Matchmaking Event in Chicago

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Interested in meeting face-to-face with government contracting officers?

If you answered “yes,” you may want to attend the Business Matchmaking Conference in Chicago, September 16, 2009.  This Regional Business Matchmaking Face-to-Face Event will be hosted at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill.

 Participating firms will receive advance education and tools to prepare for face-to-face meetings with buyers from federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as major corporations.

 In order to attend, businesses must have a DUNS number and be registered at CCR.gov.Visit the event website for more information.

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Stimulus Watch

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Citizens are working to help the new administration “keep its pledge to invest stimulus money smartly and to hold public officials accountable for the taxpayer money they spend” through an online forum called Stimulus Watch.  

While this forum does not directly relate to stimulus bill projects, the projects posted here are candidates for funding by federal grant programs. Learn more by reading the Stimulus Watch FAQs.

 So how does this online non-profit forum, started by two George Mason University senior research fellows, work? Users across the country with local knowledge about the proposed projects in their respective cities find, discuss, and rate those projects. The forum allows users to vote for or against projects in their communities, and even comment on them.

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Small Business Resources Available through the Department of the Interior

Friday, July 17th, 2009

Interested in small business opportunities through the Department of the Interior?

In my experience, the DOI hosts one of the easiest sites to navigate and actually find information on small business contracting opportunities. This is one of the few sites that make finding information, easy!

Visit the DOI OSDBU website . There you will find an incredibly user friendly site with tons of information on:

  • DOI small business goals,
  • the DOI subcontracting program,
  • a prime contractor directory,
  • a contact list of all DOI small business specialists,
  • and even a sample capability form!

 Be sure to visit the “Doing Business with the DOI”  page to download the “Marketing Information Package.” Information for Mark Oliver, Director Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), U.S. Department of the Interior, is located in the Marketing Information Package. Mr. Oliver is a tremendous small business resource, and can help point you in the direction of potential opportunities. (Mr. Oliver was a Featured Guest Speaker at the B2G Institute 2009 National Conference.)

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