The United States federal government is the biggest customer in the world. It buys 20% of all the services and products produced in the U.S. But of the 22 million registered U.S. companies, fewer than 2% of them seek out this market. Why? Because small business owners don’t know where and how to get these contracts. Winning Government Contracts will change that. It begins at the beginning, assuming no prior knowledge of the government marketplace and its sometimes complicated terminology. Written in a clear, easy-to-understand language by experienced sales and marketing professionals, this book takes you through the registration and bidding process step-by-step. All the terms used in government contracts are explained in plain English. Winning Government Contracts shows you where to find the sales opportunities on the Internet, then guides you through every step in your quote, whether submitted electronically or on paper — explaining the jargon and outlining the exact information that needs to be entered. You will learn how to download drawings and specifications, understand shipping and packaging requirements, and find out how much the government is currently paying for an item before you submit an offer. The book also highlights areas where beginners need to be particularly careful, such as remembering to include shipping costs when you offer the government your best price! After the offer has been submitted, the book explains how to find the results of the bid — which company was awarded the contract and its price, as well as the names and prices of all the other bidders. Included is the government’s system of inspection, acceptance, invoicing, and payments, as well as the specific requirements for service contracts such as Statements of Work, Wage Determinations, and Technical Proposals. Whatever your business, the federal government is a marketplace you can enter. Winning Government Contracts will you show the way. As an independent sales and marketing professional, Malcolm Parvey has more than 30 years of experience helping small businesses sell their products and services to the United States federal government. He has completed hundreds of offers for clients from many different industries — from individual distributors to sub-contractors and service companies. Parvey works exclusively to assist small businesses with every aspect of the federal government marketplace. He lives in Franklin, Massachusetts, with his wife and children. Deborah Alston has worked closely with Malcolm Parvey for the last four years putting this book together. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and two children