Summary: Everything that an entrepreneur should observe in negotiating with a government contractor can be summarized in 5 P’s. These include what the contract should contain, and how these will be carried about for the satisfaction of the client.
During a bidding or negotiation for government procurement, the person that should be impressed the most by entrepreneurs is the government contractor. Because he is one of the personnel to choose the right product with the most amiable price, it is a must for business owners to comply with the demands of the government contractor and give their best to please the procurement in-charge.
Generally, the government contractor is tasked to pick the supplier with the best deals. They also administer the procurement process, although there can be instances when a certain government office assigns the supply procurement to other arms and departments.
Entrepreneurs may see different windows of opportunities in impressing and getting the trust of a government contractor. It may be during the negotiations or during the presentation of contract provisions. Appearing articulate and credible will give a big plus to the businessmen. Still, it is best to target the 5 P’s which a government contractor usually considers in choosing a supplier for the needed goods or services.
Product
Bidders and/or negotiators should know which products are sought by the government contractor. No client would invest in procuring products they don’t really need, so this becomes the first and major consideration. Research can help the entrepreneurs determine the demands of the government contractor. Studying the different levels of government along with the goods they need from suppliers can also help in identifying which products should be offered for government procurement. After finding out what to put in the basket, it is a must to ensure the quality of the goods. These should exceed if not be at par to what the competitors has to offer
Price
Suppose there are ten company owners offering the same product with high quality during bidding. The only way that they can bag the federal contract is to offer the most amiable price range. Since the government are strict in funding and audit, it would be best to offer a price that is reasonably affordable. Going too low might give an impression that the product has poor quality, while raising the price tags too high may turn off the government contractor. The average price schemes of suppliers with the same product should be taken into consideration when deciding the price of the goods sold in government procurement.
Presentation
Having good products with attractive prices do not win the trust and the attention of the government contractor. No matter how exemplary the offers are, nothing can quite impress the contractor than a superb presentation of the contract. There should be no flaws and typographical errors. During negotiations, it would be best to incorporate graphs and tables to give a clearer representation of data. This can send the message across faster, and therefore quickly convince the government contractor to give your company a shot.
Promptness
To be successful in government procurement venture, the entrepreneurs should also establish the trust of the contractor. Thus, every demand should be met promptly. The clients should be able to see that the businessmen indeed mean business.
Punctuality
Early delivery of the products and goods can be a big plus for the entrepreneurs. Note that punctuality is very important in the retention of trust of the government contractor. It is also the main basis of the retraction and cancellation of contracts. For you to gain long-term connection with the government as a supplier, the goods should be of high quality with good price and delivered punctually.
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