Learn the Government
4 Signs the RFP is Wired
Aug 1, 2017
Summer is the silly season in federal government contracting. When it comes to business development, many events that most of us go to are on temporary hiatus until September to allow for vacations that limit attendance, so what do we do? Well, there tends to be no shortage of bidding...
What Are the Differences Between Public and Private Sector Procurement?
Jul 27, 2017
The 4 Fundamental Differences You Need to Understand Today
Way back in 2013, we ran a survey about the differences between public and private sector procurement. We turned the results into this article, which still comes in at the top of our “popular posts” ranking. Since it’s still such a...
How Can Small Businesses Win More Government Contracts?
Jul 25, 2017
Most governments and public sector bodies (contracting authorities) have an objective to increase the share of public sector expenditure that goes to smaller firms (SMEs / small and medium enterprises).
There is an interesting economic, political and philosophical debate to be had in terms of...
Recap: ‘Selling in the Government’ Webinar with Dr. Steve Kelman
Jul 25, 2017
On July 24, Dr. Steven Kelman, Professor of Public Management at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government presented a webinar for suppliers interested in entering the government market. “Selling in the Government – Understand How the Government is Different and What That Means for...
3 Vital Lessons for Potential Suppliers in Selling to the Public Sector
Jul 25, 2017
There is no shortage of advice for businesses who want to sell products or services to the public sector. Unfortunately, some of this is not good advice, and there are firms who exploit the ignorance of many firms to sell expensive training, consulting, or advice that brings little value.
Why...
Taking the Mystery out of Federal Government Contracting and Procurement
Jun 28, 2017
At Public Spend Forum, we’re proud of the work we’ve done to connect buyers and suppliers in the public sector. We’re also struck by the irony that in few markets would this type of work really be required. When a private company decides it needs products or services, offers can be solicited...
Teaching Suppliers How to Win in Federal Contracting
Jun 22, 2017
Nancy Alvarez manages the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Dallas-Fort Wort District’s 8(a) Business Development program and offers her insights on opening doors to contracts with federal agencies nationwide. “But you have to be ready,” she says. Due to estimated budget increases, now...
Cloud Computing Protest Offers Lessons for Buyers & Suppliers
Jun 22, 2017
A recent protest decision from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) provides several important lessons for procurement professionals who are buying cloud-enabled services as well as vendors hoping to sell them. Let’s dive in!Red River Computing Company protested the Department of Homeland...
Public Spend Forum Newswire | 3/31/2017
Apr 3, 2017
Contracting Transparency Bill Receives Pushback from Industry
As we reported last week, Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) has introduced S.651, the “Contractor Accountability and Transparency Act of 2017,” which would require some contracts to be published online, in the interest of transparency....
Public Spend Forum Newswire | 3/28/2017
Mar 29, 2017
Will Trump Step in Between Palantir and the Pentagon?
Fortune Magazine reports on the tension between Silicon Valley company Palantir and the Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD is looking to update its Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGSA), a massive data management system that Palantir...
Shaping an RFP: Steps to Successfully Sell to the Federal Government
Mar 4, 2017
To satisfy the market research needs of federal buyers, many IT firms in the federal sector create marketing materials and presentations that are often nothing more than introductions to the firm, the firm’s capabilities, and little else that fail to discuss the one thing that is important to...
Public Spend Forum Newswire | 2/28/2017
Mar 1, 2017
Nearly 200 Firms Respond to Notice about Border Wall
GovExec reports that some 180 companies have responded to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) pre-solicitation notice, inquiring about “prototype wall structures” for President Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall along the Mexico...
