Are You Ready?

The Company Readiness Evaluation will help you determine if your business is in the right place to consider selling to the government.

Prior to jumping into the government marketplace, a business should have established itself in the commercial marketplace. A business should also have a reasonable expectation that its products and/or services will be purchased in sufficient quantities by government buyers. This preliminary assessment should lead to a business's decision to move forward with government contracting opportunities.

Get the Right  Registrations and Certifications

The various registrations and requirements may be confusing to someone new to government contracting. The JARI APEX Accelerator is here to help you through every aspect. You do not need to attempt any of this on your own and we encourage you to contact us even before you begin. You may also wish to attend our training workshops for additional assistance.

Federal government contracting requires businesses to be registered on the System for Award Management (SAM) database at www.sam.gov.

Registration on the SAM website is free and you will need to have the business entity's Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, the Taxpayer Identification Number (Tin) or Employer Identification Number (EIN), the related North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and other company information. Successful SAM registration will provide you with a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code necessary for contracting with the Federal government.

Small businesses also have the opportunity to edit their SBA profile that appears on the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) website during the SAM registration process.

Other Registrations and Certification Programs

Your business may be required to complete other registrations and certifications depending on what you are selling. The JARI APEX Accelerator can assist you along the way. Some examples include:

You also may need to register with the Defense Directorate of Trade Controls (DDTC) under International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Supply Schedule/Catalog/Approved Vendor Registration

Government buyers are no different from commercial or private buyers in wanting to do business as effortlessly as possible. Your business might need to register on one or more government procurement systems, instead of trolling for RFPS, to maximize the opportunities available to you. Typically, these registrations are long-term, government-wide contracts.

Registrations are often labor intensive, so a careful return on investment analysis is warranted before going this route. Examples include: