Advice from: 

Department of the Navy

Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization Office (SADBU)

10 Steps to Success Guide

Step 1:  Identify your Product or Service

Know the Federal Supply Classification (FSC) Code and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)Code for your product or service.  Many government product/service listings and future procurements are identified by FSC (www.dlis.dla.mil/h2/) or NAICS Code (www.census.gov/naics).

 NOTE:  Effective October 1, 2000, Small Business Size Standards for all Federal Government programs will be those that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has established for industries as described in the NAICS.  Size Standards for industries described in Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes no longer apply.  The new table of small business size standards based on the NAICS (www.sba.gov/size/NAICS-cover-page.htm) has replaced the table based on SIC Codes.

Step 2:  Obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, register in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) System, and obtain a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code

Dun and Bradstreet maintain the DUNS company identifier system utilized by both government and corporate officials searching for background information on companies.  Enter www.dnb.com/dunsno to obtain your DUNS number. 

You must be registered in the CCR to be awarded a contract from the Department of Defense (DOD)  (http://www.ccr2000.com/).  CCR is a database designed to hold information relevant to procurement and financial transactions.  CCR affords you the opportunity for fast electronic payment of your invoices. 

A CAGE Code is a five-position code that identifies contractors doing business with the Federal Government, NATO member nations, and other foreign governments. The CAGE Code is used to support a variety of mechanized systems throughout the government and provides for a standardized method of identifying a given facility at a specific location. The code may be used for a Facility Clearance, a Pre-award survey, automated Bidders Lists, identification of Debarred Bidders, fast pay processes, etc.  (http://www.dlis.dla.mil/cageserv.asp.)  

The CAGE Code request process is now incorporated in the CCR registration (http://www.ccr2000.com/).  Therefore, upon activation in CCR, your company will be assigned a CAGE Code. Notification of your new CAGE Code is by letter via the US Postal Service.  The CAGE notification is sent to the person listed under the "Registrant Name" in the registration documentation. In addition, once your registration is active you may view your CAGE code on the web by searching the active registrations at www.dlis.dla.mil/CAGESearch/.

Step 3:  Register in the Small Business Administration (SBA) Procurement Marketing and Access Network (PRO-Net) system and investigate other ABS resources and small business programs

        Visit SBA's website at http://www../ and click Pro-Net, an electronic gateway of procurement information -- for and about small businesses. It is a search engine for contracting officers, a marketing tool for small firms and a "link" to procurement opportunities and important information. It is designed to be a "virtual" one-stop-procurement-shop.  It is free to federal and state government agencies as well as prime and other contractors seeking small business contractors, subcontractors and/or partnership opportunities. Pro-Net is open to all small firms seeking federal, state and private contracts. 

        While at the SBA's website, be sure to check out the other valuable resources available there such as:  Small Business Development Centers, Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), Minority Enterprise Development/8(a) Business Development Program, and Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Certification procedures.   Find out if your firm is located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) to participate in the HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program.  If your business is owned and controlled by women, be sure to check out the Office of Women's Business Ownership, which has links to many services designed to help women to succeed in business.

Step 4:  Familiarize yourself with Federal, DOD, and Navy contracting procedures

Be familiar with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)  (www.arnet.gov/far), the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) (www.acq.osd.mil/dp/dars), and the Navy Acquisition Procedures Supplement (NAPS) (www.abm.rda.hq.navy.mil/nap1.html). 

 Selling to the Military  (www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/selling/index.html) is an introduction to the broad subject of contracting with agencies within DOD.  The handbook provides an introduction to DOD contracting principles and practices, and provides lists of products and services keyed to particular major buying offices.

Step 5:  Identify the Navy/Marine Corps contracting activity that purchases your product or service and contact the Small Business Specialists on-site

Department of the Navy contracting functions are decentralized.  Each Navy/Marine Corps major buying activity purchases supplies and services that support its own mission.  Each buying activity has a Small Business Specialist assigned to it and this individual is your focal point for upcoming procurements and source for counsel on small business matters at that particular activity. 

 While you're there, be sure to visit other sections of the Department's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Home Page at www.hq.navy.mil/sadbu.  The Head of Contracting Activity (HCA) page provides a list of small business specialists assigned to each subordinate buying activity and direct links to each Navy and Marine Corps major contracting activity homepage, many of which contain procurement forecasts and solicitation information.  The Procurement Conferences page contains a schedule of upcoming outreach events with Navy and Marine Corps participation.  The Procurement Resources page provides direct links to Federal, DOD, and Navy acquisition and procurement information.

Step 6:  Identify current and future Navy and Marine Corps procurement opportunities

The Department's Long Range Acquisition Estimates (i.e., procurement forecast) is an excellent tool for identifying projected contractual requirements from Fiscal Year 2001 to 2004.  This information is available at http://lrae.abm.rda.hq.navy.mil/.  Search results provide projected contractual requirement descriptions, dollar values, buying commands, technical and buying points of contact, and acquisition strategies (full and open, set aside, etc.).

The Department of Defense Emall (www.dodbusopps.com/egov/dodemall.htmlis) a site where DOD buyers can find and acquire off-the-shelf, finished goods items from the commercial marketplace. Vendors wishing to market their products to the DOD create an online "store" in this electronic mall for government buyers to browse.

       Accessing the electronic version of the Commerce Business Daily (CBD) at  http://cbdnet.gpo.gov/ and visiting the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website (http://www.fedbizopps.gov/) will assist you in identifying Department of the Navy, as well as other DOD and Federal government procurement opportunities.

      NOTE:  FedBizOpps has been designated as the single source for federal government procurement opportunities that exceed

$25,000.  All agencies must use FedBizOpps to provide the public to access to notice of procurement actions over $25,000. 

Step 7:  Investigate Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts

      Many Navy and Marine Corps supplies and services are purchased utilizing FSS contracts and the SmartPay International Merchant Purchase Authorization Card (IMPAC).  Contact the General Services Administration (GSA) for information on how to obtain a FSS contract (http://www.fss.gsa.gov/) and why you should accept the IMPAC Card (www.fss.gsa.gov/services/gsa-smartpay/business.cfm) when doing business with the Navy and Marine Corps.

Step 8:  Investigate other DOD programs

     There are several DOD small business programs that may be of interest to you, including the Indian Incentive Program, Mentor-Protégé, Small Business Innovation Research, Women-Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Program.  Information on these programs, DOD publications, and much more is available for downloading from the DOD Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization website: www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu.

Step 9:  Explore subcontracting opportunities

Regardless of your product or service, it is important not to neglect the very large secondary subcontracting market.  The publication Subcontracting Opportunities with DOD Prime Contractors (www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/subdir/index.html) lists all major DOD prime contractors by state and provides a point of contact (Small Business Liaison Officer) within each firm.  We encourage you to investigate potential opportunities with these firms.  Many also have websites that may be useful and we encourage you and them to team with each other.

 SUB-Net (http://web.sba.gov/subnet/) is the SBA's Subcontracting Network.  Prime contractors use SUB-Net to post subcontracting opportunities. These opportunities may or may not be reserved for small business, and they may include either solicitations or other notices -- for example, notices of sources sought for teaming partners and subcontractors on future contracts. Small businesses can review this web site to identify opportunities in their areas of expertise. While the web site is designed primarily as a place for large businesses to post solicitations and notices, federal agencies, state and local governments, non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and even foreign governments also use it for the same purpose.

Step 10:  Seek additional assistance as needed in the Navy and DOD marketplace

-     Procurement Technical Assistance Centers  (PTACs) (www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm) are located in most states and partially funded by DOD to provide small business concerns with comprehensive information on how to do business with the Department of Defense.  They provide training and counseling on marketing strategies, business development, small business programs, financial and contracting issues, and procurement regulations at minimal or no cost.

 -     Exchange System If your company is engaged in retail activities, visit Navy Exchange System website (http://www.navy-nex.com/) and the Marine Corps Exchange website (www.usmc-mccs.org/busops/Retail/main.asp).  The exchanges are retail operations that provide quality products and a variety of services to the men and women of the Armed Forces, retirees, reservists, and their families.

 -     The Department of the Navy eBusiness Operations Office (www.don-ebusiness.navsup.navy.mil/don-ebusiness/) and the Defense Electronic Business Office (www.defenselink.mil/acq/ebusiness) provide assistance to firms getting started in the electronic marketplace.

 -     Online Procurement Assistance can be found at the Procurement Reference Library at http://ec.msfc.nasa.gov/msfc/procref.html and the Acquisition Reform Net Virtual Library at www.arnet.gov/Library/. 

Do your research and market your firm well.  Good luck!

       After you have identified your customers, researched their requirements, and familiarized yourself with Department of Navy and DOD procurement regulations and strategies, it is time to market your product or service.  The first presentation of your company's capabilities should be directly to the Small Business Specialists at the Navy and Marine Corps activities that buy your products or services.  The Small Business Specialist will provide you additional points of contact for marketing the customer and pertinent information regarding long-range acquisition forecasts.  Remember, the Department of the Navy seeks quality solutions for its requirements in a timely and cost effective manner.  Outstanding "past performance" is one of your most valuable assets.