South Central Michigan APEX Accelerator

PROCUREMENT READINESS ACADEMY

Ramp up your knowledge, skills, and abilities to win government market opportunities!

READY, SET, GO!

Registration is now closed!

Enrollment will open on September 1.

Launch Date: February 17, 2025
Enrollment is now open!

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Questions? Email Mike Hindenach at mhindenach@enterprisegroup.org

What You'll Get

Training and Activities

Weekly video training and activities to get you 'procurement-ready' faster.

Weekly Live Q&A

Weekly virtual group meetings to help you move forward.

Office Hours

One-on-one meetings with a counselor for personalized support when you need it.

COST: Your participation in our Procurement Readiness Academy is free. However, there is a one-time $100 technology fee payable to Govology at signup. This fee covers your lifetime access to the Procurement Readiness Academy training (updated regularly) and technical support.

Program Overview

Week 1: An Introduction to Winning Business in the Government Marketplace

In this course, you'll gain a thorough understanding of the lucrative government marketplace, understand your unique path to success and the advantages available to small businesses, including specialized incentives and set-aside programs, and learn how to effectively compete in this dynamic market. You'll also gain insights into what it takes to become "Procurement Ready." Finally, we'll examine the challenges small businesses encounter and provide practical solutions to overcome them.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand how the government marketplace differs from government contracting.
Explore the benefits and challenges of the government marketplace for small businesses.
Know how to navigate the government marketplace and identify opportunities suited to your business.
Understand Procurement Readiness and how to achieve it.
Seven suggestions for success in the government marketplace.

Week 2: Leveraging Market Research for Government Market Opportunities

Market research is a critical skill set that can give you a significant competitive advantage in the government marketplace, on par with effective proposal writing. In this comprehensive course, you'll acquire the knowledge and tools necessary to harness the full potential of market research.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand the importance of market research for government contractors and its impact on winning opportunities.
Know how to use free government data sources for effective market research.
Understand essential codes for vendor registration and marketing materials.
Know how to apply qualitative and quantitative methods to gather insights and make informed decisions.

Week 3: An Introduction to Government Small Business Certifications

This course offers a comprehensive overview of small business certifications in the government marketplace. You'll explore various federal certification programs such as Small Business Self-Certification, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) & 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone), Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), and Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB). The course also covers state and local certification programs and directs you to additional resources for deeper understanding and support with any federal, state, and small business certification program.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand the benefits of certification programs for small businesses.
Determine your eligibility for federal small business certifications.
Know how to apply for various federal certifications.
Explore different types of state and local certification programs.
Understand the differences between state, local, and federal small business certification programs.
Discover additional training and resources for navigating federal, state, and local certification programs.

Week 4: How to Register and Maintain Your SAM and SBA Vendor Profiles

In this course, we will guide you through the process of registering and managing your System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and Small Business Administration (SBA) Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) profiles. These profiles are crucial for businesses seeking federal contracts and opportunities.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand the importance of your SAM.gov profile.
Know the contents of your SAM.gov profile.
Understand SAM validation: purpose, required documents, and account setup.
Know the information needed for SAM registration and what happens after submission.
Understand the critical aspects of maintaining your DSBS profile and how to do it effectively.

Week 5: Developing a Compelling Capability Statement

In the federal marketplace, your capability statement isn’t just a document – it’s often a government buyer’s first impression of your business. Whether you’re engaging with agencies or prime contractors, having a compelling capability statement is non-negotiable. In this dynamic course, you’ll discover how to create a capability statement that meets and exceeds expectations.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand how to format your capability statement.
Know what must-have sections to include and how to articulate your value through your text.
Understand when to use your capability statement strategically.
Discover best practices for repurposing your capability statement to tailor future versions to your customer.

Week 6: Prospecting for Government Market Opportunities

Did you know that many government opportunities, purchases, and small projects never make it to the public eye? In this course, you will learn how to identify and pursue both public and undisclosed opportunities.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand the essential techniques to set up effective and efficient prospecting strategies.
Know how to navigate the contract opportunities portal at SAM.gov.
Explore lesser-known websites where government agencies publish opportunities.
Become familiar with the APEX Accelerator bid lead/bid matching systems.
Know how to position your small business within the proper buying channels to gain greater visibility.

Week 7: Elevate Your Success With Adaptive Sales Processes & Advanced Market Research

Marketing to the government and marketing to businesses (B2B) require distinct strategies, timelines, and compliance measures. While B2B marketing emphasizes speed, relationships, and value propositions tailored to business needs, marketing to the government requires strict compliance with regulations, long-term relationship building, and deep knowledge of procurement processes. To be successful in government contracting, businesses must engage in long-term planning, continuous networking, and a strategic approach to procurement cycles.

Learning Outcomes:

Discover resources for conducting advanced market research
Understand adaptive marketing and sales (processes and strategies)
Know how to analyze “the big picture” within your NAICS
Know how to find and analyze successful competitors and potential partners
Know how to find high-value contracting vehicles
Know how to evaluate historical acquisitions to increase your chances of winning similar opportunities in the future

Week 8: Breaking Down Government Solicitations

Part 1: Introduction to Solicitation Terminology and Breaking Down Opportunities

Navigating government solicitations can be daunting, especially for newcomers to the government marketplace. The initial key to success lies in mastering the terminology commonly employed in these solicitations. Subsequently, employing a set of strategies to structure and dissect solicitations enables effective sharing among team members, both internal and external. This facilitates informed decision-making regarding whether to proceed with a bid ('go/no go') while ensuring that all team members understand crucial elements contributing to the team's overall success.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand common solicitation terminology, including special notice, solicitation, award, presolicitation, sources sought, justification and approval, sole source, and other relevant terms.
Identify and differentiate between various solicitation formats, recognizing key areas that demand careful attention for effective interpretation.
Know how to capture critical keywords essential for crafting responsive and compliant offers.
Understand the concept of being a "responsible contractor," including federal, state, and local criteria, to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Independently conduct a contractor responsibility self-check, demonstrating the ability to assess your team and subcontractors against federal, state, and local responsible contractor criteria.

Part 2: Navigating Government Regulations in Solicitations and Contracts

Finding and comprehending applicable rules may appear daunting, but it doesn't need to be. This course aims to simplify the process by teaching you how to deconstruct the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and other procurement regulations. You will learn to discern which rules are relevant to your situation, which ones you can safely ignore, and how to efficiently locate necessary information within the extensive federal regulatory framework.

Learning Outcomes:

Know how to navigate the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to find the information you need.
Know how to access and navigate other federal contracting regulations, such as the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR), and Small Business Administration (SBA) regulations.
Apply knowledge to identify federal contracting regulations pertinent to your business, discerning those that are applicable and those that can be disregarded.
Recognize state and local contracting rules relevant to your business and locate resources to help you understand these rules better.

Week 9: Intro to Teaming

Learning Outcomes:

Know how to conduct market research to obtain essential intelligence on opportunities well in advance of public solicitation announcements.
Acquire skills to identify, approach, and secure optimal teaming partners, fostering collaborative relationships conducive to success.
Learn when and how to engage necessary support to finalize teaming and joint venture agreements, ensuring effective collaboration and alignment with project objectives.

Week 10: Submitting Compliant and Competitive Offers to Government Agencies

It can be frustrating for both contractors and government agencies when an otherwise strong offer is disqualified due to minor oversights or tardiness. This course delves into the essentials of crafting "compliant offers" for government agencies. You will explore the main types of offers—quotes, bids, and proposals—sought by government agencies, understanding their unique characteristics and pivotal considerations in the bid/no-bid decision-making process.

Learning Outcomes:

Determine if your team, company, products, and partners possess the necessary attributes for submitting compliant and competitive proposals.
Implement essential business controls and skills crucial for qualifying for and performing government contracts, including maintaining active registration, compliance reporting, record-keeping, financial readiness and controls, ethics, cybersecurity, and security clearances.
Calculate and factor in the cost of compliance for your business and subcontractors, ensuring financial preparedness and sustainability.
Understand cybersecurity compliance requirements and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) for DoD contractors.
Identify and leverage key resources such as attorneys, accountants, and subject matter experts to enhance the quality and compliance of your proposals.
Establish procedures to ensure timely payment for your business and subcontractors, maintaining financial stability throughout contract performance.
Evaluate considerations for financing your proposals and contract performance, exploring various options to optimize project execution and mitigate financial risks.

GRADUATION!