The Ascent Digital Platform Expands: SBA Introduces Course in Government Contracting to Online Digital Learning Platform
The digital tool now provides women-owned small businesses resources to compete and succeed in the federal marketplace.
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the launch of Journey 6 of the Ascent e-learning platform focused on educating women business owners about venturing into government contracting to help expand their businesses. The Government Contracting Journey 6 identifies opportunities and prepares businesses to pursue those prospects. The new journey has six components or excursions:
- Government As Your Customers – helps the user understand government as a customer.
- Government Contracting Opportunities – evaluates contracting opportunities with local, state, and federal governments.
- Government Subcontracting Opportunities – helps to identify subcontracting opportunities.
- Set-Aside Certifications – guides the business through what is needed to plan and pursue federal government contracting certifications.
- Federal Solicitations – analyzes the components of the federal solicitation process
- General Services Administration (GSA) Contracts – analyzes opportunities for GSA contracts.
Visit Ascent.SBA.gov and register for your free access today
Be prepared for the transition from the DUNS Number to the Unique Entity ID (SAM)
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By April 4, 2022, the federal government will transition away from the use of the DUNS Number and toward the new Unique Entity ID as the primary means of entity identification for federal awards government-wide. Find out more.
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SBA Recognizes Top 10 Surety Companies and Agencies of FY 21
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced its most active surety companies and agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2021. As part of this announcement, American Contractors Indemnity Company, Calif. and U. S. Specialty Insurance Company, Calif. were named the top-performing surety partners. Preferred Bonding & Insurance Services, Calif, The Bond Exchange & Insurance Agency, Calif, Valley Surety Insurance Agency, Calif. were named the top-performing bond agencies.
In FY 2021, the SBA’s guaranteed bid and final bonds totaled more than $6.8 billion in overall contract value. With the work of the SBA’s top-performing surety partners and bond agencies, over 1,600 small businesses were assisted, and over 34,000 jobs were supported.
Read the complete announcement to learn more and see the complete list of 2021’s top SBA bonding agents and surety partners.
About SBA Surety Bond Guarantee Program
Surety bonds help small businesses win contracts by providing the customer with a guarantee that the work will be completed. Many public and private contracts require surety bonds, which are offered by surety companies. SBA’s guarantee allows small businesses to obtain contract bid, performance, payment and maintenance bonds not available elsewhere with reasonable terms.
Learn more about SBA Surety Bond Guarantee Program and find a surety company near you
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Finding Government Contracting Opportunities
As they pivot in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many small businesses are looking for new markets. The US government is the LARGEST single purchaser of goods and services in the world. Now is the perfect time to explore federal contracting.
Benefits of government contracting, how it works, the SBA’s role in contracting, and more you can find in our Contracting Guide here.
If you are looking to identify Federal prime contractors, below you can see the ways to do your research:
Federal business opportunities for contractors are listed at beta.SAM.gov utilized by all Federal agencies for solicitations over $25K
- Look for set-aside contracts for which your firm qualifies
- Respond to Sources Sought and Pre-Solicitations
FedConnect: utilized by DOE, DHS, HUD, DOI, EPA, SBA, & SSA
For Smaller Requirements: Visit Acquisition Central’s Business Zone for Federal agency small business information, business opportunities & contracting forecasts, www.acquisition.gov
The government wants to buy from small businesses for several reasons, including:
- To ensure that large businesses don’t “muscle out” small businesses
- To gain access to the new ideas that small businesses provide
- To support small businesses as engines of economic development and job creation
- To offer opportunities to disadvantaged socio-economic groups
Government Contracting
As a business owner, do you want to sell your products and services to the Federal government?
Each year, the Federal Government awards about 10% of all Federal contract dollars, or roughly $50 billion in contracts, to Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB). To be recognized as an SDB by the Federal Government, you must register your business with the federal government. You can do this online.
Getting recognized by the state of CA as a Small Disadvantaged Business is different than with the Federal Government. The state of CA recognition/certification is called the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification. You can do this online.
If you seek help with s Federal Government contracting or state of CA government contracting, including registrations and certifications, please contact the SBA’s local approved service-providers (see below).
- California Capital Financial Development Corporation
- Monterey Bay Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
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Norcal PTAC
Contact us:
- For questions on the WOSB Federal Contracting Program, email wosb@sba.gov
- Technical help requests for beta.certify.sba.gov can be submitted here, via the “help” tab: beta.certify.sba.gov/help/
Contracting assistance programs
The SBA provides several programs to help small businesses win federal contracts. Participating in these programs helps small businesses:
- Win a fair share of federal contracts
- Qualify for exclusive set-aside and sole-source contracts
- Partner with established contractors to win contracts
- Get business mentoring and education to learn how federal contracting works
Upcoming Training
The training events listed below are being offered by SBA, SBA resource partners, and other organizations working to help you build your business by selling to the government.
SBA’s participation or support is not an endorsement of any product, service, or entity.
Resources and Tools
Stay Updated
- For upcoming webinars for small business, please visit www.sba.gov/ca/sacramento/events
- If this newsletter was forwarded to you, sign up to get it directly via sba.gov/updates. Be sure to add your CA zip code to receive this Sacramento-specific information.
Subscribe for email alerts to get the latest information on SBA resources to start, grow, expand and recover your business. If you already get this newsletter, you are all set. If you are a new visitor, subscribe and follow us today!
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