Jane Edwards
Michael Shrader, vice president of innovative and intelligence solutions at Carahsoft Technology, said there are several approaches that the public and private sectors can take to address challenges related to government procurement and the first is understanding procurement resources and facilitating discussions on technology platforms, market needs and contract availability prior to entering the acquisition phase.
“By researching and understanding the current needs, budget allocations and available resources, tech companies can offer government procurement officers a simple path forward,” Shrader wrote in a blog post published Monday.
“Since government employees have limited time to sort through the various new resources, presenting all the elements and coming to the table with a clear understanding expedites the process,” he added.
Shrader discussed how the Small Business Technology Transfer and Small Business Innovation Research programs could help companies bring their products to the federal market to meet government needs.
He noted that adopting an “intentional targeting approach” could enable tech companies to reach their target audience and discuss how their capabilities could help address a specific mission need.
“Contacting the correct stakeholder with an understanding of their problem and a clear presentation of how the technology will solve that issue, removes significant wait times and deliberation on if the product matches,” he added.
Another approach companies should do is to evaluate and implement initial steps before starting the process, such as securing certification under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program before competing for contracts.
“Having the authorization in hand before approaching bidding, allows tech companies, especially those selling SaaS, a better opportunity to be considered and not immediately disqualified,” Shrader wrote.
