Government Contracting Guide

Government entities are constantly seeking private-sector organizations, referred to as contractors, to support various government initiatives or improvements for such things as building roadways, migrating to the cloud, and enhancing our country’s defense systems. Government organizations and agencies issue requests for proposals (RFPs) to solicit private-sector contractors to bid on the work that needs to get done, or the opportunity, in the form of a proposal. The winning proposal then gets awarded with the contract.

The government contracting market opportunity in the United States represents billions of dollars’ worth of contracts awarded each year across federal, state and local governments. Contractors of all sizes can work with government entities to support their needs and win their share of contracts.

Getting started in government contracting can be complex, from finding a good-fit contracting opportunity for your business and submitting a winning bid or proposal, to staying in compliance throughout the length of the contract and getting paid for your efforts. One way to get ahead is to arm yourself with information and analysis related to the government contracting lifecycle as you begin exploring new opportunities to do business with the government.

Whether businesses are new to government contracting or seasoned veterans, there is a distinct set of stages to go through in order to win business in the public sector. We call this the Government Contracting Lifecycle and define it in four stages.

Stage 1: Strategic Sales Planning

Gathering and analyzing pre-RFP data is a vital step for every government contractor in both finding opportunities and making a go/no-go decision on whether to add a particular contract to the business pipeline.

Stage 2: Capture Planning & Award

Preparing a winning contract proposal can involve teaming with partners, showcasing past relevant experience and having the right certifications – along with having accurate data and analysis of the opportunity.

Stage 3: Contract Fulfillment & Reporting

As government contractors fulfill the requirements of their contract, they are monitoring their time and expenses, remaining in compliance, ensuring their project is on budget, and setting up for a positive ranking.

Stage 4: Contract Completion & Renewal

When the contract comes to an end, there could be an opportunity for renewal. Delivering the prior contract on time and on budget positions the incumbent contractor well to obtain new contracts and grow their footprint in the public sector.

Deltek has been meeting the needs of government contractors and advancing the industry through innovative solutions for more than 30 years. By offering business development and ERP for government contractors that enables them to find, win and manage contracts, Deltek powers the project success of thousands of government businesses, of all sizes, across the country.