Many businesses welcome the opportunity to compete for government bids, and ultimately secure a lucrative contract. However, not all takes the time that is required in order to avoid making costly mistakes with these bids and proposals.

Accessing the federal marketplace with environmental products and services requires having an understanding of how the federal government seeks to incorporate these into its purchasing decisions. Private companies also need to know how they can market and sell their products and services and win government bids. It is also valuable to know that there are resources available to small and medium businesses to make them more competitive by knowing who to contact within an agency regarding purchasing decisions.

With guaranteed revenue, organizations can develop budgets to project marketing efforts, hire staff and grow their business. This recurring monthly income also protects companies against slow months.

Pollution Prevention Preference is given to government bids that focus on ways to eliminate or reduce the potential risks that a product can have on human health and the environment.

Multiple Attributes The product or service should have multiple environmental attributes.

If your business is minority owned or a small business, there are many government bids designed to target and award these contracts. This is true for both federal and state governments, which require that at least 25 percent of government contract be awarded to either minority owned or small businesses. Taking advantage of these opportunities will give your bottom line a big boost.

Some companies assume that their headquarters must be in Washington D.C. in order to be awarded lucrative government contracts. This is simply not true. The only real barrier is whether or not your business has the stamina to be an effective player in this market for government business.

Product Attribute Claims The claims made about the product or service should be examined carefully to ensure that performance is accurate.

Not only is the process slow, but the sales cycle is slower than the capital markets and requires dedicated time and effort. However, once you have secured the contract, your business will appreciate the fruits of the labor.