How to Prepare for a Government Matchmaking Session

If you are interested in doing business with the government and planning to set up a meeting with a contracting officer, you need to ask yourself one question: are you prepared?

This question is vital, as you only have one chance to create a good first impression.  How do you create a good first impression? You go into a matchmaking session with an understanding of the agency’s mission and goals and a way to solve their needs for goods and services. You can achieve this by doing two things:

1. Complete agency research
2. Create marketing material

 

Let’s take a look at the specific goals for each of those two items

Agency Research

• Know the agency (What is their mission? What are their goals? Etc.)
• Explore bids they have put out and past projects.
• Nail down what their needs for goods and services are and come with solutions.
• Find any available forecasts that outline the agency’s procurement goals for the year.

Marketing Materials

• Present yourself as a professional by coming to your matchmaking session with quality business cards (the cards should include your DUNS and CAGE code numbers).
• Have a professional website ready.
• Bring a capability statement.

Don’t get overwhelmed, PTAC can help you prepare for your matchmaking session! Here are some of the ways we lend a hand, all at no-cost to you:

• Research help
• Review of marketing materials (including an in-depth website analysis)
• Assistance with the creation of a Capability Statement
• Help registering in SAM and obtaining a DUNS number

Once you have done the work and are prepared for a matchmaking session, you can attend one of our government matchmaking events. Our largest event is the annual GRO-Biz Conference and Idea Expo. This year’s event is in Rock Springs on February 21^st and 22^nd.

About the Author: Andi Lewis is our PTAC Government Procurement Specialist.  She has been doing PTAC work for over 6 years and enjoys helping business owners navigate the “bureaucratic quagmire” so that they can register and find government work.  She has a background working for large Primes within the Department of Defense and is a former Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve. When Andi isn’t busy helping small businesses work with the government, she enjoys training young horses. You can reach Andi at amlewis@uwyo.edu or by phone at (307)772-7372.