The federal fiscal year 2017 draws to a close on Sept. 30. GPN reached out to Danielle Calamaras to get her views on federal buying activity in the final quarter of this fiscal year. Calamaras, who is marketing coordinator at BidNet, outlines several resources that can help businesses locate federal government opportunities.

BidNet offers several tools in the government-bidding sphere. Over the past three decades the firm has provided its clients with government opportunities specifically targeted by industry and geographic area. The company provides its customers with new requests for proposals (RFPs) from government every day through its Bid Alert Bulletins. The firm’s offerings enable its clients to focus their time on winning opportunities instead of searching for them. Below are Calamaras’ views.

As the federal government’s fiscal year draws to a close on September 30th, agencies will go on a “use it or lose it” spending spree. Because they have a set purchasing schedule, many agencies spend most of their budget in the first half of the year. Some however, hold onto a portion of their budget to make sure they have adequate funds to spend in case of an emergency and to prevent budget cuts in the next fiscal year due to a budget surplus.

BidNet sees a surge in awarded contracts about two to four weeks before the end of the fiscal year but not from one fiscal year to the next. If current trends continue, we do not expect to see an increase in opportunities from last year to this year.

The agencies that most often engage in an end of year spending spree include the Department of State, and the Department of Health and Human Services. End-of-year spending is typically for office supplies, and IT products and services.  With cybersecurity being a priority recently, there may be a spending surge in this area as well. In addition, the U.S. Department of Veterans Administration and the National Park Service post more bids for construction towards the end of the fiscal year.

To find federal government opportunities, visit fedbizopps.gov for a list of current bids. Sellers can also go directly to the source: They should seek out procurement officers to find out what items they may be looking for. When a desired item is under a certain threshold an agency can buy directly from the vendor. Of course, going directly to the agency is beneficial at any time during the fiscal year, as sellers may introduce products or services to the agencies that they may not have known about.

For businesses looking to sell to the federal government, make sure you are registered with SAM.gov and have obtained a DUNS and/or CAGE Number. Agencies can then use the information in SAM to seek you out and buy directly from you.

In addition, all businesses seeking government bidding opportunities can benefit from services such as BidNet, which offers a variety of service packages. The packages allow vendors to receive open bids and documents targeted specifically to their business. Using a unique coding system, BidNet can also offer Set-Asides, Pre-Solicitations, and Capital Improvement Budgets information. The firm provides all available award information. Along with records of past bids and awards, BidNet provides its clients with one page Bid Alert summaries that allow vendors to make easy and informed decisions on which bid opportunities to pursue.

For over 30 years, BidNet has gathered comprehensive government bids for our clients, providing them with targeted opportunities at the state, local and federal level. Request a personalized demonstration to see what types of government opportunities BidNet can find for your business.

In the video, learn how BidNet helps clients land more government contracts.

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