Category: FEMA

5 Facts About Disaster Cleanup Jobs

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Every year, the government spends billions on disaster relief, and they use companies from the private sector for all of their disaster cleanup jobs. If your company can provide disaster relief or cleanup services, we highly recommend that you expand your scope into government contracting. Here are a few facts to get you started.

 

  1. Disaster Relief Jobs Aren’t Just Cleanup Jobs

After a hurricane, tornado or fire, there is plenty of debris left behind, so disaster cleanup jobs are very common. If you can provide any type of debris removal services, you’ll find plenty of jobs to bid on, but that is not the only service the government needs after a disaster.

 

For instance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was called in to help with the Covid-19 pandemic, as this was a national emergency that required an influx of goods and services. For this emergency, the government needed supplies such as refrigeration systems to store vaccines, tents and supplies for setting up testing sites and vaccine sites, and many medical supplies, as well.

 

In general, disaster relief includes a vast array of goods and services. For instance, if your company sells bottled water or can provide shelf-stable meal kits, this is something always needed in a disaster. Security services are in high demand, and the government often needs companies that can provide repair services or that can set up emergency fencing.

 

  1. FEMA Needs Goods & Services All Year

FEMA’s needs extend beyond disaster relief jobs, such as hurricane relief jobs or flood relief jobs, and they need goods and services throughout the year. This includes office items such as printer cartridges and paper, as well as general facilities maintenance and repairs.

 

If you head to Beta.SAM.gov, you can do an advanced search for Contract Opportunities and check out what FEMA needs currently or will need in the near future. Beta.SAM.gov is the contracting search engine that is part of the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is the database that includes information about all government contractors as well as providing information about current and past contracting jobs.

 

To determine if your goods and services might be a good fit for FEMA, head to Beta.SAM.gov and do an advanced search, selecting FEMA as the agency. It also is recommended that you also search using your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and/or your Product and Service Codes (PSCs).

 

These codes describe the types of goods and services you can provide to the government. If you don’t know your NAICS codes, go to go to https://www.census.gov/naics/ and click on the 2017 manual. For Product and Service Codes, go to https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual. There are several options, here including an Excel spreadsheet and a Word-based manual where you can search for your codes.

 

  1. Think Beyond FEMA

Once you select FEMA and enter your codes in the Beta.SAM search engine, you should see search results that match your goods and services, but if you don’t, this doesn’t mean that government contracting jobs aren’t available for your company. Simply de-select FEMA and do a general search and you are likely to find other agencies that might need your goods and services.

 

When it comes to disaster relief jobs or disaster cleanup jobs, FEMA disaster jobs aren’t the only option. Agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service often need help with cleanup and debris removal. However, there are hundreds of federal government agencies out there and all of them buy goods and services from the private sector so chances are good that your company will be a match for some federal contractor jobs.

 

Additionally, state governments often post disaster cleanup jobs as well as other government contracting jobs on their procurement websites, so don’t forget to sign up with your state procurement system. Government contracting isn’t just about taking on federal government contractor jobs, there are many opportunities at the state and even at the county level.

 

  1. GSA Schedules Can Be A Good Option

The General Services Administration procures many goods and services for other government agencies. For instance, they provide automobiles for government agencies and they maintain many federal buildings. They also have created special GSA contracts known as GSA schedules. If you consistently provide the government with goods and services, you might consider applying for a GSA schedule contract.

 

To get started, go to https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/purchasing-programs/gsa-schedule and select the Sell Through Schedule option. This will provide you with information as to whether or not your business is a good fit with GSA schedules and how to get on a GSA schedule.

 

Keep in mind, it can take a long time, even more than a year to get onto a GSA schedule. However, if you do get on a schedule, this helps you bypass the formal process of bidding on government contracts. Another fact to keep in mind is that just because you get on a GSA schedule, this doesn’t guarantee that your company will be chosen to provide goods and services. However, it is free to apply and it can be a good option for some companies, so it is something to think about as you become more familiar with government contracting.

 

  1. SAM Registration Is Required

In order to do business with any government agency, federal or state, you do need to complete your SAM registration. Once you complete this process and are approved, you will receive a special code known as a CAGE code (Commercial and Government Entity). Federal government agencies require that you have a CAGE code and an active SAM registration to bid on contracts, but this is also true of all state governments and many local or county governments.

 

The government does not charge a fee for SAM registration, but many people hire a third-party registration service to complete the SAM registration. The application for SAM is complicated and can take more than 10 hours to complete. It’s filled with confusing government-speak and many people find that the whole process is so frustrating that they simply give up on the idea of government contracting.

 

Rather than give up on the idea of government contracting, which can be very lucrative, we can complete your SAM registration quickly and accurately. We do charge a fee, but we compare ourselves to accountants because, while you could fill out your tax forms on your own, the tax code is complicated, and mistakes are costly.

 

We’ve been providing SAM registration and SAM renewal services for more than a decade and have handled thousands of SAM registration for companies of all sizes, including small businesses up to Fortune 500 firms. If you want to bid on disaster cleanup jobs or any types of government contracts, we can help. To get started just click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form. A registration specialist will be in touch as quickly as possible to get started on your SAM registration.

FEMA Disaster Jobs: 5 Tips For New Government Contractors

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After a major disaster, such as a hurricane, earthquake or flood, federal and state governments hire private contractors to help with cleanup and relief efforts. Options such as FEMA disaster jobs can be lucrative, but there are several steps you need to take in order to bid on these jobs, including the following.

 

  1. Determine If You Are A Good Fit For FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs goods and services throughout the year. If you want to work on FEMA disaster jobs, it is important to learn all you can about FEMA, how its organized and the types of goods and services commonly needed by this agency. Obviously, disaster cleanup jobs, such as hurricane relief jobs, often are needed, but there may be many other options available.

 

For instance, FEMA needs medical supplies, tents, cots, bottled water, prepared meals and shelf-stable foods, armed guards, emergency fencing, emergency housing and much more. They even need items such as copier paper and repair services such as HVAC repair or electrical repairs, etc. When you think about FEMA, think beyond the basic cleanup services because there are many other opportunities.

 

If you head to Beta.SAM.gov, and click on the Contract Opportunities tab, this will take you to a page where you can search for available government contracting jobs. We recommend that you click on the Advanced Search tab. Once you get on that tab, you can search by keyword, federal organizations, NAICS codes, set asides and much more.

 

For an initial search, you might simply go to the Federal Organizations box and type in – Federal Emergency Management Agency or just FEMA. You also can search with the additional parameter of your NAICS codes, which are codes that describe your ask goods and services. To find your NAICS codes, go to https://www.census.gov/naics/.

 

If you find several contracts that look like a match, chances are you would be a good fit to work with FEMA. But, keep in mind, that you need to read over these jobs carefully to see if your company can provide the scope of goods or services requested.

 

  1. Complete Your SAM Registration

You will not be able to work on FEMA disaster jobs or any other cleanup jobs until you have completed your SAM registration, been approved as a contractor and received your CAGE Code. This is not just a FEMA requirement, but a requirement of all federal agencies and even most state agencies.

 

SAM stands for System for Award Management; this is the centralized database that includes all active government contractors. If you are not listed in this database with an active account, you cannot bid on FEMA disaster jobs or any government contracting jobs. To apply for admittance, you will need to fill out the lengthy SAM registration application, which is completed online.

 

The government charges no fee to register with SAM, but the SAM registration process is time-consuming and often difficult to understand, as it is filled with government-speak and acronyms unfamiliar to most non-governmental employees. Therefore, many companies will hire a third-party registration service, such as ours, to complete this lengthy and often frustrating process.

 

We do charge a fee to complete your SAM registration, but our registration experts can complete this application quickly and accurately, ensuring that you are approved as quickly as possible. We liken ourselves to accountants, because, while you could fill out your tax forms yourself at no charge, using an accountant makes good sense because the tax code and tax forms are complicated, and mistakes are costly.

 

  1. Consider Working With Your State & Other Agencies

While FEMA disaster jobs can be lucrative, FEMA isn’t always called in to help with every disaster and each state also have various disaster cleanup jobs or related goods and services that they need. You still need to complete SAM registration to work with state governments as most state procurement systems require you to enter your CAGE code when you sign up with their system.

 

CAGE codes are, officially, Commercial and Government Entity code, and this is a five-character identifier the government assigns you after your SAM registration is complete and approved. Every company has a unique CAGE code, and state procurement systems will ask for your CAGE code, NAICS codes and other information when you sign up. The good news is that signing up with a state procurement system tends to be much easier than completing SAM registration.

 

  1. Sign Up For The Disaster Response Registry

The bidding process for many government contract jobs is a long process and contractors aren’t chosen in just a few days. While a private company can make decisions quickly about vendors for goods and services, the government has many rules and regulations that procurement agents must follow.

 

However, when disaster strikes, FEMA doesn’t have time to start throwing out Requests for Proposals and going through the typical bidding process. They need immediate assistance, and this is why the Disaster Response Registry was created. If you can provide debris removal, reconstruction or repair services, disaster relief supplies or help with the distribution of supplies on short notice, it is a good option to become a part of this registry.

 

During the SAM registration process, there is a section where you can indicate that you wish to take part in this program. Once your registration is approved, you will be added to the registry, so if you complete SAM registration on your own, be sure to sign up for this registry. If you use our services, just let us know that you wish to be listed in the registry, and we will make a note of that.

 

  1. Sign Up With SBA

If you qualify as a small business, some contracts are set aside just for small companies, and these are known as “set asides.” To check if you qualify as a small business, head to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards. If you qualify, you will want to sign up with the Small Business Administration and you will want to ensure that after SAM registration is complete that you also complete your SBA Small Business Profile, or we can do that for you should you choose to use our registration services.

 

If you want to bid on FEMA disaster jobs, but have not yet completed SAM registration, consider letting us complete this process. To get started, just head to our home page and click on the green New Registration tab, fill out our quick contact form and a registration specialist will be in touch as soon as possible to gather information and get started on your SAM registration.

How To Become A Government Contractor

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If you want to boost your business and expand your market, government contracting might be the perfect option. But many people don’t really know how to become a government contractor, but the team at Federal Contractor Registry can help. Here’s some basic information and tips about government contracting jobs to help you gauge whether this is the right step for your company.

 

Why Should You Become A Government Contractor?

Last year, the United States government awarded more than $600 billion in government contracts to private companies. While more than 60% of these monies went to huge prime contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, more than $200 billion went out to midsize and small businesses. That’s a lot of money leftover for thousands of contractors across the country.

 

The government needs all types of goods and services from just about any industry. Many people mistakenly connect government jobs with FEMA disaster jobs or DOD contracts, but the government needs paper suppliers, janitorial services, repair services, technology, food services, marketing services, consulting services and much more.

 

Unlike companies in the private sector, the government won’t go broke and fail to pay you for services rendered. Even if there is a recession, federal agencies will still need copy paper, air conditioning repair, plumbing services, security services, etc. Working for the government can be an excellent, recession-proof stream of income so let’s take a look at how to become a government contractor.

 

Step One: Determine If Your Goods Or Services Are Needed

While most companies provide goods or services that the government might need, some companies are a better fit than others. The System for Award Management (SAM) is the central database for government contracting. Not only does it include detailed information about every active government contractor, but this database also includes a search engine – Beta.SAM.gov.

 

At Beta.SAM.gov, you can do a preliminary search to gauge if your goods and/or services are needed by any federal government agencies. You can search using many filters, but we recommend that you start by using your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes or your Product Service Codes (PSCs) as these relate specifically to your industry.

 

If you aren’t sure what your NAICS codes are, you can look it up at https://www.census.gov/naics/. PSCs can be found at https://www.fpds.gov/downloads/top_requests/PSC_Manual_FY2016_Oct1_2015.pdf. We also can look them up for you if you decide to use our services for step two.

 

Here’s an example. Let’s say your company provides mobile food services, such as a food truck or concession stands. The NAICS code for that is 722330. A quick search shows that several agencies have possible matches including the National Park Service and Department of the Army. This indicates that the government does, from time to time, contract with mobile food services and you might have a shot at a contract if you meet the requirements.

 

While this example didn’t have a ton of matches, it just showcases that the government needs all types of services and not just weapons systems and disaster cleanup. State governments and county governments also need goods and services, and we will talk about that a bit more in step four.

 

Step Two: SAM Registration

While you might find some contracts that are a good match for your company, you cannot bid on any of them until you complete SAM registration and have your account approved by the government. You can complete SAM registration yourself or you can pay a third-party registration service to complete this task for you.

 

The government won’t charge you to register with SAM, but this application is quite lengthy and can take 10 or more hours to complete. If you make mistakes, you also might end up delaying your approval by weeks or months as you try to figure out how to correct the mistakes and resubmit your application.

 

The frustration level of completing SAM registration can drive many people to forgo becoming a government contractor, but we can help. We handle hundreds of SAM registrations and SAM renewals every year and we can complete your registration quickly and accurately so that you gain quick approval from the federal government.

 

We liken ourselves to accountants. You can fill out your tax forms by yourself, but these forms and the tax code are difficult to understand, and mistakes can be costly, so it often just makes more sense to hire a CPA. It’s just the same with SAM registration, it’s often just better to leave these complicated tasks to the experts.

 

Step Three: Sign Up With SBA

SAM registration is crucial, but it’s also crucial to sign up with the Small Business Administration (SBA). Many people mistakenly believe that the SBA is only for businesses with just a couple of employees, but many companies with several hundred employees may qualify as a small business. To check if you qualify, go to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards.

If you do qualify as a small business, register with the SBA and do a bit more research to see if you qualify for any set asides or perhaps the 8(a) Business Development program. The government sets aside a certain percentage of all of its government contracting jobs and rewards these only to small businesses in several categories, which are called set asides.

 

One set aside is for a woman-owned small business and others include veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Your small business also might qualify if it is located within a historically underutilized zone or HUBZone. There are HUBZones throughout the United States and its territories often in rural areas, economically disadvantaged urban areas and on Native American reservations.

 

Another option is to see if you qualify for 8a certification benefits. The 8(a) Business Development program is open to small business owners provided they meet several conditions. The company must be 51% or more owned by a person who is socially and economically disadvantaged.

 

The SBA also offers general help and support to small businesses, whether or not they decide to become government contractors. We highly recommend signing up with SBA and taking advantage of the tools they offer.

 

Step Four: Sign Up With Your State Procurement Agency

When people think about how to become a government contractor, they don’t always think beyond working with federal agencies. However, once you’ve completed SAM registration and signed up with the SBA, it’s time to sign up with your state’s procurement agency. State and county governments also rely on private businesses to supply them with goods and services, and you can find many lucrative contracts at the state level.

 

While the System for Award Management is a federal database, and each state has its own procurement system, you will need to provide your Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code when you fill out the state application. You cannot receive your CAGE code until you have completed your SAM registration and are approved. The CAGE code is your unique identifier in the SAM database.

 

Is There A Downside To Government Contracting?

While there are thousands of lucrative government contract jobs to be had, finding them and winning those jobs can be tricky. Typically, it can take about a year for a company to earn its first government contract, and that might seem discouraging, but once you have earned that first job, future jobs are easier to attain simply because you better understand the process and now have a track record.

 

The way to combat the difficulties of government contracting is simply to commit to learning the process. Learn about the types of government contracts and how to bid. Learn about terms such as RFPs, RFQs, sole-source contracts, fixed-price contracts, cost-reimbursement contracts, etc.  There are some private companies out there that can help you find and bid on contracts, and while this comes with a fee, it can be a great way to get started.

 

Get Started With Government Contracting Today!

If you’ve wondered how to become a government contractor, these are the initial steps you need to take. With patience and research, government contracts can be an excellent option for many businesses. If you would like us to help, just head to our homepage and click on the New Registration tab, fill out our quick contact form and a registration specialist will get in touch with you as quickly as possible.

5 Essential Tips For FEMA Contractors

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency is one of the hundreds of federal agencies that enlist the services of government contractors. For those who wish to work as FEMA contractors, we can help you with the first step, SAM registration, and also provide you with some essential tips, including the following.

1. Research FEMA
Whenever you take on a new client, it’s smart to learn a bit about the company and how it operates. The same is true with government contracting jobs. If you want to bid of FEMA disaster jobs, you’ll want to learn a bit about FEMA. For instance, FEMA is an agency working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and was created by President Carter in 1978. At one point, FEMA was actually an independent agency, but it was placed under DHS in 2003.

FEMA is divided into 10 regions across the United States and each region has a central office. FEMA contractors can work in any region, although, from a logistical perspective, it’s often easier to bid on jobs in your region. Here’s a link to FEMA’s regions map – https://www.fema.gov/about/organization/regions. You can learn more about FEMA and read its mission statement at https://www.fema.gov/about/mission.

2. Check To See If Your Business Is A Match
FEMA is called in to help with a wide range of disasters, including floods, tornadoes, fires, hurricanes and other natural disasters, but they’ve also been called in to help with the current pandemic. When you think about FEMA, you might think only about disaster clean-up jobs, but the following goods and services are the most needed items by FEMA:

• Infant/Toddler Products
• Durable Medical Equipment Kits
• Consumable Medical Supplies Kits
• Plastic Sheeting
• Tarps
• Blankets
• Comfort/ Hygiene Kits
• Water
• Meals
• Forklift Rentals
• Cargo Vans
• Security Guard Services
• Generators
• Cots
• Joint Field Office Kit
• Leased Copiers
• Leased Generators
• Office Supplies
• Shredded Bins
• Portable Toilets
• Sign Language
• Temporary Labor
• Janitorial Services

If you can provide any of these goods or services, you probably are a good fit for FEMA, but those aren’t the only goods or services they will need throughout the year. You can head to Beta.SAM.gov to find more contracting opportunities.

When you get to Beta.SAM.gov, you can use this government search engine to find all types of government contractor jobs, and not just FEMA contractor jobs. On the homepage, scroll down a bit and you will see a section marked “Contract Opportunities (FBO).” Click on the “Search Contract Opportunities” and this will take you to the search engine.

As a side note, the FBO stands for FedBizOpps, and this used to be the location where one went to find government contracting jobs, but that website is obsolete. You still may hear people talk about FedBizOpps, so it’s important to know that Beta.SAM.gov has replaced FedBizOpps.

Anyway, when you get to the search engine at Beta.SAM.gov, you can search by “Federal Organization.” Be sure to type in the full name and not FEMA, as it doesn’t recognize acronyms. You can scroll through the listings, and you will see that there are many other types of goods and services needed by FEMA aside from the list above.

One easy way to see if you match FEMA’s current needs is to select FEMA and also enter your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes into the system. These codes describe precisely the type of goods and services your company provides, and this can be a great way to find exact contracting matches for your company.

3. Don’t Forget About Your State
Many people mistakenly believe that FEMA just shows up whenever disaster strikes, but the process is more complicated than that. The Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (also known as The Stafford Act) sets the process for how FEMA is called in to help after a disaster.

For instance, the governor of a state must first contact the regional FEMA office and request help. This regional office will conduct an assessment of the disaster and the governor also must follow the guidelines of the state’s emergency plan. If it’s determined that the state does need federal assistance, the President has to declare that a major disaster has occurred and then FEMA can come in and help with response and recovery.

While this is a long explanation, it brings us to an important point. Every state (and territory) has its own disaster response agency and there’s no reason why you can’t contract with those agencies as well as FEMA. Often, a state can handle a disaster on its own but will need support from the private sector. So, be sure to search for contracting opportunities within your state as well as on the federal level.

4. Be Prepared & Learn About Contracting
They say that preparation is half the battle, and this is certainly true in case of natural disaster, but it’s also true when it comes to government contractor jobs. Many new contractors mistakenly believe that once you complete SAM registration, it’s easy to attain government contracts.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged (by those who have already dived into government contracting) that contracting can be difficult. While you are perfectly capable of producing a good or offering a service, but do you understand the different types of government contracts? Do you know how to bid on jobs? Do you have an amazing capability statement? Have you signed up with the Small Business Administration (SBA)?

While government contracting is lucrative and usually well worth tackling the learning curve, there’s no getting around the fact that you need to learn all that you can about government contracting. You need to research the bidding process and understand various types of contracts.

You need to create a capability statement, which is basically a resume for the government, and you need to sign up with SBA if you qualify as a small business. SBA has many resources for small businesses, and this includes government contracting resources. If you qualify as a type of small business, this can make it easier to win contacts, as the government sets aside a portion of all contracting dollars just for small businesses.

5. Think Beyond FEMA
While FEMA contractors can enjoy much success with government contracting, there are hundreds of government agencies, including federal, state, county and local agencies. All of these agencies use government contractors. If you don’t see that you are a good match for FEMA, that doesn’t mean that many other agencies won’t need your services.

To search for your state’s procurement office, just do an internet search with your state name and the word procurement. For instance, when we search for “Oregon” and “procurement,” the first result is the Procurement Services division of the Oregon state government. Just ensure that you click on webpages that have URLs that end in .gov, as these are government-supported websites.

Of course, for potential FEMA contractors or any government contractor, the first step is always completing your System for Award Management registration, or SAM registration. While the government does not charge a fee for this service, many people decide to hire a third-party registration service for this process.

SAM registration can be a complicated and frustrating task and can take 10 or more hours to complete. It can simply be easier and faster to pay an expert to handle this task, and we handle hundreds of SAM registration every year.

We can complete your SAM registration quickly and accurately so that you will be approved and ready to serve as FEMA contractors soon. To get started, call us at (800) 985-7658 or simply click on the green “New Registration” tab on our homepage.

Government Contracting Acronyms & Terminology

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While government contracting can be lucrative, there’s no getting around the fact that newbie contractors have a lot to learn. The mountain of government contracting acronyms and terminology can be tricky to understand, but at Federal Contractor Registry, we can help you get started with contracting and demystify some of the common terms you might see, including the following.

System for Award Management (SAM):
For the rest of the blog, we will head down the list in alphabetical order, but the System for Award Management (SAM) is important enough that it deserves a spot at the top. SAM is a huge database that includes information about all government contractors. If you want to work with any federal government agency (and many state agencies), you need to complete SAM registration. We can complete SAM registration for you quickly and accurately, but we will talk more about that in a bit. First, let’s look at some other common government terms.

Beta.SAM.gov
On this website, you can search for contracting opportunities. In the past, you went to FedBizOpps or FBO.gov, but that has been replaced by Beta.SAM.gov. If you go to the homepage, scroll down to Contract Opportunities and click on “Search Contract Opportunities.” This will take you to a search engine listing current and past government contracts. There are many ways to search – by date, by federal organization, location, NAICS codes, PSCs, Set Asides and more.

We go into more detail about NAICS codes, PSCs and Set Asides later in this article, and using these tend to be the easiest way to search for contracting jobs. Keep in mind you can use multiple search parameters such as location and NAICS codes, and this can be your best option.

Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Codes:
You may be wondering, “how do I get a CAGE code,” and that’s not surprising. Without a CAGE code, you cannot do business with the federal government. This is a unique identifier given to each company or person after they have completed SAM registration. Not only with agents from federal agencies ask for your CAGE code, but state government personnel often also will ask for your CAGE code if you bid on state-level or county-level government contracting jobs. Sometimes, you might hear SAM registrations or SAM renewal called CAGE code registration or CAGE code renewal.

Central Contractor Registration (CCR):
Before there was SAM, there was CCR. This was a database with government contractors, but it no longer exists. We are writing about it, however, because we still see references to CCR or CCR.gov from time to time, and we know all of this terminology can be confusing. However, if you see CCR, just dismiss it as everything is in SAM now.

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
To register with SAM, you have to provide a DUNS number. If your company does not already have a DUNS, you can apply for one at the Dun & Bradstreet website at no charge. It will take a few days for Dun & Bradstreet to send you this number, but it is an easy process to apply.

Government agencies sometimes search for contractors using DUNS numbers, and it’s required for SAM registration, but it will be changing sometime in the future. The government was supposed to switch over to a new system in 2020, but the pandemic sort of put that on the backburner. The new number will be known as a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and won’t be issued by Dun & Bradstreet. However, this is not something to worry about as the government has decided to phase this in between now and April 2022.

Entity Administrator
When you first complete your SAM registration, you have to send a notarized letter to the Federal Service Desk (the agency in charge of SAM) to inform them who is your Entity Administrator. This is simply the person in your company that is authorized to make changes to your SAM account.

The Federal Service Desk, or FSD, updated its website in December 2020 and finding the notarized letter information used to be a fairly easy process, but it definitely is a bit trickier now. To learn more about the notarized letter requirement, head to FSD.gov and type “notarized letter” into the Search Knowledge Base section.

Once you click there, the first result states, “How can I become the new administrator for our entity registration?” Click on that link, and you will find tips about the notarized letter and links to templates. Fortunately, once you’ve sent in this letter, you never have to do it again unless the Entity Administrator is changed.

GSA Schedules
The GSA (General Services Administration) is the agency that procures many goods and services for other federal agencies. For instance, they provide a fleet of automobiles and trucks for various government agencies. They also manage and maintain many government-owned buildings. GSA Schedules are special long-term contracts that allow government contractors to sell goods and services again and again to government agencies.

Here’s a quick example. Let’s say you manufacture computer monitors. All government agencies will need monitors from time to time. Instead of creating a new contract every time they need computer monitors and looking at proposals from many contractors, they can simply use a vendor with a GSA Schedule Contract. This simplifies the process for both the agency and the vendor.

Attaining a GSA Schedule Contract is not an easy or a quick process, but if you are approved, it can be much easier and faster to sell to the government. Not all businesses will qualify for GSA Schedules and you do have to meet certain criteria in order to participate in this program. To learn more about this program, go to https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/purchasing-programs/gsa-schedules.

Historically Underutilized Zones (HUBZones):
Small businesses located in HUBZones sometimes have an easier time acquiring government contracts. HUBZones were created to promote small businesses in areas prone to economic hardship. These zones are located in rural areas, urban areas and even on Tribal reservations. In some cases, a HUBZone also might be in an area hit by a major disaster, such as a hurricane or tornado. These are temporary HUBZones created to improve the economy in an area affected by a disaster.

Government contracting jobs can be easier to win if your business is small and located in a HUBZone and at least 3% of all federal contracting dollars are set aside for HUBZone-certified businesses. To learn more about the HUBZone program, go to https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program.

Marketing Partner ID Number (MPIN):
This is the code or password that you create for your business’ SAM listing. While someone might ask for your CAGE code, no one should ever ask for your MPIN number. Do not let anyone have access to your MPIN other than your Entity Administrator.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS):
This is a handbook that contains codes for virtually every type of good and service you could imagine. Whether your company builds fencing, repairs heating systems or provides financial services, there are NAICS codes to fit these goods and services. There are codes for farming, restaurants, toy manufacturing, furniture retailers, clothing manufacturers, advertising, information technology and thousands of other industries.

When you register with SAM, you will need to provide NAICS codes. You can find the most recent NAICS manual at https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ or we can help you determine these codes if you hire us to complete your SAM registration.

Online Representations & Certification Application (ORCA)
This was the online database of government contractors before SAM was created. ORCA no longer exists, but you do still sometimes see references to ORCA and ORCA government contracts. All you need to know is that ORCA has been replaced by SAM and is now obsolete.

Prime Contractor
These are large businesses that often need or are required to use the services of smaller businesses, or subcontractors. For instance, a company such as Boeing is a prime contractor, but they might use subcontractors to acquire goods and services they need to complete a government contract. In many cases, prime contractors are required to use small business subcontractors in order to win a contract.

Procurement/Purchasing Agent:
This is the person at each government agency who makes decisions about government contracting. While private companies also sometimes have procurement agents or purchasing agents, there are many more rules surrounding government contracting. For instance, in a government setting, a supervisor or cannot simply select a vendor as might happen in a private company. There are set processes and many rules regarding how the government acquires goods and services, and the procurement agent (and their staff) is in charge of the process.

Product Service Codes (PSCs):
These codes are similar to NAICS codes, as they describe the goods and services that your business offers. These will be listed on your SAM registration as well as on your Capability Statement. Procurement agents and even prime contractors can search in SAM.beta.gov for companies using PSCs. We can help you determine these codes during the SAM registration process, or you can find a guide with PSCs at https://www.fpds.gov/downloads/top_requests/PSC_Manual_FY2016_Oct1_2015.pdf.

Small Business Administration (SBA):
This one is slightly out of alphabetical order because it makes more sense to place it ahead of the following term – Set Asides. The SBA has a ton of resources for small business owners, and many businesses that might not seem small actually qualify for SBA programs. SBA government contracting can be a great option for small businesses.

To see if your business qualifies, go to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/ and you can see if your business is eligible for government contracting programs sponsored by the SBA. The SBA also can help small business owners with loans, grants and even finding investment capital.

Set Asides
The federal government sets aside a portion of its yearly government contracting budget just for small businesses. You might qualify as a general small business, but you also might qualify for special “set aside” categories. These include woman-owned small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses and businesses located in HUBZones.

Any government contract worth $150,000 or less automatically is set aside only for owners of small businesses. There are plenty of more lucrative contracts you can bid on, but with anything over this amount, you likely will be competing with larger businesses, although sometimes larger contracts are set aside for qualifying small businesses.

Typically, procurement agents are supposed to look to small businesses first to fulfill government contracts, even if the value is more than $150,000. This is why it is so important to sign up with SBA and see what set asides fit your business.

8(a) Contracts
This is another type of SBA set aside designed for what the government has determined are socially and/or economically disadvantaged businesses. If you belong to just about any group that has faced discrimination due to race, creed, religion, gender (or gender identity), disability, sexual orientation, etc., and you own 50% or more of a small business, you may qualify for this program.

Get Started With Government Contracting Now – We Can Help!
At Federal Contractor Registry, we complete SAM registration and SAM renewals for all types of companies, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and everything in between. While the government does not charge a fee to register with SAM, heading to SAM.gov and filling out the lengthy application is a frustrating and complicated process and many people simply hire a third-party registration service to complete their SAM registrations.

While we do charge a fee, we can ensure that your SAM registration is completely quickly and correctly, saving you time and the aggravation of trying to figure out each section of the application. In many ways, we are similar to accountants. While you could fill out your tax forms, these are often complicated and frustrating, so hiring an expert makes sense.

If you want to get started with government contracting, we can complete your SAM registration and as soon as the government approves your application, you will be eligible to bid on contracts. Give us a call today or click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage, and one of our registration specialists will be in touch to get started on your SAM registration as soon as possible.

FEMA Disaster Jobs: 5 Facts You Need To Know

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is charged with helping Americans in the wake of all types of disasters, including hurricanes, fires, floods, tornadoes, pandemics and more. FEMA disaster jobs can be a lucrative option for many companies, but there are a few things you need to know before you consider working with FEMA or any government agency.

1. SAM Registration is Required
The first step toward working with the federal government (or even most state and local governments) is to complete your System for Award Management (SAM) registration. The System for Award Management is the database that includes information about all government contractors.

Once you register and your application is approved, you will receive a Corporate and Government Entities Code, or CAGE Code. This is your unique identifier in SAM and without a CAGE Code and an active SAM registration you cannot bid on FEMA disaster jobs or jobs with any other federal government agency.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we can complete your SAM registration quickly and accurately. We do charge a fee for our services, and you might be wondering why you would pay for SAM registration services when you could go to SAM.gov and complete this task yourself at no charge.

Unfortunately, while the government does not charge a fee to register with SAM, it’s a complicated and frustrating process. The application can take 10 or more hours to complete and is filled with a myriad of confusing acronyms and government-speak.

We get calls every day from folks that started the registration process and quickly became confused. Many others just give up, and that’s a shame. The government spends billions each year on contracting jobs, and this can be solid income for your business. Hire us to complete your SAM registration and we will handle your registration quickly so that you can start bidding on FEMA disaster jobs or jobs with other agencies.

2. Learn How To Find FEMA Disaster Jobs
In some cases, FEMA jobs are easier to attain than other government contracting jobs simply because FEMA will need many goods and services very quickly if there is a disaster. If you can provide natural disaster clean-up, tents, cots, temporary shelters, medical kits, water, portable toilets, blankets etc. in a timely fashion, these are just a few things FEMA might need very quickly.

Of course, FEMA also gathers supplies throughout the year so that they will be prepared in advance when a disaster occurs. Sometimes it’s not just about FEMA disaster jobs, it’s also about supplying FEMA so that it will be prepared for an emergency.

At any rate, to get an idea of the types of jobs that are available, you will want to head to Beta.SAM.gov. This is the search engine for government contractor jobs. In the past, FedBizOpps.gov or FBO.gov was where you went to search for jobs, but this site is obsolete.

At Beta.SAM.gov, you can search for jobs using a variety of parameters, but for those hoping to become FEMA contractors, you will want to go under the Federal Organizations taskbar and type in Federal Emergency Management Agency. Typing in the acronym FEMA will not work. From there, you can browse through the results or perhaps tack on a few other parameters to your search, such as your NAICS codes or PSCs (Product Service Codes). Both of these codes indicate the type of goods or services your business can provide, and we can help you determine these codes as we complete your SAM registration.

A recent search at Beta.SAM.gov came up with hundreds of contracting jobs, some were current, others were closed to bidding. The types of jobs ranged from mold inspection services to ASL interpreting services to generator maintenance and much more.

Keep in mind, once your complete SAM registration and are approved, you can work with any government agency. You don’t have to just limit yourself to FEMA. There are hundreds of federal agencies and offices and they all need government contractors from time to time. Your state government also needs government contracting jobs, and these can be just as lucrative as the federal contracting jobs.

3. Determine If You Qualify For Set Asides
While government contracting jobs are available for all types and sizes of businesses, the government takes extra steps to try and promote small businesses. They do this by setting aside a portion of government contracting dollars specifically for small businesses.

You can go to SBA.gov to see if you qualify as a small business, and to learn more about “Set Asides.” These are categories, such as a woman-owned small business, a veteran-owned small business and several others. Basically, if your business is owned, 50% or more, by a veteran or a person who is considered disadvantaged (due to gender, race, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, etc.), the government sets aside contracting dollars for these businesses.

In order to qualify for set asides, you will need to register with the Small Business Administration. The SBA’s website also can be a great resource for small business owners in general. They provide helpful tips for business owners, webinars, loans and much more to help you grow your business. We highly recommend that you take a look at all SBA has to offer and take advantage of it.

4. Differentiate Your Company With A Killer Capability Statement
Everyone needs a great resume, right? Well, a capability statement is a resume for your company, and all government procurement agents will expect you to have one. Typically, you want to keep this statement to just one or two pages, just as you would with a regular resume, however, it does have some key differences from a typical American resume.

The sections of a capability statement should include:
• Contact Information – The phone number & email of the person in your company that is the main contact for government contracting
• Company Details – This includes NAICS codes, PSCs, Set Asides, your CAGE Code, etc.
• A Corporate Overview – This is a brief description of your company and its goods and services, and possibly a quick discussion of your mission statement and standards.
• Core Competencies – This usually should be a list of all of the services you can provide
• Past Performances – This is a list of previous or current clients
• Differentiators – This is an area where you set yourself apart from other similar companies, perhaps you might list your years of experience, on-going training, awards, you are family-owned, etc.

Whether you are bidding on FEMA disaster jobs or trying to work with another federal agency or even a state agency, they will all expect you to have a capability statement. You can create this yourself or contact a company that specializes in creating capability statements. Just as with resume writing, there are experts that can help you with this document.

5. Consider GSA Schedules
The General Services Administration is the agency that manages all federal property and also helps provide goods and services for federal agencies. For instance, they manage many government buildings (such as courthouses), and they provide cars, trucks and vans to government agencies.

While we could write a book or at least a lengthy brochure about GSA schedules, here’s a basic definition. If you get on a GSA schedule, you are an approved vendor for the U.S. federal government. You have a long-term contract with the government and about 20% of all federal contracting dollars are spent via GSA schedules.

Earning GSA contracts can take time, and it’s a complicated process, but it can make it easier for you to sell goods and services to the government. In many cases, you can bypass the whole contracting process and sell more quickly and easily to various government agencies.

It can take up to a year to get approved for a GSA schedule, so understand it is absolutely not a quick process, but once you are in, you become a go-to vendor for government agencies (including FEMA) for many years. To learn more, go to GSA.gov. Keep in mind, you can continue to bid on other government contracts even if you are on a GSA schedule.

To wrap up, FEMA disaster jobs can be quite profitable, but there’s a lot for potential contractors to learn before diving into the process. In many cases, it can take a year or more to earn that first contract, but we highly recommend that you stick with it. If you want to get started, give us a call today or click on the New Registration tab on our homepage, and we will complete your SAM registration as quickly as possible. We also offer SAM renewal services, which need to be completed every year, and usually several months in advance of your expiration date.

Types of FEMA Disaster Jobs

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) constantly needs goods and services from government contractors. While you might associate FEMA disaster jobs with tasks such as cleanup services, there are many other profitable opportunities available and it’s not just about cleanup.

Your First Step: SAM Registration
Before you can bid on any FEMA disaster jobs or any government contracting jobs, you will need to complete SAM (System for Award Management) registration. SAM is a database with all government contracts, and once you complete the registration process and are approved, you will be given a Corporate and Government Entities (CAGE) Code.

Once you have an active SAM registration and a CAGE Code, you are free to bid on government contracts, including FEMA contractor jobs. Keep in mind, FEMA needs goods and services throughout the year, and not just when a disaster occurs. For instance, with the recent pandemic, they’ve need supplies and services throughout the year. But they also need basic items, such as office supplies, throughout the year.

SAM registration can be an arduous process and take can take 10 hours or more to complete. As a third-party SAM registration service, we receive calls all of the time from people frustrated with the process, ready to give up on government contracting. However, rather than forget about government contracting jobs, just hire us to complete the process.

We handle hundreds of SAM registrations and renewals each year, and we can complete your registration and have you approved and ready to bid on contracting jobs as quickly as possible. While you can register for SAM yourself at no charge, using our services is a bit like using an accountant to handle your taxes. You could file taxes yourself, but the tax code is complicated, and if you make mistakes, there are penalties so sometimes it’s easier to allow a pro to handle these types of tasks.

How To Find FEMA Disaster Jobs
One way to find FEMA jobs, as well as other federal contracting jobs, is to head to Beta.SAM.gov, which is run by the Federal Service Desk, the same organization that manages SAM.

At this website, you can search for jobs by agency. About halfway down the page, you will see a section for Federal Organizations. For FEMA, you would need to type out the full name – Federal Emergency Management Agency or type in the number 7022, which is the number designated for FEMA.

On a recent search for FEMA contractor jobs, we noticed that there were more than 20 pages of job listings. So, rather than scroll through 20-plus pages looking for jobs that suit your goods or services, it can be better to also add in your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes or your Product Service Codes (PSCs). If you don’t already know your codes, we can find them for your during the SAM registration process.

If you don’t see anything listed, we recommend that you clear FEMA from your search and just do a general search for all agencies using your PSCs or NAICS codes. There may be other agencies that need your goods or services.

Types Of FEMA Jobs
After a disaster has struck, FEMA can help out in a number of ways. They can help provide emergency shelters, food and water for victims. They also can help support medical personnel, such as during our current pandemic. So, if your businesses can provide items such as protective gear, hazardous waste cleanup, medical test kits or something else needed to help fight Covid-19, you might be able to win a government contract.

During a quick, recent search we discovered a few of the following opportunities available via FEMA:
• Power Generators
• Generator Maintenance & Repair
• Janitorial Services
• File Cabinets & Safes
• Satellite Phones
• Copier Services
• Protective Equipment

These are just a few of the FEMA contracting jobs that have been offered recently. Keep in mind, that the dates to apply or bid on some of these jobs has passed, but it gives a general idea of the wide scope of opportunities available throughout the year. Food services and medical supplies are other items commonly needed by FEMA.

During a disaster, state and county governments also will need government contractors to help. It’s a good idea to sign up with your state’s procurement agency, as well as with SAM, so that you can take advantage of any natural disaster cleanup jobs at all levels of government. FEMA isn’t always called in to help with every emergency situation, so you should expand your contracting goals beyond this single agency.

In general, FEMA disaster jobs can be quite lucrative, and if you want to get started working with FEMA or any agency, contact us at any time and we will handle your SAM registration. You can contact us by phone at (800) 985-7658 or click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form.

How To Get A Job With FEMA

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awards thousands of government contractors to businesses every year, amounting to billions of dollars. If you were wondering how to get a job with FEMA, we can help you get started and provide you with some helpful facts.

1. Determine If You Are A Good Fit For FEMA
As the name suggests, FEMA was created to help with national emergencies, which could include tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes and other types of disasters, such as the terror attacks on September 11, 2001.

When you think about disaster services, you might think about clean up, but FEMA also helps provide food, shelter and medical support during emergencies. FEMA relies on government contractors to provide its goods and services. Some they need quickly during an emergency, while others they stockpile and need throughout the year.

To discover if your company provides goods and services needed by FEMA, you will need to determine your North American Industry Classification System codes or NAICS codes. There are codes for just about any business imaginable, from construction to paper suppliers, from food services to air conditioning repair. To download the most recent NAICS codes, go to https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/.

Once you’ve discovered your NAICS codes, you can head to beta.SAM.gov. This website allows you to search for contracting opportunities using several methods. You can search using your NAICS codes or search using your Set Aside (more about this later in the blog) or search by a government agency.

When we enter “Federal Emergency Management Agency” into the Federal Organizations section of beta.SAM.gov, hundreds of government contracting jobs appear. For instance, FEMA needs someone to provide gate repair, and they need file cabinets and safes. These are contracting jobs that might not immediately spring to mind when you think about FEMA, but if you can provide these to FEMA, you may be able to win a lucrative government contract.

While you might be focused on FEMA, we recommend that you search for contracting jobs using your NAICS codes. This saves you time because you will be searching for contracting jobs that truly match your goods and services. You may find out that, currently, you are a better match with another agency.

2. SAM Registration Is Crucial
You cannot sell to the government without first completing your System for Award Management (SAM) registration. SAM is a government database that lists all government contractors and government contractor jobs. In order to work with FEMA or any government agency, you need an active SAM registration.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we can complete your SAM registration for you. The government does not charge you to register with SAM, but it is a highly confusing and often frustrating system and the registration process can take 10 hours or more to complete. Additionally, if you make a mistake, this can delay the approval process significantly. Using a third-party registration service, such as Federal Contractor Registry, can ensure that your registration is not only complete but that it is completed as quickly as possible.

Additionally, we can help you determine the best NAICS codes for your business as well as Product Service Codes (PSCs) and help you figure out if you qualify as a small business, which brings us to the next fact . . .

3. Register As A Small Business
Every government agency sets aside a portion of its yearly contracting budget specifically for small businesses. These are called “set-asides” and there are many different types of set-asides. If you qualify as a small business, you may qualify for additional set-asides, and this can make it easier to earn some contracts. To see if you qualify, head to the Small Business Administration website at SBA.gov.

Some of the specific set-asides include those for woman-owned small businesses and veteran-owned small businesses, but there are set-asides in place for just about any person that is part of a historically disenfranchised group, such as those who might be African-American, Native American or perhaps those who have a disability or perhaps has been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.

Additionally, there is a set-aside for businesses located in HUBZone. There are HUBZones throughout the United States. Some of these HUBZones expire, such as those located in disaster areas. Sometimes a HUBZone will no longer qualify and be redesignated. You can check to see if your business is located in a HUBZone at SBA.gov.

4. Learn All You Can About The Bidding Process
There are many different types of government contracts, and the bidding process is unique for each type of contract. There are some helpful guides to contracting at SBA.gov, but you also should go to APTAC-US.org, which is the main website for the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.

This organization helps small businesses learn the ropes of government contracting, and they have tons of helpful information on their website, and sometimes host webinars or post videos about various elements of government contracting. Your first step will be to find your local Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, or PTAC, and sign up.

Additionally, we highly recommend that once you have completed SAM registration, you also sign up to do business with your state government. Simply do an internet search with your state name and the word “procurement” and look for a result with the .gov extension. Once you sign up, you’ll find that your state also will hold helpful seminars and even events (no doubt virtual events these days) where you can meet representatives from various state government agencies and learn more about contracting opportunities.

In a nutshell, that’s how to get a job with FEMA. Sign up with SAM and SBA and do some research about bidding. Whether you get a job with FEMA or another agency, it takes time to learn the contracting process. Typically, it can take 12 to 18 months to win your first government contract. In some cases, with emergency services or Covid-related services, the government might accelerate the process, but it usually takes time to win that first contract. Still, government contracting can be a lucrative option for most companies.

We hope this article has helped to answer the question regarding how to get a job with FEMA or has provided you with at least enough information to get you started. If you would like our help with SAM registration, give us a call or click on the green New Registration button on our homepage. We can complete your SAM registration quickly and you will soon be eligible bid on FEMA contractor jobs as well as other types of government contracts.

FEMA Business Registration – Disaster Clean Up Jobs

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FEMA Business Registration

FEMA contracts with companies to help support disaster recovery efforts. This includes floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, and tornadoes as well as providing support during other times of crisis, such as the current pandemic. There are hundreds of profitable FEMA contracting jobs available every year.

To become a FEMA contractor, you must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM).

Start Your FEMA Registration

If you need help getting started with your FEMA business registration, give us a call at (800) 985-7658.