Every year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) posts hundreds of government contracting jobs, worth millions of dollars. Any eligible business or individual can bid on these FEMA contractor jobs, but you do need to take a few steps before you can become an official government contractor, and we can help.
First Step: Complete Your SAM Registration
The System for Award Management (SAM) is the central database that contains listings for all government contractors. In order to bid on FEMA contractor jobs or government contacts from any federal agency, you must have an active SAM listing.
Even state procurement agencies will want you to provide them with proof of current SAM registration, so no matter what level of government contracting interests you, SAM registration is essential.
At Federal Contractor Registry, hundreds of people hire us every year to complete their SAM registration. While the government does not charge a fee to register with SAM and we do, many people prefer leaving the hassle of SAM registrations and SAM renewals to an expert.
For those new to government contracting, it can take 10 or more hours to complete the complicated SAM registration process, and many people simply wish to avoid the frustration associated with this process. We can complete your SAM registration quickly and accurately so that you are approved by the government and eligible for contracting as soon as possible.
Why Federal Contractor Registry?
Hiring an expert for SAM registration can be an excellent idea and, as we always say, hiring us is similar to hiring an accountant to complete your taxes. While you could complete your tax forms on your own for free, the tax code is complicated, and mistakes can be costly.
When you use Federal Contractor Registry, you have the peace of mind from knowing that we will complete the process quickly and accurately, and we offer help with several other crucial steps including:
- Signing up with the Small Business Administration (if applicable)
- Helping with the Notarized Letter Requirement for SAM Registration
- Acquiring your Unique Entity Identifier (which recently replaced DUNS)
- Introducing you to Super 8a Contractors in the FCR Network
Determine If FEMA Is The Best Fit For You
While FEMA disaster jobs are quite common, disaster relief services aren’t the only type of service that this agency needs. Just like every federal agency, FEMA needs everything from office supplies to equipment repairs and beyond. No matter what type of business you have, FEMA might need your goods or services.
To determine if you are a good match for FEMA, head to SAM.gov and use the Contract Opportunities search engine to discover if any jobs correspond with what you can provide for the federal government.
We recommend clicking on the Advanced Search tab and using your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes as these will be an exact match for the goods or services you offer. If you aren’t sure of your NAICS codes, we can find them for you during our SAM registration process or you can look them up at Census.gov.
These codes can be entered once you click the Product or Service Information tab in the advanced search option. Once you enter the codes, you should see a list of possible agencies that are a good fit for you. You also can go up to the Federal Organizations tab and specifically select FEMA to gauge how many opportunities are available to you with this agency.
Keep in mind, state procurement agencies also might be a good fit for your company, so it is smart to sign up with your state’s agency, as well. States often need disaster relief supplies or services, as well as many other goods and services and just like the federal government, they look to the private sector to fulfill these needs.
If your company qualifies as a small business, you also could consider working on FEMA contractor jobs as a subcontractor. We recommend that you head to the Small Business Administration’s website and search for subcontracting opportunities on the SubNet database.
For small businesses just getting started in government contracting work, subcontracting can be a good option because you will be working with a prime contractor and representatives for this large contractor handle all of the bidding and back and forth with the government agency.
Get Prepared For Government Contracting
Handling your SAM registration and searching for potential federal contractor jobs or state government contractor jobs are just two steps in the process of becoming a contractor. One item to add to your to-do list is the creation of a capability statement.
This is a one-page document that acts as a sort of resume for your company, and you will want to have well-designed hard copies of this document as well as posting it on your company website.
The capability statement should include all of your contact information as well as your Company Data including NAICS codes, Product Service Codes, any SBA set-asides and your Cage Code, which is the unique identifier given to your company in the System for Award Management.
Your capability statement also needs to include a listing of your Core Competencies, which is a list of all of the goods or services that you could provide to a federal or state agency. Another section to include is Past Performances, which basically highlights who you’ve worked with in the past and this section is much like the Work Experience section of a resume.
The final component of the capability statement is the Differentiators section. For this section, you want to showcase why your business is unique and what sets you apart from your competitors. Perhaps you are family-owned for several generations or perhaps you were the first company to innovate a specific process or product. This section helps a procurement agent understand why they should select your company over other options.
In addition to creating your capability statement, you also need to study the ins and outs of government contracting. Many state agencies, as well as the Small Business Administration, host workshops or provide helpful information on their websites. There are also private companies that can help you learn the ropes of government contracting and even help you with the bidding process.
Get Started Today!
If you are ready to bid on FEMA contractor jobs or jobs from any other agency, let the team at FCR 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 soon will be in touch to gather some information and get started on your SAM registration as well as our other value-added services.