Storms and other natural disasters are inevitable, and that means the government will need to hire civilian contractors to help after these disasters occur. Storm cleanup jobs can be lucrative, but it’s crucial to learn about the bidding process, how FEMA works and SAM registration. Let’s take a quick look at some of these topics.
How FEMA Allocates Storm Cleanup Contracts
When natural disasters strike, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) plays a pivotal role in coordinating relief and recovery efforts. One of the key components of this recovery process is the allocation of storm cleanup contracts. For new government contractors, understanding this process can be the key to securing valuable contracts and playing a role in community restoration.
- Pre-Positioned Contracts
Before a disaster even occurs, FEMA often has pre-positioned contracts in place. These contracts are set up with vendors who can provide goods and services immediately after a disaster. By having these contracts pre-established, FEMA can ensure a rapid response.
For New Contractors: It’s beneficial to explore opportunities for pre-positioned contracts, as these can provide a steady stream of work and revenue.
- Local Business Prioritization
FEMA has a strong commitment to supporting local businesses in the aftermath of a disaster. This means that local contractors often get priority when it comes to storm cleanup contracts. The idea is to boost the local economy and speed up the recovery process.
For New Contractors: If you operate in an area prone to natural disasters, ensure you’re well-positioned to take advantage of local contracting opportunities.
- SAM Registration
To be eligible for FEMA contracts, businesses must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). This system allows FEMA to vet potential contractors, ensuring they meet specific federal requirements.
For New Contractors: Ensure your business is registered and up-to-date in SAM. This is a non-negotiable step in securing a FEMA contract. At Federal Contractor Registry, we can complete SAM registration (and SAM renewals) for you, and we will discuss more about that later on in this article.
- Open Bidding Process
For many contracts, especially those not covered by pre-positioned agreements, FEMA uses an open bidding process. This allows contractors to submit their proposals, which FEMA then evaluates based on various criteria, including cost, capability, and past performance.
For New Contractors: Familiarize yourself with the bidding process and consider seeking expert advice or training to improve your chances of submitting a winning bid.
- Set-Asides for Small Businesses
FEMA often sets aside a portion of its contracts for small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and women-owned businesses. This ensures a diverse range of contractors can participate in the recovery process.
For New Contractors: If your business falls into one of these categories, ensure you’re aware of set-aside opportunities and understand how to position your business effectively. The team at Federal Contractor Registry also can help you sign up with SBA and determine which set-asides best fit your business.
- Performance and Delivery
Once a contract is awarded, FEMA places a strong emphasis on timely and quality delivery. Contractors who perform well are more likely to secure future contracts.
For New Contractors: Focus on delivering exceptional service and meeting all contract specifications. Building a strong reputation can lead to more opportunities in the future.
SAM Registration
If you want to bid on storm cleanup jobs, including FEMA clean up jobs or any type of disaster relief jobs, SAM registration is a critical first step you must take. SAM is the acronym for the System for Award Management, and this is the central database for all government contractors. You must have an active SAM account to do business with any federal agency, including FEMA.
The government will not charge you a fee for SAM registration, but it can be a difficult and frustrating process, taking many hours to complete. Additionally, if you make any mistakes, the application will not be approved, and this will delay your ability to bid on any patenting storm cleanup jobs or other types of contracts.
Because SAM registration can be so difficult to complete many people simply hire a third-party registration service, such as Federal Contractor Registry. While we do charge a fee, we will complete your SAM registration quickly and 100% accurately leaving you free to handle your many day-to-day business tasks.
We also will help you acquire the new SAM Unique Entity ID (the UEI number) and help you with the SAM notarized letter requirement that is part of your initial SAM registration. These are only needed for first-time registrants, and we can relieve you of this hassle as part of our services.
SBA Registration
If your company qualifies as a small business, we highly recommend that you sign up with the Small Business Administration. Not only might you qualify for certain set-aside programs, such as 8a certification, HUBZone certification or perhaps the Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOSB) program, but the SBA also offers business planning advice, small business loans and more.
The SBA also runs SubNet, which is the government website that lists available subcontracting jobs. With these types of jobs, you work under a prime contractor, and this can be an easy way to get into government contracting jobs because the prime contractor handles all of the bidding and communication with the federal agency. This allows you to build a contracting resume without having to do any heavy lifting, so to speak.
If you choose to use Federal Contractor Registry to complete your SAM registration or renewal, we also can help you sign up with SBA and discover which set-asides best fit your business. If you qualify as a Super 8a contractor, we also can introduce you to other federal contractors within our FCR Network.
Get Started With Government Contracting
Storm cleanup jobs can be lucrative, but that’s not the only type of government contract jobs that are available. Once you get started with contracting, you will likely find many federal contractor jobs that match your goods and services. If you would like us to complete SAM registration, just click on the green New Registration tab and fill out our quick contact form.