UPTAC offers a variety of services to assist Utah businesses in becoming more competitive in the government and commercial marketplace. Some of the services include training, bid preparation including bid notification assistance, counseling, and marketing events. If you are interested in receiving assistance from UPTAC, please fill out our client application.
Federal Procurement WorkshopS
UPTAC sponsors and co-sponsors several workshops annually, ranging from basic procurement training to elements of a government cost proposal. Listed below are examples of workshops that have been conducted in the past and will typically be held throughout the year. Access the Events/Calendar page to view when the workshops will be conducted.
This workshop deals with the issue of certification in the contracting process. The certification pertains whether you are a small business, woman-owned business, or minority-owned business. The workshop discusses the types of certification programs that are available in Utah and what the requirements are.
These workshops provide a basic orientation to the federal procurement process. Issues such as marketing to the federal government, getting on mailing lists, and different dollar thresholds and processes are discussed.
This type of workshop is generally geared to the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. We conduct both an introduction to the SBIR and STTR programs and a more advanced course. The first course is an introduction to SBIR/STTR, and talks about how the programs work, how the government advertises the programs and how to be an effective competitor. The advanced workshop provides hints and tips for award winning, discusses developing a cost proposal, and discusses the requirement for a commercialization plan.
This is a catchall category for workshops. We will conduct workshops on a variety of subjects, based on need and special request, throughout the year. Some of the workshops that have been taught in the past were: How to Work with Hill Air Force Base; How to Market Effectively at International Air Shows; and How to Become a Supplier to the Salt Lake Olympic Committee.
The FAR is the primary instrument that governs all federal contracting actions. It consists of procurement policies and many detailed procedural and administrative requirements that apply to all procurements by Federal executive agencies.
The FAR has more than 1,000 pages and is divided into 53 parts. The first 51 parts deal with specialized topics, part 52 contains special solicitation provisions and clauses, and part 53 contains federal government forms. The FAR provides information on general Government contracting matters, acquisition planning, simplified procedures for small purchases, procurement procedures for larger dollar contracts, labor laws, contract cost principles, contract administration, and standard clauses and forms.
Small businesses should refer to parts 13 and 19, which discuss issues that deal specifically with small business entities.
Most federal agencies also issue additional supplements to the FAR. For example, Hill Air Force Base would refer to the FAR first, then they have a DFAR, which is the Department of Defense (DOD) supplement, an AFFARS, which is the Air Force FAR supplement, and an Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO ALC) FAR supplement . The buyers at the various agencies must refer to all of the FAR references and include the applicable ones in their procurement actions.
You may review a paper copy of the FAR in the UPTAC office, or it may be found on the Internet at: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/ or http://www.arnet.gov/far/.
DOD Specifications and Standards
Products sold to the federal government frequently require compliance with specific Federal or Military Specifications and Standards. The Utah Procurement Technical Assistance Program has access to a complete library of Federal, Military, and DoD Adopted Industry Standards and Specifications via an internet service. Offices outside the Salt Lake City area also have access to this service. Copies of specifications and standards can be provided via FAX, EMAIL, or regular mail to UPTAC clients upon request.
In addition to these government related documents, UPTAC also has access to a complete library of ASTM, AIA/NAS, and SAE standards (that are DoD adopted).
You may also be able to find many specs/standards at: http://www.assistdocs.com/search/search_basic.cfm
Historical Data
It is sometimes advantageous to review what contracts have been issued in the past for items, who the contract was awarded to, and at what price. UPTAC has an Internet subscription service that can be accessed for you. Our clients may contact our office to obtain previous pricing and limited technical information on purchases made by the government.
Bid Notification Assistance
The Utah Procurement Technical Assistance Program maintains a Computerized Bid Notification System (CBNS) that matches company capabilities, interests, products, services, etc., to current procurement actions contained in various governmental purchasing databases including:
- Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps) - A listing of proposed federal government procurement actions over $25,000 in value as well as contract awards over $25,000 that may represent subcontracting opportunities
- DLA Bids - Small dollar purchases (under $25,000) of commodities for various Department of Defense agencies initiated by the six (6) Defense Logistics Agency Buying Centers
- Federal Acquisition Computer Network (FACNET) - Purchasing actions initiated by federal agencies for goods and services being accomplished through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
- USABID - Procurement leads from many state and local government agency Internet websites
- Construction Leads - A comprehensive database of construction projects available for bidding in the Intermountain region
- Foreign Trade Opportunities - Database of foreign business opportunities reported through the Department of Commerce's TOPS network by the various U.S. consulates throughout the world
Customized search profiles can be developed that scan these purchasing databases on a daily basis to provide Utah businesses bid opportunities. Reports are prepared and sent via FAX or EMAIL each business day, at no charge, for Utah companies registered in the CBNS.
Marketing Assistance
UPTAC has experienced consultants who will guide you through the process of marketing to the government. They will provide information, such as a web site address, to assist you in obtaining information on each agency. They will also help you to identify which agencies buy your product or service.
Each federal agency is independent and stands on its own. Therefore you must market to each agency individually. The government uses the following methods to advertise its bid opportunities:
Federal Business Opportunities - FedBizOpps - This is the method the government uses to formally advertise solicitations that are, in most cases, estimated to be over $100,000.
Agency Mailing List Applications - Several government agencies have some kind of bidders' mailing list application. The Department of Defense and other agencies have, in the past, utilized a Standard Form (SF) 129. DOD no longer accepts this form; they are now utilizing the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) process. However, other federal agencies still utilize the SF 129. You should contact the individual agencies to find out what format they utilize to register new vendors.
Bid Boards - Some federal procurement offices maintain bid boards at their installations. Now most bid boards are accessed through the Internet.
Internet Web Sites - Most federal agencies have homepages on the Internet; how-to guides, bidders' mailing list applications, and other materials are accessible there. A good site to locate federal offices on the Internet is: The Federal Acquisition Jumpstation.
Electronic Commerce - Federal agencies are moving toward an electronic contracting format. You may obtain solicitations from the Internet, and some agencies are even awarding electronically. All agencies are at different levels in this process. It is best to contact the individual agency and to find out what their requirements are. The General Services Administration (GSA) has a website www.gsa.gov that contains bid information for several agencies.
UPTAC consultants provide individualized counseling on all aspects of the federal procurement process. Our experts will take you from the initial stage of determining whether federal procurement should be a market for you, to determining who buys your product or service, how to market to the government, and how to request and review a solicitation document. Counselors also provide information on the SBIR program, quality assurance, and other government programs.
If you would like to set up an appointment with a consultant: Contact Information.
Utah Supplier Development Conference (USDC)
The Utah Supplier Development Conference is an event sponsored by the Utah Procurement Technical Assistance Center and others. The intent of this conference is to provide an opportunity for Utah businesses to market and have access to buyers from a multitude of large businesses and government agencies. The Conference also has workshops throughout the day, and provides participants with a Directory of Buyers. The Conference has been very successful and the number of attendees has grown to approximately 800. For more information please e-mail us at uptac@utah.gov.
We are located at:
Governor's Office of Economic Development
324 South State Street, Suite 500
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
1-800-999-UTAH (8824)
or
1-801-538-8775