Customer Reviews

Winning Government Contracts: How Your Small Business Can Find and Secure Federal Government Contracts Up to $100,000

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I liked this book a lot. It is VERY well written and outlined. It tells you up front what it is going to talk about, and then it does it in a logical sequential manner. Something I have not been finding a lot of in books I have been reviewing lately. This book is a training manual for small business owners who want to take advantage of government contracts of $100,000 or less. It is comprised of the following chapters and appendices:

0. Introduction & How to use this book
1. Introduction to the federal government sales
2. Search the federal government sales
3. Searching and quoting in the Defense Logistics Agency's Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) Web site
4. Additonal procurement sites
5. Submitting your hard copy after using federal standard forms (SF18, SF1449, & SF33)
6. Service contracts
7. Fulfulling the terms of your contract
8. Stepping up to the next level
A. Central contracor registration worksheet
B. Offerer's representations and certifications applications worksheet
C. US Trade Agreements Act, designated countries
D. Unit of issue codes

If most small business owners are like me, then they don't know much about government contracts. The author says most small business owners are like me, and he was too about 30 years ago. Back then he decided to educate himself on government contracting and soon thereafter became a consultant to small business owners dispensing the knowledge and expertise he accumulated through research. Now some 30 years later he has decided to write the instant book so he doesn't have to verbally educate his clients on the basics of what he does for a living.

The book has a number of URLs (Web links) included between its covers. The author recognizes that these links may become broken before the book becomes outdated. As a result, he offers a Web page on his Web site where he will list the new links for the user to use.

In a nutshell, this book describes a system a small business owner can use to win government contracts. That system involves (1) searching, (2) researching opportunities, (3) filling out bid forms, (4) submitting bids, (5) and tracking results of the bids. It's really not all that difficult (except for the terminology). But this book breaks it down into simple terms so anyone can take advantage of government contracts if they so desire. 5 stars!

If you are a small business according to the NAICS classifications, this book is a handy how-to guide to finding and winning business with the Federal government. Parvey & Alston are experienced in the processes of how the Feds award contracts and make purchases and share that detailed knowledge with you.

Certainly, they do not cover all possible information, but they give you enough information in enough detail to find the right systems and show you how to use them. Depending on your industry, you will likely gravitate to different portions of this book, and that is what the authors intend. However, the parts that are useful for you now will have you coming back repeatedly and as you gain more experience you will likely expand into new areas.

While the book doesn't make for pleasure reading and is not intended for a general audience, it will be avidly read by its target audience.

Good stuff, well organized, concisely written.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

Prior to reading this book, I knew nothing about small business and government contracts. It is well written, concise and easy to understand. I read the entire book in one sitting.

Many of the SMBs I work with are looking for a roadmap to successfully working with the government. At first contact with the daunting process, most of them back away, shaking their heads and believing that there is no way to break in. This book gives that way in. For SMBs, this step by step process gives the first steps for success and a general framework for landing government contracts. Nicely done!

This book had everything I needed to get started in Government Contracting. I was able to register and begin my publishing business almost immediately. Now I supply books for other government contractors. Peavey and Alston do a great job to help new defense contractors set up operations and compete for government contracts.

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I found this book to be very helpful for the small business professional who is looking for government business.

It lays out what the small business owner needs to do in order to become successful in getting the contracts up to $100,000.00.

The lay reader might get a little confused at first with some of the forms; but that is not the fault of the author. these are the government forms one needs to master to be successful at getting Government contracts.

I am a professional proposal and grant writer. I work on a contract basis writing and managing proposals and grants for my clients.

although my focus is different, this book was one of the books I read which inspired me to write my own book on obtaining government contracts and grants.

I was very impressed with the book and the author. First the book, the book is very detailed when it comes to understanding the government contracting process. I am glad to see tax payer dollars at work when it comes to the digital government.
I would suggest using something like Evernote to keep track of all of the websites you will use and need.

Now, on to why I was impressed with Mr.Parvey. I had some questions that I needed some answers. I had emailed the author and in a very short time I got a return email from Mr.Parvey. Also,the answers were to the point and very helpful.

I love it when someone has traveled where you are traveling tells you how to travel.

Farrell

Written by a consultant with thirty years of experience in helping small businesses acquire contracts to supply the U.S. government with products and services, this unique manual is especially designed for newcomers who don't know how to find opportunities or use the system. It's not exactly pleasure reading, and anyone misguided enough to try to read it all at once will quickly become overwhelmed by acronyms and forms. Nevertheless, the book is a useful reference. It presents opportunities you probably didn't know existed and examines the most important forms in detail, explaining exactly what kind of information to provide and which boxes to check. getAbstract recommends this resource to small business managers looking for an experienced, helpful consultant to guide them through their first deals.

This is what I do for a job and yet, this book is still helpful as a reference checklist.

This book makes it too easy to understand all this stuff. If you want to kill a few weeks at work sorting through an endless maze of websites, this book is not for you.