The "Give Me 5" program, sponsored jointly by Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and American Express OPEN, is designed to help educate women business owners about how to apply for and win government contracts. The group holds webinars and seminars and other events, and provides online resources to business owners interested in gaining government contracts.
Give Me 5 derives its name from The Equity in Contracting for Women Act (2000), which stipulates that federal contracting officers award 5% of all contracts to women-owned businesses. With women presently receiving 3.4% of federal contract dollars1, Give Me 5 aims to increase the representation of women-owned businesses that win government contracts by providing resources and information to make it easier for women to register their businesses with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), a requirement to gain eligibility to apply for federal contracts.
How Do I Get Those Government Contracts?
Lourdes Martin-Rosa, American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracting, helps business owners navigate the federal procurement process and offers the following tips for business owners to succeed in procurement. She advises:
- Get started. Do market research by checking out government contracting opportunities online at www.fbo.gov to figure out what kinds of contracts would be a good fit for your business’ capabilities.
- Get contract ready. To register to apply for government contracts, you will need your business’ federal tax ID number (also known as an EIN), your DUNS code, your NAICS code and your business’ checking account number.
- Get necessary classifications that give your firm an advantage. If your business qualifies to be an 8(a), women-owned, veteran-owned, small and disadvantaged firm, or if you are located in a HUB Zone – get certified. (Learn more about these programs on the SBA website.)
- Build your CCR profile. Register your business on the Central Contractor Registration (www.ccr.gov). This is the profile government agencies will use to research potential clients – so fill it out completely and accurately.
- Consider sub-contracting and teaming. Large firms with government contracts also have small business contracting goals. Sub contracting is an excellent way to gain exposure to government contracting and may ultimately help you win a contract of your own.
Although the Give Me 5 program is for women small business owners, any small business owner can take advantage of assistance from American Express OPEN to learn how to gain government contracts. American Express has an excellent Practical Guide to Government Contracting which you can download.
After reading this material, you may have questions. Send me a comment or put your question in the Forum (I added a thread for this purpose), and I will find the answers.
(1) Why are you running this phony baloney advertisement for American Express using the front of a supposed “non-profit?” I wonder how much of American Expresses $$$$ goes directly into the hands of individuals being paid off to run this “women’s group” for the purposes of American Express marketing?
(2) Why does anyone taking part in this “Give Me Five” end up getting pushed over to an American Express website and forced to register for an American Express card? Hmmm. . . the only thing federal contracting and American Express have in common is the registration of business information. . . which AMEX then may use to market to businesses with very specific knowledge of the industry, sales, credit ratings. . . .
It’s a nice bit of PR mastery getting you to tout how wonderful all this is — without American Express ever paying your publication a dime for marketing! Or, did they. . . . .