Diana Dibble Kurcfeld is Speaking at this Must Attend Event

Contracting with the Federal Government is on everyone's mind because they are one of the few customers who is still buying during the economic downturn. With the Stimulus bill passed, there is even more interest and opportunities. D2DInc has been working diligently to ensure our clients are up-to-date on the federal contracting environment, and as a result Diana Dibble Kurcfeld, D2DInc's President & Co-Founder, has been asked to speak at a breakfast event called: "Capturing Government Business - Winning Contracts & Navigating Stimulus Dollars." Diana will be on a 3 person panel that also includes Anthony (Tony) Bell: Chief, Small Business Office, and Associate Director, Small Business Programs at the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Gerald Boyd, Jr.: President/CEO of DB Consulting Group, Inc a Silver Spring, MD-based professional consulting firm. This will be a great event with information on federal government contracting, as well as networking opportunities. Information on the event is included below. Registration is already filling up, so if you're interested in attending, don't wait to respond.

Capturing Government Business
Winning Contracts & Navigating Stimulus Dollars

Event Description
During this down economy, the government is a steady source of new business opportunities. But how do you get your piece of the stimulus pie? Whether you are diversifying your commercial business or you want to increase your current federal business, come hear from the federal government and successful contractors on what it takes to get your share. Discuss proven business development strategies over breakfast.

For more information and to register visit www.govcontractingevents.com.

Stimulus Packages Changes COBRA Requirements

Our accountant, Glen Todd of Glen Todd & Company PC, sent me a very interesting email. He forwarded what he considered a really good synopsis by McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP of a very serious provision of the Stimulus Act. On February 18, 2009, McKenna Long sent out a Corporate Advisory entitled “Employers Required to Front COBRA Costs Beginning March 1, 2009.” According to the information they provided, there is a section in the Stimulus Act that relates to the COBRA subsidy. The Act changes the COBRA requirements for businesses. Previously, only companies with 20 or more employees were required to provide COBRA to eligible terminated employees. Now, each state will dictate the company size where COBRA requirements kick in – in Maryland, where we're headquartered, it is 2 employees.

The other big issue with the change is that the Act requires the employers to pay 65% of the premiums for the COBRA-covered employees for up to nine months, where previously the employee paid 100%. The employer will be reimbursed by the government later in the form of tax credits, or a direct reimbursement if the company’s tax liability doesn’t cover the premium cost. This could cause huge problems to small businesses who can’t afford to pay the 65% premium for employees who are no longer working for them.

In a nutshell, the McKenna Long newsletter says “If you sponsor a group health plan, you must act quickly to implement the new requirements by March 1, 2009 (or earlier where coverage terminates before the end of the month, e.g., on date of termination of employment).” Note: McKenna Long’s newsletter states that their information is “only a summary of portions of the Stimulus Act.” They recommend contacting them or your own attorney for more information about the subsidized premiums for continuation coverage and assistance in revising your forms.” For more information on McKenna Long, visit http://www.mckennalong.com.

I read the information and my blood ran cold. The implications and impact on small businesses probably will be extreme. With the cost of health insurance already being high, am I being expected to front the 65% of the monthly continuation costs for an employee that no longer works for me? Imagine laying off employees because you can't pay them and then having to pay their COBRA coverage. It doesn't make sense. I thought the Stimulus Act was supposed to help small businesses. The financial impact will affect how and if companies offer health plans to their employees and may result in companies cancelling the plans they already offer.

The newsletter continues saying “the company must subsidize both the cost of COBRA continuation coverage and state-mandated health continuation coverage (collectively referred to in this alert as “COBRA”) elected by the Eligible Individual. McKenna Long indicated the definition of eligible individual as “any employee who is involuntarily terminated between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009 (employees terminated for gross misconduct or voluntarily terminating are not eligible); and the employee’s spouse and dependents.”

To help determine if a company is subject to State mandates, McKenna Long provided this link to COBRA Continuation Coverage for Small Firm Employees (http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemapdetail.jsp?ind=357&cat=7&sub=88&yr=18&typ=5&cha=586).

Their newsletter has a list of 12 bullets with action items and 4 key dates beginning on March 1 and ending on April 30, 2009. This is not a lot of time to review the provision, make decisions and implement a plan to address the new requirements.

Since this is an overview, there is probably information that the McKenna Long newsletter does not address. To make good decisions, I need to find out how this will specifically impact my business. My first calls on Monday morning were to our insurance broker, accountant and attorney so I understand the financial, legal and paperwork implications of this provision. My recommendation to other small business is do the same.

Are You Ready to Date the Government?

With the recent passage of the Stimulus package, a lot of companies previously uninterested in federal government contracting are now looking to get in, particularly since the commercial market is still slow. But are you ready to be a government contractor? It is a time consuming endeavor that needs proper preparation and an understanding of the environment.

We often use the analogy of dating in context of government contracting. Dating is social activity performed with the aim of assessing another's suitability for a relationship. Successful businesses cultivate long-term, mutually beneficial relationships - ergo, they date their clients and customers. They put their best foot forward and present their benefits as a long term partner. Before entering into or expanding a relationship with the government, management should determine if they are ready to "date the government."

Steering a company into a new market always requires careful consideration and the government sector is no different. Companies who want to enter into government contracting or ways to expand current business lines should examine the qualities they bring to the table. Think of your clients and services in four quadrants:

Quadrant 1: providing current products/services to existing clients/customers
Quadrant 2: providing current products/services to new clients/customers -- a good way to expand your client base.
Quadrant 3: providing new products/services to existing clients/customers -- a good way to expand your business lines.
Quadrant 4: providing new products/services to new clients/customers -- high risk because you have an unproven product/serice that you are marketing to potential clients you have never worked with. You do not want to be in the fourth quadrant.

Next ask yourself "do the qualities I have (e.g., your products and/or services) interest my prospective date (e.g., the government)?" Here are a few basic items to consider when considering whether to date the government:

• Strategic Planning-You want to date someone with whom you have something in common and you won't know that unless you have done your homework. Knowing your partner in advance improves your ability to create and sustain a successful relationship. Developing a well-researched strategic plan for entering the government space serves the same purpose. Strategic planning provides the information necessary to identify the right agencies for a company to pursue and to implement focused business development and marketing efforts.

• Accessibility & Visibility-Being visible and accessible is a must in any relationship. Cultivating a relationship with the government is difficult if you can't be found and/or don't have the proper contracting vehicles in place. Being on the right contracting vehicles allows government customers to find you and provides access to your goods and/or services.

• Contract Administration-Every successful relationship has ground rules that each party must understand and agree to follow. Government contractors must understand the policies and regulations governing the government contracting arena, as spelled out in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and agency supplements. A company's ability or inability to adhere to these rules can dictate if it can operate in the government arena and which government opportunities it can pursue.

• Personnel-Relationships are all about finding the right match. Government contracts often require contractors to provide specific personnel for a given contract. If your company does not have the personnel required by the government for the goods and/or services it provides, you may not be the right match. Or you may need to develop a plan for hiring the right personnel for each contract awarded.

While many commercial sectors face an uncertain future, more and more business owners are looking to the stability of government contracting as a way to grow their business. If you're looking to get into or expand your government offerings, be sure to do so with a critical eye and be able to answer "Yes - I would want to date me."

Mentor-Protégé Relationships

Adapted from the D2DInc e-Newsletter

A Mentor-Protégé relationship can be mutually beneficial to large and small businesses because it expands the resources and opportunities available to small businesses and provides a unique tutoring experience to large companies and establishes a reliable relationship with the small business. A Mentor-Protégé relationship can help improve the performance of small businesses on contracts and subcontracts with government agencies.

Mentor-protégé agreements can be mutually beneficial as long as both parties are clear on the objectives of the relationship. Each agency has its own Mentor-Protégé program with its own requirements, but generally the mentor company must hold a prime contract with that agency in order to participate in the program. Agencies require the execution of a formal agreement between the parties that spell out the expectations for and benefits to each party. These could include teaming and subcontracting opportunities, training, assistance in raising capital, program management, process development, ownership resulting from the relationship, and others as agreed upon by the parties. Some agencies allow a mentor to have more than one protégé, but most do not allow the protégé to have more than one mentor; although companies may have different mentors through different Agency programs.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) manages a unique Mentor-Protégé program that is designed to allow companies to serve as a mentor to 8(a)-certified small business protégés. In order to enter into a SBA-approved Mentor-Protégé agreement, the mentor and protégé must have a written agreement and also meet certain requirements in order for SBA to accept them into the Mentor-Protégé program. Mentors have their own requirements, but to qualify, the protégé must be:

1. a) in the developmental stage of the 8(a) Business Development program OR b) never have received an 8(a) contract OR c) must be less than half the size of a small business, as defined by the SBA, based on its primary Standard Industrial Classification code
2. In good standing in the 8(a) Business Development program
3. Current with all 8(a) reporting requirements

What is unique about the SBA program is that once the mentor-protégé agreement is approved, the companies may form a Joint Venture (JV) to pursue Federal government contracts with any agency, and the JV is considered to be a small business, provided the protégé qualifies as small for the procurement (and if an 8(a) sole source procurement, has not met the dollar limit). Without a SBA-approved agreement, the size of a JV is determined by taking the aggregate of the sizes of the two companies. This is a benefit because it allows the 8(a) to use their mentor's experience and relationship to pursue work jointly as a small business prime.

8(a) firms should contact their Business Opportunity Specialist to determine if their company and a prospective counterpart qualify for the SBA Mentor-Protégé program. Additional information is also available on SBA's website (www.sba.gov).

Great Event on Surviving in this Economy

So as I mentioned in my tweet on 2/3/09, I went to a really great event called "Succeeding as a Government Contractor in a Challenging Economy" hosted by Shulman Rogers Gandal Pordy & Ecker, PA. The presenters included Ira Hoffman and Jacob Ginsberg (both attorneys with the firm), Brad Wood (Sr. VP of Commercial Banking for The Columbia Bank), and James Scott, Jr. (a Principal with accounting firm Penan & Scott, PC). Usually I go to these events and have to "gently" correct the speakers because they misrepresent something about federal government contracting. But I have to tell you, I was impressed with the speakers and their presentations.

Ira presented first and covered information pertaining to the Stimulus Package. He gave examples of where the money was going and what areas contractors should consider targeting. He also discussed other topics relating to set-aside designations and the GAO ruling on the "rule of two." One interesting thing he pointed out you should note is per a GAO ruling, HUBZones get preferential treatment to SDVOs (if you don't know what these are then you probably aren't one). There is such a push for SDVOSBs that people forget this is the case. There were SDVOs in the room so I’m sure this caught their attention.

Brad spoke next and provided good insight to the participants on the banking relationship and its nuances. I think most companies discount the importance of a well established banking relationship. They know they need a good one, but don’t know how to develop it. Or in most cases, they only contact the bank when they need something (like a loan) instead of cultivating a partnership than grows more solid over time. I can speak to the benefits of this because we have a great relationship with our bank. Anyway, we all know that we should choose a bank that offers us the services we need.

What Brad emphasized was the need to find a bank that is suited to our business. For instance, the business owner should ask the bank what level of expertise is in the bank and what they understand about your particular industry. For instance, my commercial business is very cyclical and we had to teach our banker about our business and the industry so he could discuss specifics when he presented our loan package. You should ask who you will be working with on a daily basis and very important – ask about the bank’s processes for reviewing loans. Brad also stressed the importance of documentation and your financials. You need to make sure everything is kept up-to-date and is readily available to the bank upon request. As an aside, my personal suggestion is to scan documents such as your corporate documents (Articles of Incorporation, By-laws, etc); your company taxes and owner’s personal taxes for at least the previous three years; government certifications; annual reports (P&L and balance sheet); and any other relevant papers so you can email them over quickly. Bottom line is you have to show that you are a good credit risk and the bank should give you the resources you need to grow.

Jim’s presentation tied in nicely to Brad’s since both firms deal with the financial side of companies. Jim was on point when he said that cash flow and profitability are key, and they are. He talked how the company needs to understand the numbers, particularly since there is legal language in loan documents that pertain to the company’s financials. He also stressed the need for the company to implement a good accounting system that can support government contracts, and institute good internal controls (thank you Jim – we say this to people all the time!). He also stressed that companies need to make sure they are working with a qualified accountant and not Uncle Joe who thinks he can be the company accountant since took math in high school back in 1939 (OK I embellished what he said, but you get the point). Anyway, I’m sure there were people in attendance related previously on a subconscious level, but left with a different appreciation of the situation and its importance. I would not be surprised if several accountants got calls yesterday afternoon.

Jacob spoke last. His job is related to the loans the bank makes. He provided a checklist to participants so we could see what documents are needed related to the loan package. He suggested that companies get a legal review of all loan documents. I would bet you that there were companies in there who have gotten loans without counsel reviewing the specifics, but it makes sense that they would just sign the papers. Why? Because most companies believe they will pay the loan on-time and none of the provisions would be invoked. Well this ties in with Jim’s points. The loan documents contain provisions that relate to the companies ratios (debt to equity, etc.). If you don’t know the benchmarks and aren’t staying up-to-date on your financials you could get the loan called in even if you’re paying on time. Not a good situation.

Like I said, this was a great event that provided helpful information to a pack room of attendees. I’m looking forward to the next event they host!

Stimulus Package Small Business Goals

The stimulus package talks about helping small business, but doesn't contain any numbers or goals. Small business esneed to be proactive to ensure that there are measurable goals included in the language. Small businesses should contact the Senate Small Business Committee and ask them to adopt the government-wide goals that currently exist and include the language in the stimulus package. The Senate Small Business Committee Chair is Senator Mary Landrieu. The Committee phone number is (202) 224-5175.

On Point Washington Technology Article

In case you missed it, Matthew Weigelt wrote a really good article on the Obama administration and how it can benefit small businesses. It's an interesting article because he not only talks about the new opportunities that could come for veteran-owned and woman-owned businesses, but also discusses the potential negative impact to Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs). His article appears in the January 2009 issue of Washington Technology or can be found on line at http://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2009/01/12/winners-and-one-possible-loser.aspx.

It's a well rounded article and I particularly like the attention Mr. Weigelt paid to the woman-owned business contracting program. We've been hearing for years about how this program is supposed to go into effect. We'll see if the Mr. Obama and his SBA Administrator nominee, Karen Mills, will be able to implement a program that makes sense and doesn't lock out the majority of woman-owned businesses.

Molly Gimmel to Speak at NAPAW Annual Conference

Molly Gimmel, D2DInc's co-founder and Executive Vice President, was invited to speak at the 18th Annual Conference of the National Association of Professional Asian-American Women (NAPAW). The conference is April 14-15, 2009 and will be held at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in Baltimore, MD. This year's conference theme is "You Can Make A Difference" and focuses on helping small businesses learn about doing business with federal, state, and local government agencies. Molly will be speaking on the topics of GSA Schedules and government contract pricing. The conference is open to all - not just Asian Americans. For more information, contact napaw@comcast.net or go to http://www.seiservices.com/NAPAW to register.

New Contractor Ethics Requirements

From D2DInc's January 2009 e-Newsletter

On December 12, 2008, new contractor ethics requirements went into effect that apply to all government contracts over $5 Million or with a period of performance longer than 90 days. These requirements are laid out in FAR 52.203-13 and have three parts:

1. An ongoing business ethics awareness and compliance program
2. An internal control system
3. Mandatory disclosure of violations

Ongoing Business Ethics Awareness and Compliance Program
All businesses must develop a written code of ethics and conduct, and distribute a copy of that code to all employees involved in the company’s government contracts. In addition, the contractor must conduct training so that all employees, subcontractors, and other relevant parties are educated on the company’s ethics awareness and compliance program.

Internal Control System
Businesses must develop an internal control system to establish procedures to “facilitate timely discovery of improper conduct in connection with government contracts; and ensure corrective measures are promptly instituted and carried out.” This means that companies must document:

• who is responsible for oversight of the corporate ethics awareness and compliance program;
• what resources are assigned to that person to ensure that the program is effective;
• the company’s procedures for detecting criminal conduct;
• establishment of an internal reporting mechanism, such as a hotline, for employees to report suspected violations; and,
• disciplinary actions to be taken against violators.

Mandatory Disclosure of Violations
Companies must disclose, in writing, to the agency Office of the Inspector General (OIG), with a copy to the Contracting Officer, whenever it has credible evidence that a principal, employee, agent, or subcontractor has committed a violation of Federal criminal law or the False Claims Act in connection with the award, performance, or closeout of the contract or any associated subcontract. Examples of violations that must be disclosed could involve fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, or gratuity regulations.

We’ve already seen a few RFPs that specifically ask if the bidder has an ethics program and conducts ethics training, and we expect this to be included in most services RFPs going forward. If you need help developing a program that complies with these new requirements, contact Molly Gimmel at (301) 657-4440.

2009 & Federal Government Contracting

We have been getting a lot of questions about federal government contracting in 2009 and contracting during the Obama administration coming in later this month. So we decided to pass on our insights and recommendations to our blog's readers.

One thing President-elect Obama has promised is change. But what does that mean? Does this mean less government spending? That is yet to be seen. In the interim, we're still operating off of President Bush's last budget, however the Obama team has already sent in advance people to meet with agency personnel. Will opportunities in the hopper be canceled? We won't know until the new administration is in place. What it does mean is companies have to ramp up their marketing efforts and get in front of opportunities BEFORE they hit the streets.

D2DInc works with companies to help them win and management government contracts. We see a direct correlation between a company's ability to win a contract and the amount of advance work they do. The time to get started on a proposal is before the opportunity is in the procurement phase. This is easier said than done. Companies must retrain themselves on how and which government procurements they pursue.

We recommend the following activities.

* Look at your products and services and make sure that what you sell is in line with what the government purchases.

* Review and update your marketing plans quarterly.

* Identify your potential customers, opportunities, competition and teaming partners. Budgets change -- do you know where the money is?

* Attend agency industry days and conferences. Knowledge is powerful, but relationships are essential. People buy from companies that know and trust. A proposal submission isn't the time to introduce yourself to your potential customer.

* Provide training to the personnel who will be working on proposals -- before the RFP is released. This way they know what to expect, how to do it and how to juggle supporting their customer with meeting proposal deadlines.

* Update your proposal library on a regular basis. Save time and make sure your past performance citations and employee resumes are up-to-date on an on-going basis.

* Do a financial review and make sure your direct and indirect cost rates are in line with industry accepted numbers.

We are procurement process experts and help companies successfully navigate government procurement. Our advice to contractors is to make evaluating your contracting practices and direction of your marketing efforts standard company policy.

Here's to a successful 2009!

Procurement Rules and Small-Business Set-Asides

A newly proposed rule from the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council attempts to clarify for contracting officers procurement rules regarding small-businesses set-asides by stating:

• There is no order of precedence among the 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zone or service-disabled veteran-owned small-business programs.
  
  
• Contracting officers first must consider directing any small-business set-aside for a contract worth more than $100,000 to an 8(a), HUBZone or veteran-owned small business before for allowing all small businesses to bid.
  

• Contracting officers must reserve acquisitions between $3,000 and $100,000 for small businesses unless the officer determines that two or more businesses will not competitively vie for the job. Even though the acquisition is set aside for small businesses, officers can award it to HUBZone, 8(a) or veteran-owned small businesses.
  
  
• Contracting officers should consider their agency’s progress in meeting federal small-business goals when deciding which program to use for a contract.

Full Article Here: Officials try to clarify acquisition rules

GSA in hot water for Alliant contract award criteria application.

"A federal judge has ordered the General Services Administration to stop all work on the $50 billion Alliant contract, ruling that the agency failed to consistently apply its award criteria when assessing the bids of the 62 vendors."

Read the full text here: Court stops work on $50 billion Alliant contract

No such thing as a free lunch.

It turns out that small-business grants and interest-free loans for female and minority new business owners are right up there with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny; all lovably fun and widespread stories known by many with absolutely no truth behind them. (I am truly sorry if I just burst several bubbles at once for you.) The SBA and other Small Business Development Centers provide technical assistance, loan information, and standard loans, but unfortunately, few hand out no-strings-attached cash to help business owners get started.

Read the full article here: Busting the 'Free Money' Myth

Don't give up hope, however, because once you get your business up and running, then you can use your small-business designations to qualify for various contracts that are specific set-asides. For example, GSA just recently issued the 21-Gun Salute initiative to help service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) by increasing the amount of agency contracting dollars going to these businesses. GSA has failed to reach the goal of 3% of contracting dollars to SDVOSBs in both 2006 and 2007 and is now pushing to achieve those numbers this year. (For more information on this initiative, read the full article here: GSA launches new initiative to help veterans.) As there are government goals in place for each type of small business designation, there are plenty of ways to into contracting, starting by monitoring FedBizOpps or getting in touch with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at the agencies with which you wish to work.

Many commercial companies also need to work with small businesses to fulfill subcontracting goals, so there are also plenty of opportunities to be found to help small business owners succeed outside of working directly with government agencies.

Bush Administration Encourages Use of AbilityOne Program

On Monday, February 11, President Bushed signed a memorandum to various Federal procurement officials, reminding them to purchase goods and services from the AbilityOne program. Formerly known as the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program, AbilityOne employs thousands of blind or severely disabled workers, creates jobs and training opportunities for disabled Americans, and encourages the government to purchase products and services provided by nonprofit agencies that employ disabled workers. According to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, purchases from AbilityOne aid in the reductions of the 70% unemployment rate of the blind and severely disabled.

Full Article: Bush urges federal agencies to purchase from blind, severely disabled

Big News for Small Businesses

In a February 5, 2008 hearing on regulatory fairnesss, American Small Business League (ASBL) Communications Director Chris Gunn highlighted a need for greater enforcement of the regulations created to prevent the diversion of Federal small business contracts to large companies and their subsidiaries. As a result of this testimony, the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Government Contracting and Business Development will be conducting a high level review to determine whether or not large businesses are receiving small business procurement awards and agencies are receiving credit for these awards.

According to estimations by the ASBL, more than $100 billion in Federal small business contracts go to some of the largest corporations in the United States and Europe, instead of to legitimate small businesses. There have been no fines or penalties for these misrepresentations to date, despite regulations that allow for hefty fines and even imprisonment.

The ASBL believes that the SBA is not enforcing these regulations, and even claims that the SBA falsifies the small business goaling report to make it seem like goals are being met. Solutions like annual re-certification, the Fairness and Transparency in Contacting Act of 2008, and the enforcement of current regulations have been proposed to remedy this gross misconduct.

In a nutshell, this means more small businesses will have a chance to win contracts in the future that might otherwise have been slipped to large corporations. However, it becomes even more important now to make certain that companies contracting as small businesses are not in violation of any size standards. If you're a small business looking for ways to get a piece of the Federal procurement pie, we'll be happy to help.

Full Text: SBA National Ombudsman Mandates High Level Review of ASBL Testimony

Election 2008

When you head to the polls to vote, chances are that you've chosen your candidates based on their views on the war in Iraq, education, healthcare, same-sex marriage, abortion, gun control, and several other hot button issues. But businesses don't get a chance to cast a unified vote, which means that your vote will have to represent what you want for your company as well. An article published in January 2008 in Washington Technology gives you a broad look at how the turning tides of politics will affect technology, GSA Schedules, Federal spending, and political initiatives. A must read for anyone with their hands in the Federal procurement cookie jar: Forecast 2008: Chart your course.

Business Ethics: No longer just a good idea.

An article published on Monday, February 11 in Washington Technology explains how, as of the end of 2007, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) now contains a subpart requiring contractors to establish a code of business ethics and conduct. This will only apply for contracts valued in excess of $5 million or with a period of performance greater than 120 days, but it also carries with it a requirement that all large businesses implement ongoing business ethics training. Several other requirements are also included, and more are likely to follow later in 2008. For more details, read the full article: Business ethics the latest addition to FAR

What does this mean for you? First and foremost, it is essential that you learn what parts of the FAR will apply to your contracts and how to remain fully in compliance. While your company may not have any ethics issues or violations of procurement law, if this subpart applies to your contracts, you will still have to meet the various reporting, training, and other ongoing requirements. Prepare early - get your official ethics systems in place early so compliance is not even a concern. And if you don't enjoy staying up late at night to pour over the FAR and various contract requirements, let us help. We'll be happy to guide you to success.

For all IT companies and contractors...

With only 7% of solicitations fully compliant with Section 508 accessibility requirements in late 2007, the General Services Administration is increasing efforts to bring government agencies in line with Section 508 regulations. This initiative has begun with the implementation of a new grading system based on a random sampling of electronic and IT solicitations on the Federal Business Opportunities website. These inspections will determine whether or not contracting officers and 508 coordinators are complying with the law which requires agencies to buy electronics and technology that people with disabilities can use.

In anticipation of this gradual shift towards enforcing full compliance, you can familiarize yourself with Section 508 requirements and ensure that your IT products are already Section 508 compliant. Following these stipulations will make your company's products more valuable to contracting officers looking to avoid low grades for their agency.

Full Article: GSA to grade agencies on 508 compliance

GSA officials are now reviewing vendors on the information technology schedule to determine if they are offering IPv6-compliant products and services. Vendors are being asked to specify how they comply with IPv6 and what test criteria they used. This is one of several initiatives GSA is undertaking to prepare for the June 30, 2008 deadline to have all network backbones IPv6 compliant and to begin using the new protocol.

As with the Section 508 compliance, this is another area where you can get ahead by ensuring in advance that your products and services are IPv6-compliant. This will make working with the information technology schedule easier for you in the future, and will help you to be better prepared for the eventual transition to IPv6.

Full Article: GSA ensuring offerings are IPv6-compliant

SBA regulations on WOB set asides

This article by Inc.com highlights the issues with the new regulations pertaining to set aside contracts for women-owned business. In a nutshell, only 4 industries out of the 313 listed in the procurement registry would be eligible for federal agencies to set aside contracts for women-owned business. The article also references statistics from the US Women's Chamber of Commerce indicating women make up 30 percent of the nation's business owners, but receive only three percent of federal contracts -- clearly a disproportionate percentage. Bottom line - women business owners need to be proactive and aggressive in their efforts to positively impact the regulations. Click link below to see full article.

SBA Defends Contract Plan

D2DInc Client Makes the Inc 500!

Addx Corporation, a D2DInc client since 2003, has just been named to the Inc. 500! This prestigious list represents the 500 fastest growing privately held companies in the US. Congratulations to Bill Millward, Addx's President, and the rest of the Addx Team!!! Check out their website: www.addxcorp.com.