D2DInc's Monthly eNewsletter - Stay in The Know

Stay in the know about the government contracting industry. Sign up for D2DInc's monthly eNewsletter. We include articles about government contracting, proposals, and related topics. We also include information on upcoming opportunities - so you know what's coming out; upcoming events - so you know where to go to network and build relationships; and other information that will help your company win & manage government contracts.

Sign up at http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001jYqn93s1IRBCl9-5ZnE0-Q%3D%3D.

Also, send us your input for future articles so we know what you're interested in learning about. Email Melissa Vivari at mvivari@d2dinc.com.

Scheduling Proposal Development During The Holiday Season

Government agencies love to issue RFPs in December so the proposals are waiting when they get back after the holidays in January. Map out your staff's holiday vacation schedule now so if an RFP (or two!) hits, you'll have people available to work on the proposal.

Making the Most of Industry Days

Working with the government requires a significant resource investment in marketing your products or services to program offices that buy what you sell. One of the most valuable resources available to you is the industry day. Many government agencies host regular industry days to meet with the business community. These events provide an opportunity for business representatives to network and gain insight into government agencies.

Some industry days follow a lecture format with agency officials providing information on how to do business with them, while others will have a more conversational style where contractors can talk with potential customers. The "style" or format of a given industry day will ultimately set the tone for the event, and can impact the openness of attendees towards networking. However, being prepared will help you get the most out of these events. Here are some tips to guide you in preparing for your next industry day:

Target the Right Agencies. The agency's OSDBU office can help you identify which industry days specifically target small business. Visit the agency's web site for additional information. Industry days are also often published on FedBizOpps.gov and on industry/association sites.

Review the Agenda. If an agenda is available, review it in advance. If the agenda has multiple sessions with at least an hour between sessions, then you should be prepared to use this time to network. An agenda with a limited number of sessions and/or time between sessions is likely to be more informational in nature. Use your time to talk to the agency's representatives. Get business cards of potential teaming partners and follow-up at a later time.

Do Your Homework.Understanding the agency will provide you with the necessary foundation to 1) understand the environment where you want to do work; 2) allow you to effectively discuss relevant topics and participate at the event; and 3) allow you to create a game plan to follow up on the information provided. Remember, industry days provide you with an opportunity to speak directly with agency representatives. You should be prepared to hold a productive conversation with them. This means having an understanding of their environment and upcoming opportunities; and knowing how your products/services are relevant to their needs.

Prepare to Network. Situate yourself so you are in an area with plenty of people around you so you can introduce yourself. Be prepared to discuss the agency with others and to talk about your company and its products/services. Unless it's an absolute emergency, leave the outside business for later. It is impossible to network when you are on the phone discussing other business. Be sure to bring plenty of current business cards and brochures!

Keep these tips in mind the next time you sign-up for an industry day. It's a great way to start building new relationships and reinforce existing ones.

Preparing for H1N1 as Part of Your Business' Disaster Recovery Plan

Many companies have disaster recovery plans that include items such as data backup, office space, and logistics. However, few have thought to implement an influenza plan. Considering the amount of productivity lost from unexpected sicknesses, you many want to consider including planning for a H1N1 outbreak in your processes. We just received an email from the US Small Business Administration (SBA) with pertinent information to address a potential flu/H1N1 outbreak. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a document called "Planning for 2009 H1N1 Influenza - A Preparedness Guide for Small Business." This document is available on SBA's website at http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/sba_h1n1.pdf.

This document provides good information about how to write a plan, tips for businesses to create a healthy work environment, tips for individuals to stay healthy, and H1N1 FAQs. It also refers the reader to http://www.flu.gov for more information.

You can also use this planning to ensure that you have contingencies to ensure your government contracts stay fully staffed. We encourage you to include your plan in your program management processes and procedures.

Businesses should take a holistic approach to their disaster recovery plans and make sure they are comprehensive enough to ensure the company continues operating, regardless of the situation. A solid plan to address a potential H1N1 outbreak and mitigate its impact on your business is a good idea.

"Planning for 2010 Fiscal Year End Spending Opportunities" - Upcoming Event on September 23, 2009

If you're feeling the effects of the end-of-year federal government fiscal year frenzy, then you should attend this event: "Planning for 2010 Fiscal Year End Spending Opportunities. SBA Officials and Other Experts Discuss Programs and Assistance Available To Develop Your Business Strategy For FY 2010." Plan ahead for the end of FY10. Diana Kurcfeld is speaking on the panel.

For more information visit: http://www.executiveleadershipseries.com/lectureworkshopseries.html.

Think Business Article - September 2009 Issue

The fourth quarter of the federal government fiscal year (July 1-September 30) is one of the busiest times for government contracting. It is particularly challenging for businesses who are pursuing multiple opportunities, but have limited resources. Check out our article "Surviving the End-of-Year Fiscal Spending Crunch" in the September issue of ThinkBusiness Magazine. We talk about suggestions to manage multiple proposals during this really frenetic time of year. It's available online at http://content.yudu.com/A1fund/TBM-Sept-09/resources/14.htm.

E-Verify Required for Federal Contractors Starting September 8, 2009

According to the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) web page, starting September 8, 2009, Federal Contractors will be required to use E-Verify to verify their employees' eligibility to work in the United States. If a contract includes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify Clause and your company is awarded a contract on or after September 8th, you will have 30 days after award to enroll your company in the E-Verify system. Keep in mind that once you're in the system, you're required to use it for all employees regardless if they work on a federal contract or not. If your current contracts don't include the E-Verify clause you may want to consider enrolling anyway, especially if you are marketing a contract that could include the clause. It may be a competitive advantage to say your already enrolled and using it versus saying you will use it in the future.

The requirement to use E-Verify is not limited to prime contractors; subcontractors will also be required to use it. It may also be required for companies awarded contracts using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or Stimulus funds.

We enrolled in the E-Verify system almost a year ago. We find it easy to use and have made it part of our new hire administrative processes.

For more information on the E-Verify program:

• Visit the USCIS website:http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=109cc691d0673210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD
• Visit the E-Verify site: www.dhs.gov/e-verify
• Or call E-Verify Customer Support at (888) 464-4218.

More Busy Season Proposal Tips

With the end of the government fiscal year looming, the contracting pace has picked up even more than in the previous few weeks. Many people/companies are working on multiple proposals, and in doing so are burning the midnight oil pretty much every night. Here are two more proposal tips to consider.

Give your staff a break. While it may seem like a good idea to go after as many contracts as possible, in reality there is only so much a human being can accomplish in one day. Ensure your staff is taking time for meal breaks and mental breaks. The constant onslaught of proposal preparation is exhausting and this can lead to errors or oversights. Fresh minds often find mistakes that were previously missed.

Make sure your customers aren't suffering. Pay attention to the level of your customer service. If the same people supporting customers are writing proposals, then quality may be negatively impacted--customer quality, proposal quality, or both. It is important that you keep your customers happy. They may be the same people you're using as references. It's not a good idea to fall down on the job when you need their positive recommendations.

If either of these two situations apply to your company, then assign additional people or hire outside resources to help you get back on track.

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WSJ Article "Small Businesses Chase Big Stimulus Money"

Diana Dibble Kurcfeld was recently interviewed by Victoria Knight for her August 10, 2009 Wall Street Journal article "Small Businesses Chase Big Stimulus Money". In this article Ms. Knight provides insights for small businesses interested in doing business with the government such as homework, paperwork, legwork, building relationships, and subcontracting. She also provides a dose of reality for businesses wanted to take advantage of Stimulus spending. The article is available online on the Wall Street Journal's website.

If you're interested in getting into government contracting, Diana is available to answer questions about the information in the article. She can be reached at (301) 657-4440.

Surviving the End-of-Fiscal Year Spending Crunch

The end of the federal government’s fiscal year is upon us. A lot of the solicitations that our clients have been waiting to be released are finally starting to come out – all at the same time. You may be in the same situation. Here are some suggestions to help you manage multiple proposals at this frenetic time of the year.

First thing is to get a handle on people’s vacations schedules – not only your employees, but your teaming partners’ staff and anyone else who will work on the proposal. At your kick-off meeting make sure to ask specifics about who will be out; what timeframes they will be gone; what, if any, availability they have; and who is covering for them in their absence. Include this information on your master proposal schedule so you’ll have it at a glance. Remember, there are a fixed number of hours in a day and a fixed number of days to prepare your response. People can only provide so much support, especially if they’re working on client projects. The last thing you want to happen is for quality to suffer and have unhappy clients, particularly if you need them as references. If you don’t have adequate support and you definitely have a shot at winning the contract, then consider engaging outside resources to fill the gaps. But remember, consultants are not magicians; we need the same 30 days to pull together an outstanding response just like you. It’s unrealistic to expect that someone who is unfamiliar with your organization to come in with less than two weeks until submission and get a top notch proposal done. It may be good; it may be compliant; but it may not be as good as it could have been. And be prepared – it’s more expensive for a rush job than for one that starts when the solicitation is released. If you want to be in the best position to respond and win, then start working on the proposal BEFORE the RFP comes out. That way you’ll have more done in case you have to respond to multiple RFPs or hire outside resources.

The other things you should consider are: 1) is it a recomplete of a contract on which you’re the incumbent; 2) have you pre-marketed; 3) do you have the teaming partners you need; and 4) can you win? We’ve talked about this all year long, but it’s especially important this time of year.

1. A recompete of one of your own contracts is almost a definite bid, unless you can’t bid for whatever reason. If you do bid, then make sure that you’re working as diligently as the competitor company who wants your contract. Don’t slack off just because you’re the incumbent and “the client loves you.” You still have to win, just like everyone else.
2. Even if you’ve marketed the opportunity, be sure to read the solicitation carefully to ensure nothing changed in the requirements. One item that trips up companies is the solicitation type, i.e., it’s a SDVOSB set-aside and you’re not one, or six past projects are required by the prime and you only have three. Don’t waste your time by going after something that you don’t qualify for.
3. Be proactive and get your subcontractors on-board before the RFP is released. If you need to augment your team, then fine, but don’t use two weeks out of your four available trying to assemble a team instead of writing your proposal.
4. Can you win? This one is tough for some companies. It’s hard to be objective, but really look at the evaluation criteria, the instructions, your workload, the amount of time until the submission date and ask yourself – with everything else we have going on, can we really put together a solid, winning proposal? It’s better to pass than to submit something that doesn’t truly reflect your company and its capabilities. A bad proposal is not what you want your company remembered for, right?

If your company frequently pursues multiple efforts and is always scrambling for resources, then think about designating a gatekeeper to track all of the opportunities currently being pursued. This person can alert management to potential resource allocation shortfalls. Review your proposal library materials and boilerplate. Make sure it is detailed, up-to-date, and the files are clearly marked (keywords also help). Don’t create content specific to one proposal, which means it may not be able to be tailored for the current one you’re working on OR you can’t find it because files are housed on various PCs and laptops. This is a huge time drain. Items such as your corporate experience, management approach, and resumes can be created in standard formats that are usable in multiple proposals. Standardize your employees’ resumes and include ALL of their work history, employment information, education and training, certifications, and anything else relevant to your industry. Don’t wait until the last minute, especially during the summer when hunting down people to update their resumes can be a nightmare.

Have a successful busy season. Remember quality is what wins contacts, not quantity. So choose what you pursue wisely.

Power IT Down Day - August 27, 2009

Our friend Joyce Bosc of Boscobel Marketing Communications, Inc. forwarded the information below. We're participating - we hope you will too!

Friends,

This is both important and time critical. Please take a minute today to go to the Power IT Down Day Web site and sign up today!

Power IT Down Day is the grassroots effort of a few companies and thousands of people like you and me who are dedicated to making a difference through one simple action -- turning off our computers and printers at the end of the work day on Thursday, August 27.

It's so easy to help. All we are asking is that you commit to saving energy on Thursday, August 27 by shutting down your computer and printer at the end of the work day. That's it!

To demonstrate the cost-savings of the effort, Citrix, HP, Microsoft and Intel will donate a minimum of $20,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that helps seriously wounded soldiers returning from war and their families. It's an amazing charity, and they really need our help.

After you sign up this weekend, I am asking you to also send this to 10 people you know and ask them to sign up next week! Please engage all your networks!

Every person makes a difference.

Thank you for your help!

Power IT Down Day -- please pass it on!

:^)
Joyce

Interview in Rebuilding America's Infrastructure Magazine

Diana Dibble Kurcfeld was recently interviewed by Rebuilding America's Infrastructure Magazine, a quarterly print magazine and companion to RebuildingAmericasInfrastructure.com, "the premier website supporting the engineers and transportation professionals who solidify this country's indispensable network of bridges and roads." RAI is a valuable resource, especially since America's infrastructure is crumbling in some places and needs attention; and also because a lot of the Government Stimulus money will be going to shovel-ready firms. D2DInc appreciates our new relationship with RAI since we have clients in the architectural, engineering, construction management and transportation industries.

The article titled "Methods to the madness - The business of finding funding for projects, and the strategies for winning them" offers good insight to those trying to secure traditional and alternative methods of funding. It also talks about building partnerships and maintaining relationships. Diana offers information on government contracting -- everything from responding to solicitations to getting paid. This information is particularly helpful for firms looking to enter the government arena to take advantage of Stimulus funds.

The article is available on the RAI website: http://www.rebuildingamericasinfrastructure.com/magazine-article-rai-july-2009-methods_to_the_madness-3429.html.

How to Choose Your Past Performances

When writing government proposals, whether for a competitive solicitation or a GSA Schedule, your company will almost always need to provide past performance references as a way of allowing the issuing agency to hear how well you performed under a previous contract with another client.

Think of past performance as a way to write your company's resume for the government. When writing a resume, you want the information you provide to be, above all else, recent and relevant to the opportunity and solicitation requirements.

Before putting together past performance, it is helpful to make a past performance Excel spreadsheet. In each column, write a task outlined in the RFP's SOW. Make extra columns to list other factors such as whether or not the contract was with the same agency that issued the RFP and whether or not you received any awards or recognition.

Then make a row for each of your previous contracts. Check off the boxes that correspond to columns showing tasks that are the same as, or comparable to, ones performed under the contract in that row. This exercise will help you visualize which past performances best fit the work required by the RFP.

In order to choose which references to cite, identify which past performance references from your Excel spreadsheet best represent the following ranking of the most important aspects of past performance:

1. Your company has experience performing all or most of the tasks cited in the Statement of Work
2. Your previous contracts were performed in a size and revenue scope similar to that outlined in the RFP
3. If possible, you have had previous contracts with that agency or another agency of similar mission and size

Most importantly, even if you have identified many excellent potential references, your proposal must still be compliant-meaning you must not go over the number of past performances allotted in the RFP.

Last but not least, once you have selected your past performance references, call the points of contact to make sure the telephone number, e-mail address, and fax number you have for them is correct. Give these previous clients a heads up that you've listed them as references and provide them with a short synopsis of the contract you're bidding on. You want them to be able to speak as intelligently about you as possible.

Remember: writing past performance is like writing a resume for the government-you always want to put your best foot forward.

Think Business Magazine May 2009 Issue

"The Bid-No Bid Process An Overlooked, But Important Sales Process Tool." We wrote our May 2009 Think Business Magazine article on a business function that is well known by government contractors. For many companies it may not have formalized policies and procedures. Solid Bid/No Bid decisions can be the difference between winning and spending money on an unwinnable effort.

The article is available online at http://content.yudu.com/A17o3o/TBM-MAY-09/resources/26.htm.

Think Business Magazine June 2009 Issue

Planning is an important phase of government contracting. The bulk of the Federal Government spending is done during the 4th quarter of the fiscal year (July through September).

Check out our article "Preparing for the Government Fiscal Year 4th Quarter Spending" in the June issue of Think Business Magazine. We talk about the need to plan for growth BEFORE a contract is awarded.

It's available online at http://content.yudu.com/A18b0y/TBM-JUN-09/resources/26.htm.

Molly & Diana's Speaking Engagements for May

The passing of the Stimulus bill and the finalizing of the federal government budget have had numerous positive effects on the government contracting community. Money is now available so projects are moving forward, solicitations are being released, and contracts are being awarded. It’s amazing because not too long ago, many companies were suffering. These same companies now have opportunities to ensure growth, some at a faster pace than anticipated. Planning is essential to ensure the company is able to take advantage of potential opportunities, and also ensure growth does not implode the company.

Molly Gimmel and Diana Dibble Kurcfeld are speaking on a variety of topics that will help your company. We hope that you’ll be able to attend one or all of the events.

GSA Schedules - May 12, 2009

Molly is speaking on GSA Schedules at the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) GovCon Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting on Tuesday May 12^th. She will be speaking about getting a GSA Schedule - what you need to know before and while you submit, and administering the contracts after award. For more information, go to: www.nawbodc.org and click events.

Strategic Alliances - May 14, 2009

Diana is speaking on Strategic Alliances and how they can make your company more marketable and save money. This Women Presidents’ Organization (www.womenpresidentsorg.com) event is hosted by Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker. Ira Hoffman, Of Counsel at Shulman Rogers, will be speaking about avoiding legal pitfalls of strategic alliances. The event will be help on Thursday May 14^th from 8:30 to 11:00 am at Shulman Rogers office (11921 Rockville Pike, 4th Floor, Rockville, Maryland 20852). To register for this event, please email dcadmin@womenpresidentsorg.com with your name, company name, email address, and date of the event. If you have questions, please contact Liza Avruch at DCadmin@womenpresidentsorg.com or 202-626-8773.

Infrastructure - May 19, 2009

Diana is teaming up with Rose Financial Services to talk about infrastructure. The seminar is called Accounting Infrastructure for Government Contractors – What You Need to Know Before You Win the Contract. Rose Financial Services will be speaking on the financial topics. Diana will be speaking on how to translate this infrastructure into the company’s marketing and proposal efforts. The event is Tuesday May 19^th from 8 am to 9:30 am at Rose Financial Services office: 2 Research Pl Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20850. For more information and to register for the event, contact Lauri Rodich at (301) 527-1130 ext 203 or lauri.rodich@rosefinancial.com.

Respond to Lauri by COB on 5/15/09. This is a free event.

Capture Management –Between the Sales and Proposal Development Processes

Relationships are a well known part of the sales process. Sales personnel set up meetings and attend industry events to develop relationships with potential customers and refine relationships with existing customers. Many companies start their proposal when the solicitation is released; however savvy companies know the capture management and proposal processes start when they target an opportunity. Capture management activities function as the bridge between sales and proposal development. It is all tied together with the end goal of being awarded the contract. Government contracting does not occur in a vacuum. You will not be awarded a contract simply because you’re a small, 8(a), HUBZone, or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB), or woman-owned business. They can’t award it simply because they like you and want to do business with you. They can award it to you if you submit at the very least a compliant proposal and show that you offer the best value solution or product. That’s how you win business and the only way to be successful is to start early, e.g., when the sales process starts.

The sales staff is responsible for chasing down and then vetting potential opportunities. Once a viable opportunity is identified by the sales/marketing person, the company should name an individual to function as the capture manager. Depending on how the company is organized, they may or may not be the same person. We recommend it be someone other than sales staff. Sales personnel need to be feeding the pipeline, not working on proposal-related activities.

The capture manager works in conjunction with the sales staff, although it is the capture manager’s responsibility to ensure that the opportunity is won. The capture manager uses the information gathered during the sales process to create a bid strategy, develop win themes and discriminators, identify potential teaming partners, address potential weaknesses, and ensure the proposal is compliant and submitted on time. Many times, the proposal manager also functions as the capture manager and works with the sales staff to stay up-to-date what is going on in the industry and at the agency.

The capture management activities are especially important when the company is the incumbent on a recompete. The capture manager, along with the sales staff, can uncover useful information to be included or addressed in their proposal. For instance, if you’re an incumbent, you sometimes have a better chance of losing the recompete than winning it? Why? Because you failed to realize that incumbent contracts have to also be included in your sales process. Incumbents often fail to treat existing customers the same way they woo potential customers. This is a never-ending process. Also, incumbents often minimize contract issues that are important to the customer. If you are effectively managing a contract, nothing will come as an unexpected surprise during the proposal process. However, companies often find out during the debrief after a loss that the customer was unhappy with their performance. Meeting with and calling project references should be a standard capture management process. If you have problems, then get them fixed prior to the proposal submission. The same process is used to uncover a company’s weaknesses when their contract is being recompeted.

The proposal may be viewed as the last stage of the sales process, but it really isn’t. It is a continuation of the sales process for the current opportunity and also the precursor to the beginning of the sales process for the new contract once it is awarded. In truth, the sales process never stops. Company are selling to secure new contracts and incumbent contractors are selling to their existing customers so competitors don’t have an advantage during the recompete.

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."