LiteningFast Estimating For Construction

Winning Government Jobs

 

   

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There’s an enormous amount of work needed by government agencies. After all, these local, state and Federal agencies are the people we pay taxes to in order to keep our infrastructure up and running. So why aren’t you seeing any of the work? Obtaining government work can be frustrating and tedious, but with the sheer volume of work available, any contractor would have to be in a coma not to be at least tempted to go after some of the contracts being offered.

The first step of the process is to become aware of the type and scope of work being offered in your area. Most of the time, these contracts are opened to bidding through the RFP (Request for Proposal) process. Almost any type of public agency is required to obtain bids and advertising the project through the media does this, primarily in the legal ads in the newspaper.

Anyone interested in bidding should obtain a complete application packet from the agency offering the job for bid. This should include a complete project description, specifications and instructions for submitting your proposal. It is crucial to follow these guidelines exactly. Bids that do not precisely follow the guidelines can be thrown out unread.

It’s especially important to develop good relationships with the people who read the applications. If there is contact information available, call or write and introduce yourself. Make your name recognizable to the person reading your application. Most often, these contacts are available to help clarify the information in the proposal and welcome inquiries.

It would be almost impossible (and highly foolish) to submit a bid without a complete understanding of the project. You should do several read-throughs of the project description, taking into account the time frame, and special considerations or restrictions and most importantly, whether or not your company is capable of seeing the job through to completion.

Deadlines are non-negotiable most of the time and will do nothing but cost your company money if you miss one.
 
Once you have a clear picture of what’s expected, bid the project as you would any other type of job. Carefully calculate your costs and allow yourself some leeway for the inevitable Mr. Murphy. Follow the instructions to the letter for submitting your bid and make sure the envelope is delivered to the right person well in advance of the due date.

If at all possible, be present when the bids are unsealed. Even if your bid is not accepted, you will gain valuable information into whom you are competing against and how they are pricing their jobs, information you can use when bidding in the future.

So, next time your city builds a new recreation center, or gets the police
station painted, you could be the company on the job!Construction Estimating Software
  
 

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