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The first hurdle you’ll need to jump over is finding a system to use to find, track, and evaluate open opportunities. With an abundance of government contracting applications and systems available to vendors, it can be difficult to decide which ones to use. We have gathered information from all these systems so that you can evaluate them based on the following criteria:

• Whether or not the system covers federal, state or local opportunities
• The design and functionality of their user interface
• The amount of government contracting knowledge needed to pull benefits from using their systems
• The system’s power to identify and analyze current opportunities 
• Contact tracking and CRM abilities
• Depth of opportunity analysis
  
  

Most systems can perform all these tasks to an extent, however, their functionalities are limited, usually focused on one core area. It is difficult, but important for vendors to know what they are looking for. As a result, companies will subscribe to multiple systems to gather all necessary information and benefit from the different opportunity analysis software. 

Using multiple systems is both inefficient and can be costly. How can you avoid falling into this common pitfall? What core features should you look for in a government contracting system? How can you choose a system that works best for your organization? To answer these questions, we first need to dive deeper into how open opportunities are released and what the bidding process requires from you as a vendor. 

1. Understanding How Open Opportunities Are Released

Currently, there are two main types of systems in place for interested vendors: the free government-run systems and the paid systems that are layered on top of them. All paid systems gather data from the same source, but vary greatly in their user interface and contract analysis features. Please keep in mind, while you may need to create an account, it’s always free to access open opportunities on government-run systems like SAM, FPDS, and USAspending. 

Here’s a quick overview of the free government-run systems: 

SAM.gov

SAM.gov is a notable government-run system that helps people look for available opportunities. However, the assessment features are limited compared to FedScout. While SAM.gov can produce valuable data, unless you can know how to read and sort it, you are out of luck.

FPDS and USAspending.gov

The main goal is to assess the competition and to help users understand the competitive landscape. More sophisticated users can use FDPS to look into upcoming opportunities and estimate their value. You can also find teaming partners here, more on teaming partners and why they are important later.

2. Why Timing is Critical When Bidding on Open Opportunities

Opportunities are often on a time constraint and require vendors to make decisions on the fly. The government deadlines for opportunities are set in stone, there are no exceptions. If you miss the deadline, even if your offer is more competitive, it will not be considered. FedScout enables you to identify the right opportunities as soon as they are released. FedScout sorts opportunities by NAICs code and by industry, with user-friendly search filters. We make it easier for government contractors that are new to the industry to find and bid on relevant contracts.

By being able to find opportunities as soon as they are released, you can spend more time focusing on your proposal. You can also target more opportunities by shortening your contract analysis process. For example, by estimating your effort required to bid, the true reward value, and likelihood of winning among other crucial criteria. This enables you to find, sort through, and select the right opportunities faster than the competition.

OpenGrants

If you need help with your next proposal, there are options available. For example, OpenGrant is a search engine and expert marketplace. They connect you with professional grant writers who can help you secure your next bid. 

3. Teaming up to Win

Connecting with the right teaming partners for each opportunity is crucial. However, this can be a tedious and time-consuming process when you are under a time limit. FedScout allows you to meet teaming partners in your area with experience in your desired industry. Cut down on valuable time when deciding to bid, and discover your full potential with a winning team. Find the right team for each contract and start building working relationships with possible prime contractors or subcontractors.

Why Choose FedScout?

FedScout has advanced opportunity analysis features. Built to help small business owners and provide all companies with access to the federal market, FedScout has a plethora of helpful features. Vendors can collaborate with their teams directly on the platform and send future opportunities to each other within the app.

• Contract search
• Contract ranker
• Contract tracking
• Team collaboration
• Teammate finder
• Competitor predictions 
• Performance analysis

Many of the systems listed require prior knowledge and additional analysis from the user. Users new to the federal space can benefit from FedScout’s opportunity search engine, where you can filter contracts by NAICs codes or just by industry. FedScout simplifies the searching process for small businesses and new entrants to the government contracting market. 

Never miss an RFP when you opt in to FedScout’s mobile alerts. The automatic alert system sends you mobile updates based on your saved keyword searches. Save opportunities you are interested in by adding it to your personalized saved list. 

FedScout’s competitor predictions reveal your p-win based on the information available. Accurately estimate the time and effort required to submit a proposal and secure an award. Small businesses will love the business development features FedScout offers. Evaluate promising RFPs whether you’re at the office, at home, or waiting in line at the coffee shop. 

With the teammate finder, you can easily search, evaluate, and “comparison shop” the contractor market to help you build the right team and beat the competition. Build working relationships with future prime contractors or subcontractors. 

Available on desktop and on mobile, take FedScout with you wherever you go. Download the FedScout app today for free and see for yourself how it compares. Find more relevant opportunities in less time with FedScout now. The system offers a free tier and has paid subscriptions with access to additional features.