Becoming a subcontractor can help you experience what it’s like to work on a government contract.
Partnering with another firm on a bid opportunity is a great way to grow your business and expand your capabilities.
If you’re just starting out, a subcontracting partnership can help you improve your business management and other industry-specific skills.
Creating a strong capability statement ahead of time and sharing it with representatives from larger firms is a good way to start. Attending pre-bid meetings for opportunities you are interested in is also a great way to introduce yourself to prime contractors.
For certain bids, the City requires that larger contractors partner with small firms in order to promote local and diverse businesses and ensure a more equal playing field.
Lack of experience and certain certifications may disqualify some smaller firms from bidding on larger government contracts. Partnering with a prime contract can be a good way for smaller firms to get started.
KCMO’s Mentor-Protégé Program assists certified small businesses seeking to move to the next level and become permanent links of the contracting and procurement chain.
The Mentor-Protégé Program develops and builds working relationships between business mentors and certified protégés. Business mentors help protégés shorten the learning curve by teaching practical industry skills or by preventing missteps by sharing lessons learned.
For more information, please call CREO at (816) 513-1836. You can also view the Mentor-Protégé Brochure and the Mentor-Protégé Guidelines and Application online.
Once you have found a larger firm to work with, you can formalize your working relationship using the Small Business Administration’s All Small Mentor-Protégé program. This program helps small businesses and seasoned professionals work together to bid on government contracts.
Sign up to get a customized list of steps to meet your business goals.