Getting government contracts is challenging—but the rewards make it all worthwhile.

By Daisy Gallagher

Every 20 seconds of every working day, the U.S. government issues a contract. Government contracts total $300 billion annually, and the small business goal is 23 percent of that amount. That makes the government the largest marketplace in the world and a great opportunity for women-owned businesses to grow.

My company, Gallagher & Gallagher Inc., was the first in Pennsylvania to be awarded General Services Administration (GSA) federal supplier status under the marketing, media and public information schedule. Being a certified GSA Schedule holder has allowed us to win federal agencies as clients and enhanced our ability to land state and local government projects. These projects increased our national recognition, enabling us to attract new private- sector clients and even expand into international markets.

Although exhausting in time and resources, going through the government qualification and certification process definitely pays off. Today, more and more government agencies want a comfort level with the industry partner they associate themselves with, so they are not as quick to go on the open market as they have been in the past.

Gallagher & Gallagher is a GSA-approved federal supplier under two schedules. Although you might assume our contracts were awarded because we were woman-owned, a small business or in a HubZone, as of now there is no federal set-aside classification for women-owned businesses. The majority of our contracts were won in competing against larger firms under the GSA prime contractor schedule. When competing on prime contracts, winning a bid is based on best value and past performance, not on set-asides

Here are a few tips I have learned in working with the government for more than 15 years.

Get certification: Obtain as many certifications as you can, especially certification as an approved GSA federal supplier. There are many resources available to help. The GSA, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) all offer free assistance.

Attend seminars and conferences: The SBA, GSA and PTACs offer a myriad of seminars and conferences on how to obtain certification and market to the government. By attending, you will not only learn the process, but also make excellent contacts.

Market your company: Once you have your certifications, don’t expect contracts to start coming. The certification process is only the first step into the maze of bids, contracting, SOWS (statements of work), RFQs (requests for quote) and RFPs (requests for proposal). When it comes to contract acquisition, the old saying “The squeaky wheel gets the grease” is true. You need a marketing plan.

Be persistent: If you are good at what you do and invest in marketing, opportunities will come. However, you must know your financial limitations. You are competing with huge firms that invest many thousands of dollars going after these contracts. Prove yourself by producing quality work for smaller contracts, and word will get around. Procurement professionals all go to the same conferences, the same expos and the same training.

Public sector opportunities are no different than private sector; winning federal contracts requires diligence and a high standard of customer service. Don’t rest after the first contract, or the tenth, or the 100th. Continue to follow through, and your business can reach greater and greater heights.

Daisy Gallagher is CEO of Gallagher & Gallagher Inc., a marketing, branding and public relations firm with offices in Washington DC, Pennsylvania and New York City, specializing in government and private sector contracting. She serves on the GSA Federal Small Business Advisory Committee and is author of “The Government Contractor’s Resource Guide,” available at, at Amazon.com and at bookstores.