By Tyler Teresa, Regional Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
Rebuilding efforts after a natural disaster present numerous opportunities for experienced entrepreneurs. By working with the federal government, small business owners can play a vital role in restoring their own communities and building a more resilient future.
Contracting with the federal government after any disaster is a regulated process and the outcome is a win-win for all. The SBA’s Office of Government Contracting & Business Development is a great resource for small businesses looking to do business with the federal government. Many resources are available for any sized small business whether they are looking at getting into the contracting arena or if a well-seasoned business is looking to grow their government contracting footprint.
Below you will find a step-by-step process to get started as a contractor to assist with recovery efforts.
Additional assistance may also be found by visiting your local Apex Accelerator or in North Carolina, you could contact the SBTDC’s Government Contracting Assistance Program (GCAP). They may assist you in navigating the procurement process as well as help you determine if you're ready for federal contracting, help you register your small business, check on certification eligibility and assist you in searching for contracting opportunities.
How to Contract with the federal government to assist with recovery efforts:
- Register Your Business in SAM.gov (System for Award Management):
- What you will need: Unique Identity ID (UEI- may be obtained when registering in SAM.gov), Legal business name/address, Tax Identification Number (TIN), Bank Account info for payment, NAICS Codes (description of your goods and services provided). During the SAM registration process, you will need to indicate your interest in participating in the Disaster Response Registry.
- Get Certified to receive priority access to certain contracts following a disaster: If you are a small, minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned, or economically disadvantaged business, you may be eligible to be certified as the following:
- Seek Contracting Opportunities:
- Monitor SAM.gov for contracting solicitations. You may use key words such as “disaster”, “hurricane”, “flooding”, “emergency”, “relief”, etc. to refine your monitoring.
- Utilize FEMA’s Advance Contracts of Goods and Serviceswhich allows you to compete for contracts for goods and services in advance of major disaster declarations to provide efficient, cost-effective means for rapid delivery of supplies and services for recurring disaster response and recovery requirements.
- Respond timely to RFQ’s and RFP’s: When responding you will need your technical proposal, pricing, past performance (if required) and list your capabilities in emergency deployment.
- Market Your Small Business & Target your capabilities statements: Agencies that often contract following a natural disaster include:
- FEMA
- Army Corps of Engineers
- GSA
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Health and Human Services
Please remember, you are not alone in navigating this process. We are here to help you every step of the way. Please contact your local SBA office for more information and learn more by visiting www.sba.gov. For current declarations and the most current news, please follow the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience (ODR&R) on X @SBA_ODRR.