WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - July 13, 2016) - For more than two months, the link between the System for Award Management (SAM) and the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) has been broken.
This broken link means that small businesses are unable to create and maintain a capabilities statement in the SBA database, which makes locating small businesses that can provide services and/or products difficult for government contracting officers and prime contractors.
And small businesses who try to create this profile in the DSBS are receiving errors or, if able to even enter some information, are unable to save the information.
"Succeeding as a government contractor isn't difficult, as long as you can successfully market yourself and get information about your business in front of the right buyers," said Eric Knellinger, president of US Federal Contractor Registration. "Because of this issue between the SAM and DSBS, small businesses aren't able to do that."
The capabilities statement is like a resume for a business. It is a concise, one-page document that outlines a business's primary capabilities and strengths. Combined with an email marketing campaign, the capabilities statement can act as a "foot in the door" for a business pursuing federal contracts.
Small businesses who create and upload these capability statements include information about any SBA certifications they have and about their products and services. Since the Small Business Act of 2008 requires procurement officers in the United States to spend at least 23 percent of their contracting funding on businesses that are considered small, economically/socially disadvantaged, or that meet specific qualifications for a federal set-aside, this statement often means the difference between landing or missing out on a contract.
The capabilities statement also may be the first time a buyer even hears about a business, and a well designed capabilities statement goes a long way in introducing a business to a potential buyer and establishing a company's brand – but only if the system actually works.
Though the SBA said in late May that it would have the link working again by the middle of July, the issue remains. US Federal Contractor Registration, the world's largest third-party government registration firm, can help small businesses experiencing this issue.
"My team spends hours every day updating profiles for our clients and ensuring that their capability statements are saved, current, and accessible," said Knellinger. "Any business experiencing this issue should reach out and let us help you succeed."
US Federal Contractor Registration helps clients complete the System for Award Management (SAM) Registration, develop winning bid strategies, and succeed as government contractors. In 2015, USFCR clients earned nearly $2 billion in government contracts.
For more information about how US Federal Contractor Registration can help your business succeed as a government contract, or for help completing your DSBS profile, call 877-252-2700, ext. 1.
Contact Information:
US Federal Contractor Registration
877-252-2700, ext. 1