Teaming, subcontracting, set-asides, local government and building a pipeline of public work.
How small tech firms can team up to bid for public contracts that are too big or too broad for one firm, the options from subcontracting to joint ventures, and what a teaming agreement should cover.
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How small IT firms can get public sector work as subcontractors to larger prime contractors, how to find primes that need you, and how to protect yourself in the subcontract.
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How cities, counties and councils buy IT, software and digital services, where their tenders are posted, the purchasing thresholds and cooperatives they use, and why they suit small firms.
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How the broader public sector, including universities, colleges, school boards and health organizations, buys IT and software, the group purchasing organizations they use and how small firms win.
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How federal and provincial Indigenous procurement policies work in Canada, including the 5% federal target, the Indigenous Business Directory, set-asides and partnering, and what they mean for tech firms.
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How US federal small business set-asides work for IT contracts, including the rule of two, small business, 8(a), HUBZone, women-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned programs, and how to qualify.
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What the Procurement Act 2023 means for SMEs selling IT to the UK public sector, including the Central Digital Platform, new procedures, pipeline notices, payment terms and debriefs.
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Who does what when a 5 to 50 person IT firm bids for public contracts, the roles every bid needs, a realistic timeline, and when to bring in outside help.
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The government programs that fund or buy new technology from small firms, including Innovative Solutions Canada, SBIR and STTR in the US, SBRI in the UK, BRII in Australia and EU pre-commercial procurement.
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A practical path for small tech firms that have never won public work, from registering and picking a niche to small first contracts, subcontracting and building references.
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What an unsolicited proposal to a public body is, when governments accept them, how they differ from sales pitches, and how small tech firms can pitch an innovative idea.
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A simple system for small IT firms to track public sector opportunities from early signal to award, with a pipeline template, stages and the weekly habits that keep it full.
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