How would you like to sell to a customer that spends billions of dollars per

year on contractors? If so, you need to learn how to crack the federal
government market. The federal government purchases goods ranging
from toilet paper to aircraft carriers and services from janitorial supplies to
high-tech IT. This is a lucrative market—especially during economic
downturns. Companies such as Dataguise, a database security solutions
company, and Kearney & Company, an accounting firm, focus their
marketing solely on this market. How do businesses—big and small—find
out about opportunities in this market? One way is to search the
government’s Web site for opportunities. A great deal of the government’s
buying is now done online. 1. Go to the Federal Business Opportunities
Web site (https:// www.fbo.gov) and watch the general overview
demonstration video for vendors. After watching the video, conduct a
search for opportunities using tips you learned in the video. Are there many
opportunities in your geographic area? Write a brief report describing the
usefulness of this Web site for businesses desiring to sell to the
government market. (AACSB: Communication; Use of IT; Reflective
Thinking) 2. Visit the Web sites of other government buying resources
listed in the chapter to learn more about them. Write a brief report
explaining how small businesses can use these resources. (AACSB:
Communication; Use of IT; Reflective Thinking)