Our Practice Areas
Government
Contracting
While business are free to contract between themselves as they please, the same is not true for government contracting.
With any government contract, a fair process has to be employed, which requires an understanding of the complex process and the specific documentation attached thereto.
At Ser & Associates, we assist our clients with seeking out government vendor agreements, concession leases in airports (or other government locations), and construction contracts.
We have experience in the preparation of responses to RFPs, RFQs, IFBs, and Bid Protests. Moreover, we regularly represent clients before selection committees and other governmental boards and apply for clients to obtain minority certification designations at the local, state, and federal levels.
At Ser & Associates, we help you plan for the future by walking you through various scenarios that raise important legal questions.
Government agencies at the local, state, and federal level purchase supplies like anyone else, including furniture, office supplies, food, vehicles, security systems, toilet paper, and more.
Services purchased range from marketing consultants, engineers, surveyors, general contractors, trash collection, accounting services, and more. Thus, government contracting can be acquired by practically any business offering a service or product.
In 2018 alone, the state of Florida awarded purchase agreements for goods and services to the tune of $2.1 billion. Even at a local level, Miami-Dade County manages 1,500 active contracts totaling approximately $4.9 billion.
At Ser & Associates, we also work with Florida businesses to help them obtain their minority certifications and make bids on government contracts.
While a business owner can bid on government contracts without holding a small or minority certification, having one or more certifications can increase your odds of winning said bid. In fact, most government agencies have a minority and/or small business participation requirement or goal.
For example, most Miami-Dade County bids strive for 30% minority participation, while most federal bids aim to have 25% minority and/or small business participation. Minority certifications, however, are not only for government contracts.
Major private companies (like Target and Walmart, for example) have small business and minority programs providing disadvantaged companies the opportunity to do business with them. These are commonly referred to as “Minority Spends.”
Although government contracting and applying for minority certifications can be a lengthy and tedious process, being certified can be very profitable and lead to more opportunities in both the public and private sector.
Depending on the type of government contract, the prospects of you securing the bid become increasingly more likely as it is explained below.
Invitation for Bid (IFB)
IFBs are typically used when purchasing goods and services when the government agency knows exactly what it needs to purchase.
There will be little, if any, variation between the scope of the contract from one vendor to the next. Thus, price becomes the sole factor in which the lowest bidder wins. Hence, being a minority and/or small business plays a relatively small role in this category.
Request for Proposal (RFP)
RFPs are used when there is room for variation in the provision of goods and/or services. In other words, price alone will not be the determining factor.
Instead, the government agency will use scoring metrics to assess the responses from prospective vendors. The categories of the metrics will vary depending on the goods or services sought. The evaluation criteria, however, will usually include an assessment of the vendor’s qualifications, management team, service methods, and, of course, the price.
Additionally, government agencies also provide additional points for businesses certified as a small business and/or minority-owned company. The agency will also provide additional points to local businesses who apply for the government contract.
Request for Qualifications or Quotation (RFQ)
RFQs are very similar to RFPs but are used when the scope of the government agency’s project or needs are still not clearly defined.
Basically, the agency is putting together a list of pre-approved vendors so that when the project, goods, or services are needed, the pool of pre-qualified vendors will be notified to submit their proposal skipping the vetting process and speeding up the purchase.
Ser & Associates can assist you and your business in obtaining minority certification and government contracts
Regardless of the government contract that is being sought, Ser & Associates will guide you through these complex matters.
We will assist with the preparation and submission of minority certification applications and guide you throughout the application process for any IFBs, RFPs, or RFQs. We will also help you if there are any required presentations in front of a review committee. At Ser & Associates, we are committed to making your role, as a client, the easiest part in these complex matters.