Marketing any product or service requires understanding your buyer; the what, the who, where, when, how and why.  Marketing to the government is the same.  The Federal Government is the worlds LARGEST buyer, spending over $400 Billion dollars annually on anything from armored vehicles to pens and pencils to socks. The WHAT The Federal Government buys anything from armored vehicles to socks and pens and pencils.  In addition to products, they also buy services ranging from IT to HVAC and construction.  The key component in your offering is to ensure you have a solution that fits the needs and budget of the government. The WHO There are usually several players involved in the buying process.  This will usually include several individuals such as a Program Manager and a Contracting Officer (those who sign off and approve the purchase). The WHERE Although Washington, DC is the hub of the Federal Government, much of what happens here is policy related.  Major and minor purchases take place both in Washington and at various government locations around the country and world.  These locations can be military bases or field offices for The FBI or The Department of Agriculture.  This information is public and therefore spending some time to build relationships within your local government community will be advantageous to your sales process. The WHEN The Federal Government fiscal year runs from October 1 st to September 31 st .  Every agency has a publically available budget information as well as details on historical purchases.