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# Doing Business with Department of State

A one-stop-shop for all business resources

Work With UsEverything you need to know from start to finish  

ResourcesAll relevant resources to help support you  

Acquisition PrioritiesOur five focus areas  

Business ForecastDoS’s Procurement Forecast Tool (coming soon!)  

Contact UsHow to getin touch  

To achieve our Acquisition Experience (Acq-X) vision of delivering flexible solutions through a responsive and knowledgeable workforce, it is paramount for the Department of State to foster strong relationships with our industry partners. In short – we cannot achieve this vision without you. Our Industry Liaison Program and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization aim to provide you with an easy and efficient process to learn about our strategic goals, needs, and most importantly – how we can partner with you in the future. 

## Work With Us

### Are you a Small Business? 

Here are 10 Steps to Start Doing Business with the U.S. Department of State provided by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)

                        - Define Your Product or Service - Know the PSC Codes for your products or services
- Know the NAICS Codes for your products or services

                        - Register Your Business - Establish a legal entity within your state
- Obtain a Federal Tax ID Number:  www.irs.gov
- Register with System for Award Management  www.sam.gov  and complete the ‘Small Business Profile’ at the end

                        - Identify Your Target Market / Customer - Determine which Bureau(s) or Office(s) buy the services and products you provide by reviewing the List of State Department Bureaus and Offices:  https://www.state.gov  
- Past Procurements:  www.sam.gov  or  www.usaspending.gov  
- Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)  Procurement Forecast
- Current and Upcoming Opportunities:  www.sam.gov
- DOS Short-Term upcoming opportunities / OSDBU Reviews

                        - Understand the State Department Procurement Rules - Federal Acquisition Regulation
- Department of State Acquisition Regulation (DOSAR)
- Foreign Affairs Handbook (FAH) & Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM)
- Department of State OSDBU Website 

                        - Create a Consistent, Solid Market Presence - Develop a capabilities statement that clearly defines your offerings, differentiators, customers, and lists your set-asides (if any) and contact information
- Invest in a professional presence with a website and business cards that speak to the government market by demonstrating your knowledge of the market, the challenges, and your solution-oriented approach

                        - Obtain Necessary Security Clearances - Most services contracts will require successful offerors to possess security clearances due to the nature of the Department’s mission. 
- Understand the requirements and process for obtaining a Facility Security Clearance for your business, and Personnel Security Clearances for employees that will be (1) performing key duties within your company, or (2) assigned to State Department contracts.

                        - Tap into Your Networks - Attend networking events, matchmaking opportunities, industry days, and bidder conferences where your buyer agencies will have a presence. 
- Participate in peer networks that have common missions, such as small business- focused events, as well as industry associations and customer-focused professional development & training conferences 
- Market your product and service to your networks – which will include your small business peer networks, large contractors, and government agencies. Realize that relationships take years to build, requirements and budgets get formed through long-term processes, and plan for a strategic, iterative business development process rather than quick transactional engagements.

                        - Start by Subcontracting - It is common for companies that are new to State Department to subcontract to current “primes” to gain experience with the mission, practices, and environment in performing at the State Department. 
- Research current prime contractors and awarded programs (See Step 3) and identify opportunities where your company could bring value and resources to a current or future effort as part of a team. Reach out to the primes’ Small Business Liaison Officers (SBLOs) and/or Supplier Diversity professionals Page 4 of 11 
- Some subcontracting opportunities are posted on SBA’s SUB Net • Explore forming Mentor-Protege (MPP) agreements when both partners see mutually beneficial strategic alignment; consider forming MPP Joint Ventures(JVs).
- Some subcontracting opportunities are posted on  SBA’s SUB Net 
- Explore forming Mentor-Protege (MPP) agreements when both partners see mutually beneficial strategic alignment; consider forming MPP Joint Ventures(JVs).

                        - Consider Contracting “Vehicles” - Contract Vehicles” is a streamlined method the government uses to buy goods and services. Vehicles are centrally managed by a federal agency, which reduces acquisition administrative costs and creates time and resource efficiencies. 
- Many State Department procurements are awarded through the GSA Federal Supply Schedules and other like NASA SEWP, NIH CIO-SP3, Army ITES2, GSA, GSA 8aSTARS, NIH NITAAC
- Those competitions are only open to companies that have been awarded contracts under the requisite GWACs. If you company is not a contract-holder, teaming/subcontracting is a viable strategy to obtain access to a preferred vehicle

                        - Strategically Set Aside Set-Asides - The Small Business Act and the Federal Acquisition Regulation mandate that federal agencies set aside work for small and disadvantaged businesses through the Small Business, WOSB, HUBZone, SDVOSB, and 8(a) Programs. 
- Identify which you may qualify for, to gain additional opportunities to bid in limited competition environments. 
- Keep in mind that the purpose of any federal agency is to carry out its Mission. Therefore, set aside status alone is insufficient in winning a contract – technical competence, understanding of requirement, industry experience, and ability to perform the technical and business functions are all essential elements of a successful bidder.

## More Links

                      -  							Facility Security Clearances (FCL) Frequently Asked Questions													 
                      -  							Office of the Procurement Executive (OPE)													 
                      -  							 Brochure: Doing Business with the U.S. Department of State (Accessible) [233 KB]													 
                      -  							 Brochure: Doing Business with the U.S. Department of State [1 MB]													 
                      -  							Build America, Buy America Waivers													 
                      -  							Office of Global Partnerships													 
                      -  							Doing Business Abroad 													 
                      -  							Doing Business With U.S. Embassies & Consulates Around the World													 
                      -  							 Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts													 

## Resources

### Need help or information regarding the contracting process with Department of State and OSDBU? 

Check out the following links that will help you stay up to date and keep you informed.

Diplomatic Construction Projects

Federal OSDBU Directors Interagency Council (All Federal agencies’ OSDBU contact info and resources)The Federal Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Directors Interagency Council (“OSDBU Council”) website. The OSDBU Council is an informal organization of Federal small business program officials that exchanges and discusses information on acquisition methods, issues and strategies; small business program initiatives and processes; and small business-related outreach events.

System for Award Management (SAM) – Opportunities, Awards, and Solicitations Search (Formerly FBO) The Sam.gov website is the official U.S. Government system for contract opportunities, contract data, assistance listings, entity information, wage determinations, federal hierarchy, and entity reporting.

Unison Marketplace  (Formerly FedBid) Reverse AuctionsThe Unison Global website, a full-service online platform supported by dedicated account managers, sourcing experts, and customer service agents always available to help with the acquisition process, including supplier recruiting.

Federal Grants – Grants.gov  The grants.gov website for information regarding searching and submitting grants.

Subcontracting Opportunities: U.S. Small Business Administration SUB-Net The U.S. Small Business Administration portal

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) The Small Business Innovation Research website to access information regarding SBIR and STTY programs. These programs fund a diverse portfolio of startups and small businesses across technology areas and markets to  stimulate technological innovation, meet Federal research and development (R&D) needs, and increase commercialization to transition R&D into impact.

SBA Dynamic Small Business Search The Dynamic Small Business Search where user can search businesses using various criteria.

Major IT investment portfolio business cases The General Services Administration’s Federal IT Dashboard enables agencies, OMB, Congress, GAO, and the public to understand the value of their Federal IT portfolios, manage the health of their IT investments, and make better IT planning decisions.

#### Federal Obligations

USASpending The USA Spedning website is the official open data source of federal spending information. 

System for Award Management (SAM)  This is the same link as this: System for Award Management (SAM) – Opportunities, Awards, and Solicitations Search (Formerly FBO) 

#### GSA Schedules

Schedules Library The GSA eLibrary is your one source for the latest GSA contract award information. GSA offers unparalleled acquisition solutions to meet today’s acquisition challenges.

Schedule Sales Query Plus The Federal Acquisition Service’s (FAS) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program streamlines the process of purchasing products and services for the federal government. It’s the largest purchasing program on the planet, with pre-negotiated prices, delivery terms, warranties, and other terms that make it easier for agencies to acquire everything they need to meet their missions and save taxpayer dollars.

“CALC”   labor ratesGSA Pricing Central website is a one-stop location for contract and task order pricing information. It helps agencies choose resources necessary to make better decisions by using these tools to explore and compare data

Category Management  

Government Accountability Office – Reports, Studies, and Bid Protest Decisions The U.S. Government Accountability Office is the center for strategic reports, testimonies, legal topics and news

View all contracting process linksCollapse Additional Content

## Acquisition Priorities

As the Bureau of Administration, Office of the Procurement Executive (A/OPE) continues modernization, we have recently published the Department of State Acquisition Priorities.

These five overarching focus areas represent the most pressing issues requiring dedicated emphasis in our pursuit of having the best Acquisition Program for the Department. A successful Acquisition Program equates to mission success for everyone, and we are committed to elevating our line of business to meet the unique service needs of our customers.

We look forward to sharing more about the things we are doing in A/OPE to transform our operating model and organizational structure, in conjunction with our strategic framework, and how they align to these priorities. We also welcome the opportunity to discuss ideas about how we can collaborate to elevate the Acquisition Experience for Department of State customers, practitioners, and stakeholders that all have a vested interest in the business of government and how it impacts foreign policy outcomes.

Download Acquisition Priorities							 [1 MB]

## Business Forecast

## More Links

                      -  							New: Small Business Review "DS-1910" Report													 
                      -  							State Department Chief Information Officer (CIO) Industry Engagement Briefing [2 MB] – May 2021 													 
                      -  							Forecast of Contract Opportunities													 
                      -  							Service Contract Inventory (SCI) Summary Report(s)													 
                      -  							State Department Small Business Goals: by the Numbers													 

## Contact Us

General inquiries and messages to OPE  may be submitted using the email below. Please visit the following pages, which provide information on common inquiries.

View our **Work with US**page for information on **how to partner with****OPE.**

Visit our **Resources**page to learn about **how to utilize opportunities with OPE.**

Visit our **Business Forecast**page to learn about **yearly contractor spend data with OPE.**

Office of the Procurement Executive1200 Wilson BoulevardArlington, VA 22209Phone: 703-875-6037Email: **AcquisitionsInquiry@state.gov**

U.S. Department of StateOSDBU, SA-6, Room L500Washington, DC 20522Phone: (703) 875-6822Email: **smallbusiness@state.gov**

Website: Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization – United States Department of State

## More Links

                      -  							State Department Telephone Directory													 
                      -  							Bureaus and Offices													 
                      -  							Industry Liaison Social Media Icons – LinkedIn															 

## Fast Facts

### Achievements

Did you know that the Department of State met our Small Business Goals since 2010 and achieved an “A” grade on the SBA Federal Scorecard.

### Types of Awards

Did you know that the Department of State awards $12B worth of awards each year? In FY23, Department of State awarded over $5B to small businesses.

Top 5 most awarded NAICS codes in FY23 were (561210) Facilities Support Services, (541512) Computer Systems Design Services, (541519) Other Computer Related Services, (561612) Security Guards and Patrol Services, and (541310) Architectural Services.

### Upcoming Events

Did you know that we host a series of events including Industry Days? Learn more about upcoming events.

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