Do You Have the Technology?

 

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We can't stress enough the importance of this area. Simply put, if you are not capable of doing business using some kind of electronic commerce (e-commerce) or electronic procurement (e-procurement), you will not be doing business with the government.

Why? Because the law, beginning with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act of 1995, requires the government to use electronic means to issue and award small business contracts, specifically those between $2,500 and $100,000. Furthermore, in a continuous effort to streamline the procurement process, government buyers are using new options in making purchases, such as multiple-award schedules, purchase cards, reverse auctions, etc., almost all of them technology-based.

The goal of electronic procurement is to allow the exchange of information, such as purchase orders, invoices, or shipping notifications in an electronic, paperless format. The benefits for the government are the elimination of manpower costs associated with processing paper, reduction in errors, and speeding up the process of ordering and paying for goods and services. You can now get government bids automatically sent to you via e-mail, decide which ones you want to bid on, download the technical information from the Internet, and then bid on the requirement without using one sheet of hard paper.

In order to do business with the federal government, you must have the following at your disposal:

• A computer running on an up-to-date Windows, Linux or Macintosh operating system -- The faster and more processing power you have in your computer, the better off you will be. If you are in the process of shopping, we encourage you to buy as much RAM (or memory) as you can afford, but don't get carried away with extras you don't need for business. Remember that you want a computer to satisfy your business needs, not for multi-media or games, unless of course this is your business.
• An Internet Connection -- If you must use a telephone line modem, make sure that it uses the latest technology and is at least 56k baud rate. A better choice would be a DSL line giving you high-speed Internet access--a big plus when it comes to downloading large files. Also consider the services offered by your ISP, including reliability and security measures.
• Internet Protection -- If you use either DSL or broadband, you also need to set up protection for your system with good anti-virus and firewall software. This software reduces the chances of getting hit with a virus or by a hacker. Remember, with a DSL or broadband connection, you are always connected to the Internet, so system security is an issue.

Work Smart If you are waiting for the next "best" or "latest" thing before you buy, grit your teeth and go ahead and get the one that's best for you now. There will always be something better or newer. And while you wait, opportunity passes you by. If you are not moving into new technology and new ways of doing business using e-commerce and the Internet, consider taking classes or attending workshops and conferences on these subjects. In this day and age, keeping up with and knowing how to use new technology in your business is crucial to your success.