Subscribe to a Bid-Matching Service

Instead of doing the work yourself, you can subscribe to a "bid matching" service to provide you with leads on bids and prospective customers. The bid service, with your help, will develop a company profile using keywords and government product and service codes to help match your company's capabilities to the needs of the government.

Using that profile to screen for suitable leads, the bid service will then search on the Internet for opportunities and will also get bid opportunity information directly from the government. You will receive the leads by e-mail, and all you have to do is decide whether to bid. However, keep in mind that this service only provides the leads; it will not help you understand a particular bid. Also, remember that they are getting this information from the same sources you can search on the Internet yourself. If your going to pay someone, make sure you get some added value.

You can locate a bid-matching service by searching on the Internet under "bid matching service," or by asking for a referral from the small business specialist in the government buying office or from your local PTAC. Since bid lead services are usually not close by, contact is by phone or e-mail.