Government Web Sites

The federal government has more than 4,300 web sites, according to a recent GAO report. Fortunately, if you're looking for contract opportunities, you don't have to cover all of those sites.

In order to help companies identify government opportunities and buyers, the government is making a strong effort to reduce the number of locations and to create a more uniform format to simplify the process. The government is looking to establish "gateways" (i.e., web sites with multiple links) to make your search easier. There are several already in existence that are being used more and more to post and find opportunities.

Following is a list of the better ones. Remember that these sites will help you find the opportunities, but once you do, you, not the government, will have to do the work.

• FedBizOpps (Federal Business Opportunities): All government procurement opportunities of $25,000 or more are posted here. Here, government buyers are able to publicize their business opportunities by posting information directly to FedBizOpps via the Internet, and commercial companies looking to do business with the government are able to search, monitor, and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire federal contracting community. (http://www.fbo.gov)
• Small Business Administration (SBA): This site has a wide range of information pertaining to small businesses as well as SBA-Net, a gateway to resources, opportunities, and networking. Most importantly, it has a direct connect to CCR database, which is fast becoming the sole database used by government buyers to locate potential small business contractors.
• Procurement Gateway: This is the Defense Logistics Agency site for all opportunities from its buying offices.
• Federal Acquisition Jumpstation: Although not a place where opportunities are posted, it has most links to the federal sites that small business owners would have an interest in.
• Recovery.gov - The U.S. government's official website providing easy access to data related to Recovery Act spending and allows for the reporting of potential fraud, waste, and abuse.
• E-Verify - An Internet-based system that allows an employer, using information reported on an employee's Form I-9, to determine the eligibility of that employee to work in the United States. For most employers, the use of E-Verify is voluntary and limited to determining the employment eligibility of new hires only. To access this site, go to www.wingov.com and click on E-Verify.
• USA.gov - This site has lots for all, personal, business, government employees and visitors to the US. It is also a portal to other government websites that might be of assistance to you. The link for businesses provides info on how to do business with the federal government, Data and Statistics, Laws and Regulations and lots and lots more.

For more government web portals, check out:

• FedWorld
• HHS's web portal
• Department of Veteran Affairs
• State and Local Government on the Net
• Library of Congress

There are tons of sites that can help you find what you are looking for, spend some time researching and you will find a wealth of information. For those who are brave, try USA Search.