Posted by Molly Nelson - Did you know that of the more than 20 million small businesses in the US, only 500,000 are currently in a position to win government contracts? According to this
New York Times guide to getting government contracts, those 500,000 aren't "the only ones capable of doing the work; [they just] know how to get the work."
Before anyone runs off to start filling out paperwork, the government usually doesn't give contracts to businesses without positive cash flow or that have been in business for less than two years. Winning government contracts isn't easy, and as the district director of the SBA's Washington metropolitan area office says, "these opportunities are not handed to people," but if you're willing to put in the effort, the
Times guide is a good introduction to all of the opportunity that is out there in government-contract land!