Five Reasons Mid-Tier Companies Make Great Partners for Small Businesses

6/13/2019

Government contracting continues to shift its focus to small business.  These businesses are seeking partners to help them win and deliver outstanding performance.  In acquisition and program management, the size standards are small and the work is demanding, requiring the right kinds of teams to be successful. As a leading mid-tier provider of these services, ASI Government LLC regularly partners with small businesses seeking to add our capabilities to theirs to win bids and bolster capacity to deliver on government requirements.  ASI was also a small business at one time.  Through our own journey and collaborating with many small company partners, we have developed a set of considerations we now recommend to all prospective teammates.

While small businesses certainly should focus on the same primary concerns as all companies bidding for government work--capabilities, contracts and customer intimacy—some special considerations can make the difference in winning and delivering. By examining themselves and potential teammates early in the “dating” process, small businesses can build stronger competitive positions in a changing market. 

1. Be an ethical, reliable and committed partner yourself – whether prime contractor or subcontractor.

   In government contracting, the reputation of your firm is your most precious asset.  Always act with integrity and follow through on your agreements with partners and customers.  Sometimes this may be painful and costly in money and in relationships with companies less committed to honesty and service.  Sometimes holding to your values can cost you a win when you wisely decide not to team with a sure-winner who has a conflict of interest.  Find partners with solid, long-term reputations for values-based behavior and outstanding performance.

2. Recognize the extra value that a proven mid-tier performer can bring to your proposal and delivery.

   When you pursue business that offers opportunities for mid-tier niche providers, you will get the full attention of the company and its leadership.  You also will gain from mid-tiers’ ability to move fast and be nimble.  Their empowered leaders bring competitive offerings and have the authority to make fast decisions that will enable you to deliver unexpected value to your clients.  You will be a priority for a mid-tier partner, not an afterthought.

3. Team with partners who have shown they can deliver mission outcomes at the speed of relevance.

   Managing acquisition programs is complex, requiring experience and expertise to be successful.  Niche mid-tier companies offer some of the best capabilities in industry and have truly outstanding past performance, whether as prime contractors or subcontractors.  Outcome-orientation is essential to the ultimate success of all government missions. So when you team, choose partners who understand your prospective clients’ missions and what it takes to succeed.  Perform market research on mid-tier companies to find those attributes.  Realize that velocity is critical as well, since great outcomes can be useless if delivered too late.  The expertise and methods needed to cut time from the acquisition cycle are rare but critical, so make the necessary effort to ensure your partners have them.

4. Select partners that can mitigate your potential Organizational Conflict of Interest concerns.

   Service providers often are faced with a choice: Provide services directly or support program functions, thereby gaining access to information that government contracting officers view as creating a conflict of interest and an unfair advantage over other providers of the service.  Choosing the right partners with the right business models can help avoid or mitigate perceived conflicts.

5. Finally, if you are pursuing work in the complex world of acquisition program management, find a partner who knows federal contracting cold, one that can help you shape a totally compliant, but also innovative bidding strategy and shave time and cost from the procurement process for you and for the agency client.

Timothy W. Cooke, Ph.D. |President and CEO | ASI  Government, LLC

Email: tcooke@asigovt.com | Mobile: 703-969-9037 | www.asigovt.com