°®Éñ´«Ã½

At °®Éñ´«Ã½, we couldn’t agree more. We’re convinced that collaboration is the driver in sustainable partnerships, and it is critical to delivering best value to our clients.

Strategic partnerships with locally owned and regional small and small disadvantaged businesses benefit everyone and are fundamental to successful business outcomes. Customers benefit from the strengths and offerings each organization brings to the table, and employees expand their development opportunities by being exposed to new perspectives and expertise. There’s no better approach to solving complex challenges and strengthening the economy.

Fostering Partnerships

°®Éñ´«Ã½ has a very robust, proactive, and successful small business program that consistently exceeds our client’s subcontracting goals. Recognizing the benefits of maximizing small business participation not only results in significant cost efficiencies, but these partners serve a vital role in contributing to job growth and economic stability.

Our outreach initiatives include contracting with federal, state, local, and private small business development organizations. We attend small- and minority-business procurement conferences and trade fairs on a regular basis, and we maintain an extensive internal database of potential small businesses. From innovation to price point and community support, the benefits of strategic partnering with locally owned and regional small and small disadvantaged businesses are significant.

Did You Know:

• Small businesses produce 16x the patents per employee than larger firms
• They help reduce overhead costs
• Small businesses tend to live and work in their communities, partnering allows us to give back to those communities
• Their unique local perspective improves performance

Big breakthroughs and progress don’t happen in silos. Working collaboratively with partners generates the kind of energy that fuels growth, innovation, and creativity. Developing value-aligned partnerships that focus on common goals and complementary strengths is key to ensuring successful outcomes for all.

If You’re a Small Business Interested in Partnering…

While the rewards are great, strategic partnerships require thoughtful consideration to ensure success is achieved. If you’re a small business considering a partnership with a larger company, we suggest the offer be examined critically and carefully.

The following are a few tips to consider:

• Do Your Research: Some partnership offers sound great on the surface but may not yield happy results.
• Develop a Unique Positioning Statement (UPS): Your UPS or value proposition should be compelling and feature your standout capabilities.
• Respond to Sources Sought: It’s vitally important for you to respond to sources sought notices or Request for Interests (these are not actual bids or proposal solicitations, it’s a solicitation of interest) with highly effective capability statements. Also, request a debriefing.
• Attend Outreach Sessions: Take this opportunity to network with other contractors
• Don’t Be Intimidated: You run a viable business of value, don’t let the trappings of the corporate world and government bureaucracy be intimidating.
• Maintain Independence: Autonomy is assured if you maintain ownership, be leery of turning over too much equity in the business in exchange for financial help.
• Establish Clear Open Communications: Good communication practices are essential to all business relationships, both internal and external. Alliances with a large company is no exception.

°®Éñ´«Ã½ is Proud to Help You Grow

°®Éñ´«Ã½ values the local knowledge of our small business partners across all the markets we serve, and we recognize the tremendous entrepreneurial spirit and innovation that exists in the small business community. We’re proud to help you build your capacity and improve your ability to compete for prime contracts.

We have a proven record and a well-defined process to mentor, guide, and train small business subcontractors who support the execution of our projects. The Federal Government has recognized our excellence in this area with multiple awards, and we continue our commitment to supplier diversity, awarding 53% of total corporate spend to a variety of small businesses in various categories.

°®Éñ´«Ã½ is committed to providing small businesses with maximum contracting opportunities and we proudly support locally owned and regional small businesses.