Opportunities Available by Tracking Stimulus Cash

With the federal government planning to pump billions into the economy—including an estimated $85 billion for infrastructure—increased opportunities for prime and subcontractors will soon be available at the local, state and federal levels.

How can you get a piece of the pie? If you haven’t worked on a publicly funded project before, you’ve got some paperwork ahead. Your company will likely need to become a pre-qualified/registered subcontractor before you can bid.

Your state’s Department of Transportation website can provide details on becoming a prequalified/registered bidder. The site is likely to have a procurement resource link, as well as a regional map that provides contact information for cities, counties and townships.

Requirements for qualifying as a registered subcontractor vary.

In the state of Georgia, for instance, you need to fill out DOT Form 478, answer a 12-page questionnaire, and submit three reference letters from agencies or individuals you have completed work for in the past three years.

Take a Closer Look

After you’ve filled out the forms, searched for jobs, and submitted bids, you’ll be ready to sign subcontracting agreements and begin work. Before you sign anything, have a lawyer look at the contract.

In a subcontracting agreement, attention to detail is key. Any area that is vague, or not in writing, can lead to misunderstanding between the governmental agency, prime contractor and the subcontractor.

Be sure all compensation, deadlines, and liability issues are spelled out clearly. Taking time to do this before you sign will help ensure you and the prime contractor both understand your roles on the project.

Websites to help you begin

You can research information on prime contractors and subcontracting opportunities through a variety of Internet sources:

Recovery.gov will be updated to show how stimulus bill tax dollars are being spent.

Prime contractors post subcontracting opportunities at the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Subcontracting Network website, Sub-Net, at web.sba.gov/subnet.

Business.gov is the official business link to the government.

Govcontract.com is a guide to government contracts.

Nigp.org/gcc links to the Government Contractor Certificate (GCC) Program, offered by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. (NIGP).

Visit wikipedia.org/wiki/government_contract for information on securing public work.