Government Contracting - How to Prepare Your Small Business

Interested in selling products or services to federal, state, or local government agencies? Learn how to make your business contract ready when Angela Watson, Program Manager for Golden State APEX Accelerator joins SBDC director, Kelly Bearden on this week’s free webinar.

Watson discusses a variety of assistance APEX provides businesses, including determining readiness for government contracting, research of contract opportunities, application for eligible small business certifications, registration for bid matching services, and more.

APEX Accelerator is a free Department of Defense-funded Cooperative Agreement program that provides technical assistance to small businesses interested in selling products or services to government agencies.

This marks the 360th episode of the “Webinar Wednesday” business series that provides news and information helpful to employers and business owners.

The CSU Bakersfield SBDC provides free one-on-one help to small business owners. New and existing businesses can go to https://csubsbdc.com/ for more information or to sign up to meet with a business advisor at no cost.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:46 What’s up today September 24, 2025
05:38 Capital Corridor – Funding Options for Government Contractors
08:54 Importance of bidding with sufficient profit margins to cover funding and generate profit
09:31 SBA Announces new MARC credit line program
https://www.sba.gov/article/2025/09/0...

15:28 NextTech Kern 2025 at CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, October 2
AI in Business, AI in Academia, AI in Security
https://www.csub.edu/nexttechkern/

17:19 Kelly talks about a previous webinar with Joshua Howk, business opportunity specialist who spoke about Federal Government Certifications for Small Businesses and How to Apply
   • Federal Government Certifications for Smal...  
Subscribe to our CSUB YouTube Channel @csubsbdc

18:29 Kelly introduces Angela Watson, Angela Watson, Program Manager for Golden State APEX Accelerator https://goldenstateapex.com/

19:37 Angela Watson begins her presentation
20:46 Government procurement services are outlined, including eligibility assessment, market research, proposal breakdowns, and support with bid responses.
25:23 Are You Procurement Ready?
-Government procurement is outlined, emphasizing readiness and the steps to take.
27:36 Getting Started – Who Buys What You Sell?
-Key procurement topics are expanded, including the importance of understanding who buys what and how agencies operate.
32:27 Federal Certifications and Programs
-Federal contracting goals for small and diverse businesses are highlighted. This includes percentages and specific programs.
34:45 Angela explains where to find opportunities and past awards, and the need to review historical spending to inform market research.
34:57 Cal eProcure – registration and certifications
https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/bidd...

39:03 Finding Your Government Targets
Targets should be narrowed to a handful based on market research, concentrating on top prospects to tailor outreach. Buying processes vary by rules, including contracts, price competition, or quotes, and require understanding how agencies purchase goods and services.
Federal: https://www.usaspending.gov/
State of California: https://caleprocure.ca.gov/
Doing Business with Kern County https://www.kerncounty.com/government...
Doing Business with Ventura County: https://venturacounty.gov/general-ser...
Doing Business with Santa Barbara County: https://www.countyofsb.org/1621/Purch...
Doing Business with San Luis Obispo County: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departme...

40:16 Doing business with the Department of Energy
https://www.energy.gov/osdbu/doing-bu...

42:40 Positioning Your Business for GovCon
42:56 What is a Capability Statement?
the one-page document showcases identity, value proposition, differentiators, and past projects
43:47 Why Capability Statements Are Important
44:34 Bid Packages – What to Look for Beyond SOW
45:44 What Else You Need to Know for Government Contracting Success
49:30 Kelly rejoins Angela for Q & A with webinar attendees

*FIND AN APEX ACCELERATOR NEAR YOU
https://www.apexaccelerators.us/#/

#governmentcontracting #governmentcontracts #governmentprocurement