Here’s a video of the late Tom Stover, founder of Stover & Associates, on subcontracting-

Video – Founder Tom Stover on Subcontracting

Winning that first Government contract is a real challenge for a small business.    A good place to start is subcontracting with a larger or more experienced company, where you and your employees can gain first-hand experience in some of the ins and outs of managing a contract.  A successful subcontract will give you a basis on which to build the “past performance” required when bidding on future contracts with the government.

What can you expect as a sub?  Or, from a sub?  You may be bidding on a contract where you’ll require a sub to complete the deliverables — how can you be sure the sub will understand what’s required of them, and be sure you won’t lose money on the deal?  Do you really need a subcontractor, or will a vendor be able to fill that gap?

Looking for subcontracting opportunities?  The SBA (Small Business Administration) has a listing by state of federal contractors who may need to use subcontractors in fulfilling their contracts.