Stay Informed to Get Stimulus Dollars

Stimulus funds are steadily increasing. But the competition to get contracts is expected to be intense. Information is power. Good knowledge can be hard to get because some state agencies are trying to figure out stimulus rules themselves, Leonard Toenjes says. Stay updated and be focused on federal contracting requirements.

By Leonard Toenjes

Q: Len, here come the stimulus dollars courtesy of Barack Obama and Congress. I want to get as many in my pocket as possible – and so does most everyone else, I imagine. What are your suggestions to get a leg up on the competition?

Leonard Toenjes is the president of the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis. He can be reached at 314-781-2356 or ltoenjes@agcstl.org. Visit the organization’s Web site at www.agcstl.org.

A: Due to the highly competitive nature of the construction industry at this point, there are many companies looking to try to get to the head of the pack concerning projects related to stimulus package funding. In this case, information is power.

Find out where the funding is allocated in your state or local area. Due to the fact that these are public dollars being spent, all of the information concerning stimulus funding allocations and uses are subject to public notification requirement.

Go to www.recovery.gov if you are a building contractor . Links are available on these Web sites to take you to opportunities in individual states. You will need to spend a lot of time on these Web sites to become knowledgeable about all the various potential construction business opportunities in your local market and your specialty.

Remember that you are trying to hit a moving target. This is such a unique and unusual occurrence that many federal, state, and local governmental agencies are still working to understand and implement the various aspects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act themselves.

Stay Updated A continual checking of the information in local news sources and on these Web sites is important in order to not miss opportunities. The website for Federal Business Opportunities, www.fbo.gov, has a search capacity that allows you to identify specifically the project funded by the ARRA.

Taking some time to ensure that your company complies with all contracting requirement is important. There are certain ethics and licensing requirements that will apply to various portions of these spending allocations.

Check with the local contracting authority to ensure that your firm is in a position to meet all the pre-qualification requirements. I recently attended a presentation concerning federal ethics requirements, and it was eye opening to realize the many processes a federal contractor needs to have in place to achieve the expected performance standards.

Follow the large allocations. Unless you are a highly specialized firm, look at both the building and transportation allocations and aim for the largest target that most closely fits your business model. There has been a lot of coverage concerning weatherization and transportation, but there are certainly lots of other smaller opportunities.

This is a relatively small pond with a lot of fish. There will be no replacement for current and complete information and taking the time to insure that your company is positioned to meet the qualifications of the various governmental agencies responsible for allocation the funding. Good luck.