FAQ
The Maryland APEX Accelerator considers an entity to be ready for government contracting when it meets the following criteria:
- Has a current Maryland business registration in good standing (Maryland Business Express)
- Has a product or service to sell to the government
- Business must have past performance experience in either commercial or government work
If your business does not meet these criteria, please contact the Maryland Small Business Development Center at https://www.marylandsbdc.org/consulting for help to improve your business status.
- Support with bid package preparation.
- Pre/post-award contract assistance.
- Aid with electronic commerce/electronic data interchange.
- Guidance for small minority, women-owned, and disabled veteran certifications.
- Referrals to other programs or activities to support businesses when appropriate.
- Other government contracting resources as needed.
* If you meet the criteria above, register to become a client.
Please allow 30 business days for your application to be processed. In the meantime, review our 'Are you Ready' Checklist to start preparing for your first counseling session.
You will receive an email from the MD APEX Accelerator administration with information on your assigned counselor and how to contact them. You can also view your assigned counselor's name and email on the home page of the client login, also known as the eCenter: https://mdapex.ecenterdirect.com/
We do not guarantee contract wins. On average, it takes 12-18 months to secure your first government contract.
We offer free webinars to help you continue your education. Register for a class on our training calendar.
We do not charge for counseling sessions. We are funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense. There may be a fee for some classes to cover our costs.
No, the APEX Accelerator will help you get procurement ready, but we do not assist with grant or loan information/applications. Contact the Maryland SBDC for assistance with grants/loans.
- Get an EIN
- Find your NAICS codes and Product Service Codes
- Register with the System for Award Management (SAM)
- Work with an APEX Accelerator counselor
- Pursue opportunities
- Search bids or sign up for the MD APEX Bid Match Service
- Seek sub-contracting or partnering opportunities
- Build relationships
- Attend training workshops and networking opportunities
The federal government purchases from businesses of all sizes, located throughout the country, for all types of services. Look for opportunities that you are interested in and see what company was awarded the last contract and the terms – you can search www.usaspending.gov or www.sam.gov for recent awards.
The government Request for Proposal, or RFP, is a process for bidding on government projects. Once a government agency releases an RFP bidders can submit a proposal and attempt to win the work contract. The RFP government bids process is a precise proposal application that is highly regulated.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) purchases goods and services of all
kinds, many of them being commercial or general purpose in nature. The GSA helps other federal and even state, and local agencies obtain merchandise and services at volume discount pricing. In terms of the dollar amount of purchases by federal agencies, the GSA is the third largest buyer. GSA Schedule (also referred to as Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and Federal Supply Schedule ) is a long-term governmentwide contract with commercial firms providing federal, state, and local government buyers access to more than 11 million commercial supplies (products) and services at volume discount pricing.
According to federal laws and regulations, small businesses in general and small businesses in certain socio-economic categories are given special consideration to help them compete in the marketplace. You can start by following the steps at the following U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) page to find out whether your business is small: https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/size-standards
A NAICS code, which stands for "North American Industry Classification System" code, is a six-digit number used to categorize businesses based on their primary economic activity, allowing for standardized classification across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and is primarily used by government agencies to collect and analyze economic data about businesses.
Yes, the state of Maryland recognizes three certifications: Small Business Reserve (SBR), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE). Learn more here.
- Start your education by watching our on-demand webinars