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Articles by Laura Guthrie

Browse published articles attributed to Laura Guthrie, with full-archive search.

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By Laura GuthrieJun 30, 20091 topic

FAR Out, Man.

Some of the most important things to know about when it comes to government contracting are the Federal Acquisition Regulations, commonly referred to as the FAR. Why, you may ask? Itâs simple: because the FAR are the rules that all federal agencies have to follow when they purchase supplies or services. All solicitations follow various outlines of the FAR and incorporate, usually âby referenceâ rather than spelling out, FAR clauses within the solicitation documents. It

Primary topic: Business Coach and Business Coaching

Business Coach and Business Coaching

785 views3/5 (1)

By Laura GuthrieMay 6, 20091 topic

Contract Bundling and Your Small Business

Among all the concerns small business owners have with government contracting, contract bundling rarely ever comes up in conversation. Part of the issue is that many business owners are only exposed to the negative stereotypes and donât actually know about many of the real obstacles their company faces with successfully obtaining contracts with Uncle Sam. Contract bundling can potentially be and real impediment to small businesses trying to compete in the government contrac

Primary topic: Business Consulting

Business Consulting

1,257 views

By Laura GuthrieMay 21, 20091 topic

A HUB Zone is Not a Husband Hangout

The term HUB-Zone is thrown around a lot in government contracting. Many contracts include restrictions that limits bidding to businesses located within a these zones. If you are new to the game, it is easy not to know if the area your business is located in qualifies as a HUB-Zone or even if your business qualifies. nnSoâ¦ what is a HUB zone? nnThe Small Business Administration (SBA) created the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (frequently referred to as a HUB Zone)

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

1,174 views

By Laura GuthrieJun 25, 20091 topic

The 10 Regions of Government Contracting

As mentioned in the previous post, the most effective way to market to the government is by knowing where your product/service is needed. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has broken the country into ten different regions. There is at least one SBA office in every state which provides resources for small business survival and growth. Each region offers the same standard resources package for small businesses; however, some are more prolific than others. When logging ont

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

1,165 views

By Laura GuthrieJun 9, 20091 topic

Veteran Owned Businesses

Veteran Owned Businesses are businesses that are owned by veterans and are another type of government classification for businesses. This certification is one of the most beneficial and is usually preferred more often than Woman or Minority owned. In addition, there isnât only a Veteran Owned title, but three others that each offer different advantages in government contracting.nnVeteran Owned BusinessnnFirst, letâs define what the government considers a veteran. It is an

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

1,146 views

By Laura GuthrieMay 26, 20091 topic

The Prompt Payment Act

Given the title, I probably have everyoneâs attention right now. Late payments are a bane of any contractor â the killer of cash flow and worse. Many laugh at the thought of the government paying anyone on time, but I promise you, there are laws set in place so that Uncle Sam canât delay or rip your business off.nnIn response to a study conducted by the General Accounting Office in 1978 showing that the government paid at least 30% of their contractors well after the du

Primary topic: Business Consulting

Business Consulting

1,079 views

By Laura GuthrieApr 13, 20091 topic

Stimulus Scams

It appears that nothing is sacred; if there is an opportunity to make money, certain people will take it. Some people, however, have already taken advantage of the stimulus package and are targeting failing small businesses. By making claims that they will be earning a chunk of the stimulus money eventually, small business owners are tricked into believing that by making a small payment they will receive a list of federal grants. What they donât know about are the alarming

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

1,010 views

By Laura GuthrieMay 4, 20091 topic

Uncle Samâs Bonus Program

Many businesses offer financial incentives to their employees in order to reward hard work, promote quality craftsmanship, or compensate superb ideas; the government is no different when paying a contractor. It isnât corrupt to give bonuses to businesses that deserve it. Iâm not talking about AIG or corrupt executives from some big company. The government tries, just like any business, to reward good work.nnRecently, a rumor came around that Uncle Sam planned to reward th

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

1,000 views

By Laura GuthrieApr 15, 20091 topic

It Ainât Easy Being Green - Or is It?

Not too long ago, my first thought when I thought about the government âgoing greenâ was of Uncle Sam and the Jolly Green Giant making some clandestine agreement in a field. Aside from that comical picture, there wasnât really much that I knew about how environmental friendly the US government can be.nnThere has been some historical initiative on Uncle Samâs part, largely originating in the 70âs with President Carter and his eco-friendly policies â does anybody el

Primary topic: Environmental and Green Living

Environmental and Green Living

970 views

By Laura GuthrieJun 3, 20091 topic

The Different Types of Set-Aside Programs

As mentioned in our previous post, set-aside programs are designed and intended to help disadvantaged businesses get a leg up in the government contracting arena and to make the bidding process more competitive. There are several programs that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has created to give advantages to certain types of small businesses; one that weâve already mentioned, but today weâre going to discuss two of the biggest ones: woman- and minority-owned small

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

875 views

By Laura GuthrieApr 13, 20091 topic

Surety Bonds Sure Are Making Things More Competitive

Contracting with the government has just gotten a little more interesting. The US Small Business Administration increased the limit on surety bonds for small business contractors from $2 million to $5 million. That extra $3 million means that more small business contractors are going to be able to bid on higher paying contracts that were off-limits to them before.nnFor many people that does not mean anything; many are left wondering what Surety Bonds are. Most of the definiti

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

763 views

By Laura GuthrieApr 13, 20091 topic

Don't Feel Scammed by Uncle Sam

With any administration, there will always be a group of people that feel discontent or a certain animosity towards those in power. Especially with the complete make-over that the Federal Government has recently endured, now more than ever, people are expressing their opinions on the state of affairs. I decided to see what people on Twitter thought of when they heard/saw the words âgovernment contractingâ â something I write and read about everyday.nnI wasnât surprise

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

762 views

By Laura GuthrieMay 19, 20091 topic

What Are No Bid Contracts?

There are several things business owners need to know when joining the contracting circle. As we mentioned last week, contract bundling is a big one that many donât know about, and this weekâs topic is no different. Lucky for us regular folk, the government doesnât create wacky acronyms for every contracting term they use and in this case the name makes sense.nnSole-source contracts, also commonly known as no bid contracts, are contracts awarded when the government feel

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

754 views

By Laura GuthrieJun 11, 20091 topic

SBA Lends a Helping Hand to Small Businesses

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently created a new program called the American Recovery Capital (ARC) in order to help struggling businesses during these hard economic times. These loans are not designed for start-up businesses, but those that have been in operation for at least three years and have supporting documents for proof. Effective on June 15, 2009, the ARC loan program will give up to $35,000 to small businesses that are suffering economically until Sept

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

736 views

By Laura GuthrieApr 21, 20091 topic

The Great Race to August 2010

When I mention the Stimulus package, many small business owners arenât thrilled. Consider the number of Tea Parties held throughout the US this past month; not many people are excited about how much the government is spending. While Uncle Sam is spending money, there are benefits that small businesses can receive, whether they realize it or not.nnnAccording to a recent study, only 14% of the small business owners interviewed felt that the stimulus âcash floodâ would aff

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

717 views

By Laura GuthrieFeb 24, 20091 topic

Why Government Contracting?

Government contracting can be a lucrative source of income for any small business, especially given the state todayâs economy and markets.nnGetting a government contract can be quite a triumph for any business, but for a small business, it can be the accomplishment that allows the owners the freedom they desire. Many small businesses even end up transforming from 100% commercial to 100% government contracts once they find their niche and discover just how lucrative Uncle Sa

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

676 views

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