Laura Guthrie
Laura Guthrie Quick Facts
Articles by this expert
SelfGrowth articles and saved writing connected to this expert. Showing 12 of 16.
Article
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
June 30, 2009
Article
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
June 25, 2009
Article
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
June 11, 2009
Article
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
June 9, 2009
Article
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
June 3, 2009
Article
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
May 26, 2009
Article
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. nnSo⦠what is a HUB zone? nnThe Small Business Administration (SBA) created the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (frequently referred to as a HUB Zone)
May 21, 2009
Article
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
May 19, 2009
Article
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
May 6, 2009
Article
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
May 4, 2009
Article
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
April 21, 2009
Article
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
April 15, 2009
Websites & resources
SelfGrowth-published websites, downloads, and contributor profile websites connected to this expert.