Government Contracting

No. The various Value Added Networks (VANs) and EDI translation software are designed to work with each other. EDI translation software databases contain the complete EDI standards dictionary, typically both ASC X12 and UN/EDIFACT. However, it is important to verify with the VANs and EDI translation software vendors what version and releases of the standards they support. Some VANs also work better with other specific VANs. You may want to get a list of the DoD certified VANs from the DoD EC Office to find the VANs that work well with the government.

Consult the U.S. Government Purchasing and Sales Directory, which will be put online here in the near future.

Contact the Center for Government Contracting or contact your regional ECRC (Electronic Commerce Resource Center) or your local PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center). These locations are available from http://www.acq.osd.mil/cc/assist.html.

For the purpose of SBA procurement assistance, a business generally is considered small if it is a business entity organized for profit, located in the United States, and which operates primarily within the United States or which makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor. 

The most sensitive information is bank account EFT information. This data is only releasable to the appropriate DoD finance community. Much of the information is not available for public query. For the releasability of a specific data element refer to the matrix. Vendor information that is not releasable to the public is protected and viewable only by those government users with a login and a password. Your entire vendor profile is only viewable if you provide your DUNS and TPIN.

If a contractor abandons a contract or fails to perform satisfactorily, the contracting officer may terminate the contract for default and charge the contractor the excess re-procurement costs ( i.e., the difference between the original contract price and the ultimate cost to the government).

• One time registration for federal government requirements.
• Greater visibility and access to federal procurement agencies for both Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and non-EDI capable firms.
• Less time entering contractor information. One-time registration with annual updates versus multiple registrations and repetitive data entry.
• Reduces errors and expedites payments using EDI.

DUNS stands for Data Universal Numbering System and is used by the government to identify each contractor and their location(s).

Although these terms (spans) are still used, two of them now have different meanings than they did in the past. IFB now refers to Sealed Bidding and RFP now refers to Negotiated Procurement. RFQ still refers to requesting oral or written prices on small purchases. For more information on this topic, see your local SBDC.

Central Contractor Registration is the federal government's repository of pertinent data common to all contractors and the single place for contractors to register for conducting business with all federal government agencies. Contractors register only one time, with a requirement for annual renewal. CCR captures and stores the required information and distributes it as needed.

The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1997 established a simplified-acquisition threshold of $100,000. It also required that a government-wide computer system, the Federal Acquisition Computer Network (FACNET) be implemented no later than January 1, 2000.

The 8(a) program name is from Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. The Act, as amended by Congress, created the 8(a) program so that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) could help small companies owned and operated by socially and economically disadvantaged persons develop their businesses.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a highly competitive three-phase award system which provides qualified small business concerns with opportunities to propose innovative ideas that meet the specific research and development needs of the Federal Government.

A contractor will need to:

• Purchase EDI software (prices start at $99).
• Contract with a VAN service provider. Fees will vary based on services selected and traffic. As an alternative, the Internet can be used as a transport mechanism which eliminates this cost.
• Do the data analysis needed to map information from their application systems into the EDI standard format, a one-time effort.
• Do the programming required to create a file that can interface with EDI translation software, a one-time effort.