Happy Federal New Year

by Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center - October 1, 2020

Suggestions For Starting Strong In FY2021

As the federal government’s new fiscal year begins, it’s time to think about what action you can take now to set yourself up for success in 2021. Here are four recommendations to get you started.

1. Get Clear. Answer the following questions:

• What GovCon sales target will your team shoot for by September 30th, 2021?
• How will hitting this target impact your business?
• What positive outcomes can you expect? 
• How can you achieve your GovCon sales goal?
• What strategy will you employ?
• What do you need to learn, and who or what do you need to leverage to ensure success?

2. Declare and Share Your New Year Resolution. Once you are clear on your target, make it your federal new year resolution and share it with your team, your APEX Accelerator, and your partners. The more you communicate your targets to those who support your efforts, the more help and insight you will gain along the way. 

3. Ramp Up Your Outreach. The first quarter of the federal fiscal year is one of the best times to connect with government employees, especially contracting personnel who were swamped during Q4. Now may be the best time to set up that meeting you’ve been waiting to schedule.

4. Watch For 2021 Procurement Forecasts. The first quarter is also the time when agencies start publishing their procurement forecasts for the new fiscal year. You can find many agency procurement forecasts here.