The ID/IQ Blues
by Sid Jaffe
Announcements for DHS’s Eagle II have been rolling out since last year. Congratulations to those who have secured a prime or sub spot! Marketing those customers for task orders, however, is now even more competitive. Add EAGLE II to the plethora of other contract vehicles that your company may hold and you may be feeling the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) Blues.
ID/IQs are the preferred way that Federal purchasers do business. Those who don’t use them effectively may be squeezed out. Even Government clients are competitive in choosing which vehicle to use for their contracting initiatives. Agencies, like GSA, are now implementing “off ramps” for contract holders who are not using them. ID/IQ Contracting Offices need you to be successful so that their vehicles are used.
These vehicles, your “license to hunt,” can create new business. Here are four key ways to maximize the value of your contract:
- Sell your vehicle! Use it on all of your collateral materials and be the one to suggest it to the client during your Capture activities. Customers prefer to work with vendors on their own agency vehicles because it eliminates the hassle of “going outside” for contracting assistance and the client can manage the process easier. It also narrows the playing field for you. Marketing your services and products are not enough—remember to promote your vehicle as well!
- Do your market research. The vehicle alone isn’t going to open the doors that you need. Develop an ID/IQ Marketing Plan. Examine organization charts and build target client hit lists—starting with the people you know or with whom you are currently supporting. Ask the vehicle’s Program Office to assist or make recommendations.
- Be the best teammate that you can be. Be active and offer to market jointly. Touch base with your prime at least monthly. There are scores of prime contractors in this industry sitting with lists of inactive teammates who have disappeared after proposal submission. Do not earn that reputation—those impressions can be lasting!
- Leverage your vehicle through partnership building. Contract holders can attract new subcontracting and teaming opportunities in ways that can benefit both companies. For example, you may be missing a core competency or desire a proprietary tool. Use the vehicle strategically to support the agency’s mission and to bolster your own capabilities.
Scanning listings for task orders or “low-hanging fruit” is fine—but it will not provide you with the long-term, strategic growth that you seek. SJ&A offers an ID/IQ Readiness Review to assist Federal contractors in making the most of your assets and to pinpoint the activities and tools needed for success. To learn more about the ID/IQ Review and capturing business, contact Sid at sid@sidjaffe.com or call him at 703-855-3160.
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