2. • U.S. Navy Veteran (Supply Corps)
• Contracting Officer - Department of Veterans Affairs
• Business Opportunity Specialist - U.S. Small Business Administration
• Veteran-owned Small Business
• Government Contractor
• Recipient of the 2020 SBA Small Business Champion Award
Carroll Bernard
Experience
3. Agenda
• Discuss market research (quantitative vs. qualitative) and basic terminology.
• Introduce and demonstrate basic tools for gathering quantitative data useful to
new federal contractors.
• Discuss the benefits and limitations of quantitative market research tools.
• Show you how to find relevant NAICS and product Service codes for your
business.
• Discuss a few simple techniques for conducting market research.
5. What Is Market Research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about target markets or customers. It is a
very important component of business strategy!
Market research is one of the key factors used in establishing and maintaining competitiveness
over competitors. Market research provides important information to identify and analyze market needs,
market size and competition. Market research techniques encompass both qualitative techniques such as
focus groups and in-depth interviews as well as quantitative techniques such as customer surveys and
analysis of secondary data.
-Wikipedia
6. Important Codes
to Know & Use
NAICS Codes (NAICS) – A six-digit
code that classifies the industry from
which the government procures goods
and services.
Product Service Codes (PSC) – A four-
digit code that classifies a specific group of
services or commodities purchased by federal
agencies. May also be referred to as Federal
Supply Classification (FSC) codes.
NIGP Codes – Similar to PSCs, but
mostly used by state and local agencies
to categorize and classify products and
services. Also referred to as commodity
codes.
7. But wait! There Are More Commodity Codes
What you should know.
1. While NAICS, PSC, and NIGP codes are widely used, there are other codes you may come across
as well (even within the same state).
a. Example: United Nations Standard Product & Service Codes (UNSPSC)
i. See table at https://usa.databasesets.com/unspsc
2. If you want to do business with an agency, understand what codes apply to your products and
services, and add them where needed.
3. If you see an agency using or referencing commodity codes (you don’t have) in a procurement of
interest, make note, and add them where needed.
*Not the same
as federal PSC!
9. The Importance of Quantitative Market Research
Helps you allocate your
time, energy, and
money in the right
places.
Can aid in uncovering
opportunities before
they are publicized.
Gives you a better
understanding of
where your company
fits into the big picture.
Provides your team
with competitive
intelligence and critical
opportunity insights.
Qualitative information
from federal agencies is
not always easy to
obtain.
10. Two Types of Quantitative Market Research
1. Strategic - Helps you see the big picture.
2. Tactical - Helps you gain opportunity insights
and competitive advantage.
11. Strategic vs Tactical Market Research
• Big Picture
– Top Codes
– Top Agencies
– Top Primes/Competitors
– Top Set-asides
– Top Opportunities
• Target-focused
– Agency-specific Drilldown
– Identify and Study Specific
Opportunities
• Completion date
• Value
• Incumbents
• Pricing
12. What are the best
NAICS and PSC codes
I should use?
What agencies are
buying what you sell?
How are your target
agencies buying what
you sell?
What are the
geographic hot spots
for what you sell?
What agencies are
buying the most from
certified entities?
Who are the top
contractors selling the
same or similar
products/services?
What are the top
opportunities?
When do they come
open for recompete?
Types of Questions to Answer With
Strategic Market Research
Think capability statements, SAM
registration, and bid match.
13. Data
Validity
Disclaimer
Data is only as good as the input. Not
all federal data reported is accurate.
However, we can look at the data from
an overall perspective to give us some
insights, develop educated questions,
and use qualitative market research
tactics to fill in some of the blanks.
14. Good News and Bad News
Federal data
• Good news
– There is lots of data available at no cost to you.
• Bad news
– Not all data is 100% accurate, and micro-purchase data are not publicly available.
State and Local data
• Good news
– There are some companies that capture and provide state and local data for
market research.
• Bad news
– State and local databases are often non-existent or not available to the public.
– While some private companies offer state and local data, you must pay for a
subscription to their platform.
15. Market Research Resources
1. FPDS.GOV
2. USAPENDING.GOV
3. SAM.GOV
4. GSA eLIBRARY - (https://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov/)
5. GSA ADVANTAGE - (https://www.gsaadvantage.gov/)
6. SBA Small Dynamic Business Search (or Pronet) - DSBS.SBA.GOV
7. BID MATCH /BID NOTIFICATION SERVICES - Check with your APEX Acclerator counselor
8. LINKEDIN (https://www.linkedin.com/)
9. COMPETITORS WEBSITES - As applicable
10. AGENCY WEBSITES - As applicable
16. Results May Vary
Depending on what you sell, results in federal spending data may vary.
It is easier to ascertain information in some searches and harder in others.
Challenging Research Areas:
• Sub-contracts
• Unique items or new technologies not typically procured by federal agencies
• Services or commodities that don’t easily fit NAICS or PSC codes
• P-Card transactions under the micro-purchase threshold
17. 3 Ways to Find Relevant NAICS and Product
Service Codes
1. View SBA Size Standards Tables
1. Conduct Preliminary Market Research on FPDS.GOV
1. Search by Keyword, PSC, NAICS, Business Name, Contract Number, etc.
2. Identify common PSC and NAICS codes relevant to your business. Write these down to include in your SAM.GOV
profile.
3. Identify top agencies buying from your industry.
4. Identify top prime contractors in your industry.
5. Click around to check out some of the other data available.
1. Review other small business profiles on SBA’s Dynamic Small Businesses Search
1. DSBS.SBA.GOV
2. Print a couple of profiles
3. Not helpful for identifying Product Service Codes
Action: Identify (or validate) your relevant NAICS & PSC. Add where relevant.
18. How To Find (or validate) Your NIGP Codes?
Check out the following resources:
1. City of San Antonio
a. https://bit.ly/nigpcosa
2. Hillsborough County Florida
a. https://bit.ly/nigpfl
Check out their information
and useful tips!
20. USA SPENDING
Website: www.usaspending.gov
Website: www.usaspending.gov
Description: Collection point of all government
spending, including contracts, grants, loans, etc.
“A publicly accessible, searchable website mandated
by the Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 to give the American public
access to information on how their tax dollars are
spent.” –USAspending.gov
21. USA Spending
• Modern graphical user interface
• Easy search
• Easy to use advanced filters
• Exportable data with detailed data sets
• Drilldown to view contract record data
Likes
• Fewer “contract action” drilldown options than FPDS
• No “quick view” top-down spending from search results like FPDS
Dislikes
22. Common Uses
• Summary view of contracting activity by state.
• Use advanced filters for easy search of specific data.
• Quick snapshot of competitor/partner activity.
• Exportable data for further analysis in Excel.
25. Federal Procurement Data System
• Google-like EZ search feature
• Quick view of top agency and top seller activity
• Easy drilldown
• Filter tool
• Quickly view detailed contract record
• Exportable data
Likes
• Dated graphical user interface
• Challenging to create ad hoc reports
• Limited data sets available for exporting from EZ search results
• Filter tool not intuitive
Dislikes
26. Common Uses
Identification of NAICS and Product Service Codes.
• Use in your SAM profile, capability statement, and keyword searches via bid
match/bid notification software and search agents.
Quick view of the top 10 agencies, sub-agencies, and primes.
Quickly find competitor UEI.
Tactical drilldown on specific contract award information such as
referenced IDV, award record, agency, contract value, contract
description, ultimate completion date, etc.
29. Qualitative Market Research Techniques
Ask
•Ask your government market
mastermind
• Advisors
• Industry insiders
• Agency employees
• Subject matter experts
Read
•Read info provided on agency
OSDBU/Small Business Website
•Read information provided on state
and local as well as corporate
websites
Interview & Survey (when
able)
•Small business representatives at
target agency
•End users/decision makers
•Buyers/ Purchasing Agents/Contract
Specialists
Review
•Review target agency’s forecast of
contracting opportunities
Request/ Ask
•Request information from target
agency buyers (incumbents,
solicitation)
•Ask great questions that remain after
you’ve completed quantitative and
preliminary market research
30. Research Via Search Engines
• Google, Bing, Firefox, etc.
⮚Use search phrases like
• Doing business with _________
• _______ Procurement (or purchasing) Department
• _______ Small business
• _______ Supplier diversity
31. Dept. Level Decision Maker
Program managers, department
heads, purchase card holders.
Industry Insiders/ Teaming Partners
Industry insiders and partners can
provide valuable insights.
Contracting & Purchasing Staff
Process demand. Primary POC for
questions related to active solicitations.
End Users / End Customer
Employees requiring products and
services to carry out mission.
The G-Fund Mastermind
Apex Accelerators, MBDA, SBA &
Resource Partners, SBTRCs, etc.
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
Fee-based resource partners. Can assist with
legal, teaming, accounting, etc.
Government Employees
Leveraging Your Mastermind Alliance
OSDU/SADBU
Agency small business liaison.
Usually second point of contact.
32. Final Thoughts
• Learning how to do market research will produce tremendous value.
• You don’t need to be an expert on every system. You just need to know how
to find what you are looking for.
• Keep it simple, and research regularly.
• Find help if you need it, leverage your mastermind
• DON’T go in blind. Do the research and get the facts you need to chart and
navigate your own course to success in the government marketplace.
• Level up your market research skills for competitive insights.
