Promoting Your Goods and Services

It pays to promote your goods and services to federal government departments, to let them know what goods and services you have and why you should be their supplier. If you're not persistent, departments won't get to know your products or services. This fact sheet tells you how to dig for opportunities.

• Goods Contracts Under $ 5,000
• Contracts Under $ 25,000
• Service Contracts
• Know the End User's Needs
• Emphasize Your Unique Features
• Focus Your Energy

Goods Contracts Under $ 5,000

Many departments do not use Public Works and Government Services Canada's (PWGSC) procurement or contracting services for goods contracts under $ 5,000. They hold their own competitions by getting bids from companies listed with them. Getting to know the materiel managers in the departments that need your goods or services, will probably enhance your chances of obtaining contracts.

Contracts Under $ 25,000

Promoting your goods and services should also help you in your chances to bid on opportunities valued at less than $ 25,000 ($10,000 for printing). These are the requirements where PWGSC uses source lists (except for Science, Informatics and Professional Services opportunities which are advertised on MERX™, unless a service requiring special accreditation is required). When departments send PWGSC a requisition for goods or services, they also list suggested sources. We include these suggested suppliers on the bidders' list.

Doing a good job promoting your goods and services to client departments, could get you named as a suggested source.

Services Contracts

PWGSC is responsible for buying about 18 percent of all services for client departments. They must work through PWGSC for mandatory services: that is, services that must be provided by a common service organization. These include, for example, architectural and engineering services, legal services and the disposal of surplus goods.

Departments can choose to do their own contracting for services that aren't mandatory. Find out how departments buy your services and market them accordingly.

Know the End User's Needs

Emphasize Your Unique Features

Make departments aware of your special selling features. Advise them of the qualities that differentiate you from your competitors.

For example, say your management consulting firm comprises a group of consultants and technical specialists with post-graduate degrees and 10 years' experience. You may want to mention these special assets to the managers with whom you would like to do business.

If your products are environmentally friendly, you should mention this to prospective government clients. Departments are being encouraged to buy "green" and are looking for products and services that help or do not harm the environment.

Focus Your Energy

To save time before you pound the pavement, research your government market and focus your marketing energy on the right people. Blanketing the marketplace with promotional flyers, or telephoning everyone in sight will only waste your time, energy and money.

• Target departments and agencies that use your goods and services.
• Use government phone books (regional and National Capital editions) and departmental organization charts to pinpoint potential areas of business. Phone books (print or CD ROM version) can be ordered from Canadian Government Publishing at (613) 941-5995 (National Capital area) or 1 800 635-7943. To request copies of organization charts, contact the Communications or External Relations Branch of the applicable department.
• Contact the people in the organizations, directorates and divisions within departments that need your goods and services. Most departments will designate one person as a technical authority or coordinator for a particular product or service. Ask for the names of people who have the financial authority to make purchases.
• Often, materiel managers make great contacts. They're responsible for identifying their departments' requirements, forwarding requisitions to PWGSC and figuring out specifications. Many departments have regional materiel managers as well; ask your local PWGSC office for a copy of the list of regional materiel managers.

More Information

For more information about promoting to government, please contact your local PWGSC office.