Explore Partnering and Subcontracting
Becoming a subcontractor can help you experience what it’s like to work on a government contract.
Find the Right Partner
Partnering with another firm on a bid opportunity is a great way to grow your business and expand your capabilities.
Why should you seek out partners?
If you’re just starting out, a subcontracting partnership can help you improve your business management and other industry-specific skills.
How to find partners
Creating a strong capability statement ahead of time and sharing it with representatives from larger firms is a good way to start. Attending pre-bid meetings for opportunities you are interested in is also a great way to introduce yourself to prime contractors.
Find a Prime Contractor to Work With
For certain bids, the City requires that larger contractors partner with small firms in order to promote local and diverse businesses and ensure a more equal playing field.
Why should you find a prime contractor to work with?
Lack of experience and certain certifications may disqualify some smaller firms from bidding on larger government contracts. Partnering with a prime contract can be a good way for smaller firms to get started.
Build a Mentor-Protégé Relationship
What is a Mentor-Protégé program?
KCMO’s Mentor-Protégé Program assists certified small businesses seeking to move to the next level and become permanent links of the contracting and procurement chain.
Why should you be interested?
The Mentor-Protégé Program develops and builds working relationships between business mentors and certified protégés. Business mentors help protégés shorten the learning curve by teaching practical industry skills or by preventing missteps by sharing lessons learned.
How to get involved
For more information, please call CREO at (816) 513-1836. You can also view the Mentor-Protégé Brochure and the Mentor-Protégé Guidelines and Application online.
Once you have found a larger firm to work with, you can formalize your working relationship using the Small Business Administration’s All Small Mentor-Protégé program. This program helps small businesses and seasoned professionals work together to bid on government contracts.