Proposal Managers Weigh in on Teaming Partners
Proposal managers sometimes recommend that their clients identify teaming partners to collaborate with, in the attempt to procure government contracts. But does partnering with another entity really help you win more contracts?
In some cases, partnering with another company, whether as a teaming partner or approved joint venture, can provide several significant advantages. In other cases, however, this type of partnership can be more challenging to your company than helpful.
So how can you tell the difference?
The Benefits of Teaming Partners in Government Contract Acquisition
One of the most significant benefits of teaming up with another entity when submitting a proposal is experience.
Clients regularly refuse to award a contract to an entity that has no direct experience in the subject field. So if your company lacks this critical experience, how can you ever hope to win a contract and gain that experience?
The answer is to find a teaming partner that has the required level of experience with additional resources available to support you during periods of fluctuating workloads. Eventually, after your firm successfully completes a few contracts with your partner, you can legitimately claim to have the required level of experience.
In addition, if your firm lacks a robust financial capacity, teaming up with another company can help propel your financial strength and bonding capacity to a level that the contracting entity may deem acceptable.
Forming a strategic alliance with a teaming partner can also provide access to new
markets, helping you expand your company’s reach. Working with a partner in another
market will allow you to leverage that entity’s local presence and existing network of
qualified, local subcontractors, to obtain the most competitive pricing.
Do Teaming Partners Pose Notable Risks?
As you might expect, no joint venture is without risk. Although many government entities and private contracting clients advocate joint venture or teaming relationships, no single opportunity is worth sacrificing your hard-earned status.
In some cases, teaming partners can fail to meet their contractual obligations, reflecting poorly on your firm and affecting your chances for future procurements. And unless you clearly and legally establish the parameters of your partnership, teaming firms can potentially compromise your standing as a minority or disadvantaged business entity.
How Should You Decide Whether to Use a Teaming Partner?
Before deciding to submit a proposal in conjunction with a teaming partner, it can be helpful to talk to a proposal management consultant.
For many small or disadvantaged business owners, accumulating the legal knowledge necessary to make wise decisions regarding teaming is impractical — if not impossible. This is a prime example of a situation where a proposal management consultant can prove invaluable.
Your proposal manager can assist you, using the bid/no-bid analysis procedure, in evaluating what you need to win the contracts you need to grow your business. If working with a partner can help you achieve your goals, your proposal manager can help you identify and pre-qualify potential teaming or joint venture partners, based on the parameters of upcoming opportunities.
In many cases, an experienced proposal management firm can help you land lucrative contracts without the need for a partnering arrangement.
When you trust Meridian West Consultants for your business development needs, you will have the benefit of our team’s extensive background and proven track record of helping companies like yours. Evaluating the complex legal considerations of partnering with another firm requires an experienced proposal management perspective. We have established a reputation for helping minority disadvantaged business entities win the lucrative private and government contracting opportunities they need to achieve their goals.
Contact us today to learn more about how a professional proposal manager can help you evaluate the benefits and risks of working with a teaming partner.
