I spoke with a company called BD Squared that a friend referred me too. One of the services they offer is helping GovCon companies get on different contract vehicles, includes the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). GSA MAS The MAS basically allows GSA to pre-screen government contracting businesses so that other government agencies can purchase products and services from those companies with less administrative headache. It's like being on an approved vendor list for the government. If, after a few years of being a 1099 and growing your company a bit as sub-contractors, you should be able to submit a package to get on MAS or similar vehicles. But does this mean you'll automatically get millions of dollars flowing in from the government? Nope. BUT, what it does allow for you to do is to go to your clients and their agency's contracting shop and say "hey, if you want to do business with me, we're on GSA MAS for X, Y, and Z services." If your client really wants to work with you, they'll find a way to work with you on that vehicle. Even at the prime level, the key to success is still to develop positive relationships with clients and a solid professional reputation. The administrative stuff is necessary, but not the most important thing, and you can pay service providers to help you with it if you don't want to do it on your own. So lessons for both solo 1099s and aspiring GovCon business owners: Focus on client relationships and doing good work first. Only after you check that box should you focus on paperwork. If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book: |
Going 1099 is a book that teaches you how to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain control of your working life, earn more money and unlock more free time. I wrote it because quite a few people have asked me how they can become a 1099. I figured it was best to write a single book that I can send them and that I can share with others who are interested. This newsletter goes out Monday - Friday and covers topics that will help you succeed in starting and maintaining successful 1099 career.
One of the reasons a company would bring on a 1099 or a sub-contractor is because bringing on a full time W2 employee would be too risky. If a contract has a limited amount of time left on it and there is a vacancy, companies may not want to hire someone because they're not sure if they'll have billable work for the employee after the contract ends. This is when hiring a 1099 would make sense, even if it reduces their margin. They're trading margin in exchange for a lower risky profile. In...
Hi all, Not returning to the newsletter just yet but thought I'd send out a link to an interview I did with Jonathan Stark on his podcast, Ditching Hourly. https://podcast.ditchinghourly.com/people/dale-davidson Jonathan advocates for getting away from hourly billing in your independent consulting practice. I agree, but I discuss why that's difficult in government contracting but why it might be okay anyway, particularly if you're jus getting started. He's a great follow for those of you who...
Hi all, I've enjoyed writing this newsletter for over a year now, but I've decided to take a hiatus for the time being. There is an extensive archive if you'd like to go back and read the previous ones. As always, if you have 1099 questions, feel free to ping me via e-mail at dale@1099fedhub.com. Good luck to you all! -Dale If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book: Going 1099: How to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain...