SBA Introduces Online Marketplace for Federal Jobs and Contracts

The Small Business Administration today announced an online marketplace for federal projects, attempting to make it easier for small businesses and companies to sell to the government, as well as easier for the government to buy from companies.

RFP-EZ, is an exciting partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the White House’s Presidential Innovation Fellows. The goal of this project is to eliminate the red-tape and overhead often involved in winning government projects. For companies that have never done business with the federal government before, the site is designed to eliminate concerns about getting on schedules or dealing with complex registration processes.

The

relatively simple design of RFP-EZ allows a company to easily search for an opportunity, see the required work statement, and bid for a project. The site, when finished will hold a variety of contracts including web design, web application development, social media, and other projects, all in the range from $3,000 to $150,000. RFP-EZ is geared towards web-based digital professional services — services like web design and development, social media, digital video, and the like. The project is still in the beta version, and success and usage rates will be measured. If the site model proves to be successful, contract opportunities will be available to a larger assortment of industries.

Other Presidential Innovation Fellows projects include Blue Button, which allows health care patients to download their own health information in a text file, and the “20% Initiative,” which encouraged government programs to use electronic payment methods instead of cash to support foreign policy, government operations and commercial activities.

SOURCE:  RF-PEZ