Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The Indiana APEX Accelerator will help you create a government procurement action plan or roadmap to get started with government contracting.  Prior to deciding to pursue government contracting, you will want to first assess your government contracting readiness:  Are you an established business?  Do you have a business plan that includes government contracting as a growth strategy or new customer market? Have you done the necessary market research to determine the government’s demand for your product or service? Will your company’s cash flow be compatible with government payment cycles? Does your company have a history of sales or an experienced team in the business’ line of work? It takes time and persistence to do business with the government. When your business is ready, an Indiana APEX Accelerator Counselor can help you get started! If you’d like further resources on establishing your business, please connect with the Indiana Small Business Development Center.

Yes. The Indiana APEX Accelerator can provide you with assistance as you begin developing your company’s government capability statement for government contracting.  In addition, an Indiana APEX Accelerator Counselor can provide you with samples of government capability statements that you can refer to when creating your own.  

No, the Indiana APEX Accelerator Counselors provide assistance to companies preparing to compete for contracting opportunities with federal, state, or local government entities. This includes a no-cost BIDMATCH service.

No, the Indiana APEX Accelerator does not assist with funding for small businesses but may be able to recommend resources for funding, such as your area Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

No, the Indiana APEX Accelerator does not prepare government bids or proposals on behalf of clients but can assist you with review of your bid or proposal documents prior to submission to the government.

The federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs both offer qualifying small businesses federal funding opportunities with the goals of stimulating technological innovation, engaging small businesses to meet federal research and development needs, and increasing private sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal Research & Development (R&D) funding. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. To receive SBIR/STTR news, please subscribe to the SBA SBIR/STTR Newsletter.

The Indiana APEX Accelerator does not require that your business be a small business to qualify for services. Businesses of any size may benefit from APEX Accelerator services.

The Indiana APEX Accelerator assists already established businesses to identify and compete for government contracting opportunities. While not required, businesses operating for 2+ years are best served by the Indiana APEX Accelerator.

The Indiana APEX Accelerator can assist businesses with marketing their products and services to the government by assisting with market research, reviewing, and assisting with company government capability statements and narratives along with other government marketing materials, and reviewing company profiles in System of Award Management (SAM) and Small Business Administration Dynamic Small Business Search.

The Made in America Office (MIAO) and its objective is to highlight products and services that are perceived to be only available from outside the U.S.  When a government contracting officer wants a waiver from the Buy American Act, market research must first be conducted before the officer can request a non-availability waiver indicating a domestic source could not be found.  Such waivers are published now at https://www.madeinamerica.gov/  under the “Waivers” tab. Interested businesses can scroll through the products and services listed and determine their capabilities and interest in providing them. If capable and interested, please reach out to your Indiana APEX Accelerator Counselor as they can then assist in getting you connected to the right contracting officer, small business representative, and/or program office.

You will need to first register as a bidder with the State of Indiana. Once registered, you can complete the supplier diversity application online where you can identify as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) or Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB). To become a registered bidder and complete the supplier diversity application, please visit the following link: https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/. For a list of more detailed instructions, please view the instructions from the IDOA website.

Yes. The Indiana APEX Accelerator can provide assistance with these certifications. For more information on eligibility and more details, please visit the SBA checklist.

Businesses interested in applying for Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification should first review SBA’s WOSB Preparation Checklist. The Checklist outlines the information necessary to complete the application for WOSB certification.

The federal Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) program is limited to women-owned organizations based upon specific NAICS codes, whereas the State of Indiana’s Women Business Enterprise (WBE) program usually does not. Additionally, some WBE certified companies have no requirements on size whereas WOSB requires that the company meets the size standard as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Pro tip: Refer to SBA’s Size Standards Tool to determine if your business is “small” as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To determine if your business is “small” by SBA standards: You can refer to the SBA’s Size Standard Tool if you’re not sure. To determine if your business is located in a HUBZone: The SBA website has an interactive map which can aide you in determining if your location qualifies as a HUBZone.

To use the HUBZone Map:

1. Type the business address into the search bar and click or tap search.
2. Check to make sure the search found the correct address.
3. Read the qualification status.
4. Open a printable copy of the results

The Joint Certification Program allows contractors access to Department of Defense/Department of National Defense (DOD/DND) unclassified export controlled technical data/critical technology. This certification is typically needed for manufacturing companies to review technical drawings. Please reach out to your local APEX Accelerator for further details.

Please review the SAM.gov Quick Start Guide for an overview of how to register your company with the System for Award Management, as linked here: Quick Start Guide for Contract Registrations. Pro tip: To compete for contracts you need both a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code.

Please review the SAM.gov Entity Registration Checklist for information on what documents are acceptable for registration with SAM, as linked here: Entity Registration Checklist.

The Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) is the primary database federal buyers use to conduct their market research of small businesses. DSBS is another tool contracting officers use to identify potential small business contractors for upcoming contracting opportunities. Pro tip: Small businesses can also use DSBS to do their own market research and view information about potential teaming partners or competitors, such as details relating to growth, customers, and market penetration.

Effective April 14, 2023, the Profile Pages application in DSBS will be accessed through SBA Connect. Users will use SBA Connect to make updates to their DSBS profiles. An instructional video on how to reach the DSBS Profile Pages is available here: ProNet – Training. Pro tip: Make sure the information transferred from SAM.gov to DSBS is accurate. Be sure to add a capabilities narrative to make your company stand out.