Presentation slides presented by Sandy Ratliff at the Franklin County Doing Business with the Commonwealth Workshop help on April 12, 2012 at Westlake Library. The workshop focused on how to register to do business with Virginia state markets and navigate the eVA system.

1. SELLING TO THE
COMMONWEALTH
Sandy Ratliff
Business Services
Manager

2. Welcome
Our objective:
Doing Business with the Commonwealth
Governor’s Executive Order 33
SWAM Certification
Registration with eVA, the State’s Electronic
Procurement System
Various Reports available in eVA

3. The Virginia Department
of Business Assistance
VDBA supports economic development in the
Commonwealth by working with new and
existing businesses to provide business and
economic development communities with:
• workforce incentives
• financing
• business information and counseling
• state procurement assistance
• educational opportunities

4. Formul a for Success
ion
- Critical information for decis
making
l
- Well tr ained and plentifu
workforce
e
- Appropria te capital structur
Ask VBIC =
866-248-8814

5. Business Information Services
To help businesses get started and to grow.
Formation Assistance
 Virginia Business Information Center (VBIC)
1-866-248-8814
Bridges the 26 state agencies, over 110 regulatory programs
and over 300 forms that may touch a Virginia business
Questions on registration, taxation, licensing
Interactive business plan available online at
www.vdba.virginia.gov or www.vastartup.org
5 Step process to a business plan

7. Entrepreneur Workshops
• Partnership with Service
Providers and localities
• Workshop Types:
– Starting and growing a business
– How to sell to the Commonwealth
– Social media for business
– Business of Restaurants & Tourism
– Marketing Your Business
– Using iPad for Business List of
events:
– www.vastartup.org

8. One–on-One Counseling
Sessions
Need Based:
– Accessing New Markets/Sales Growth
– Tailored Sales Development Solutions
– Financing Resources
– Social Media for Your Business
– iPad for Business
To schedule an appointment, contact:
Sandy Ratliff, Business Services Manager
276-676-3768
Email: sandy.ratliff@vdba.virginia.gov

9. Virginia Jobs
Investment Program
• Workforce recruiting and training
– Create minimum 25 net new jobs within 12 months and capital
investment of at least $1,000,000
– Minimum entry­level wage of $10.00/hr required. Only full­time jobs are
eligible.
• Small business workforce recruiting and training
– 250 employees or less, hiring at least 5 new full time employees within
12 months of operation and capital investment of at least $100,000
– Minimum entry­level wage of $10.00/hr required. Only full­time jobs are
eligible.
• Retraining
– Small businesses that are retooling and installing new technologies
– Company must retrain minimum 10 full­time employees.

10. Financing Programs
• Direct Lending: In partnership with banks and other
lenders, we provide direct loans in economic
development transactions. We also provide direct loans
under specific programs designed to promote
environmental stewardship and assist licensed daycare
centers and family home providers.
• Indirect Lending: We provide loan guarantees or other
types of credit enhancements to commercial banks in
order to increase access to capital for businesses.
• Conduit Financing: We are the statewide conduit
issuer of tax-exempt industrial development bonds for
manufacturers and 501c3 organizations.

11. The VSBFA Does Not Give…
• Grants
• Loans or guaranties of loans without collateral
• Loans or guaranties of loans without personal
guaranties from all significant owners

12. If your business needs more business/customers

13. Connecting to State
Government Markets
s n
rre ctio
o f Co
D ept.
VDOT
Colleges/Universities
DMME DGS

14. Governor’s Executive Order 33
The Commonwealth of Virginia purchases
almost $5 Billion in goods and services
annually
Small Business Goal – 40%
Small business goals in every state agency’s
procurement plan

15. Virginia Spend – Current FY
Franklin County = $1.3M
Pittsylvania $4.6M
Henry $576,000M
Roanoke $14.53M
Patrick $1.07M

16. Virginia Top 20 Commodities/Purchases - 2011
Maintenance & Repair, Highway and Road
Construction Services General (include maintenance & repair services)
Building Construction, Commercial & Institutional
Engineering Services, Professional
Construction Services, General
Maintenance and Repair Services, Building
Building Construction, Industrial
Construction Management Services
Traffic and Transportation Engineering
Asphaltic Concrete, Hot Laid Including Bituminous Materials
Business Management Services
Structural Engineering
Software Maintenance Support
Engineering Consulting
Snow and Ice Removal Services
Site Work (Inc. site clean-up)
Personnel Services, Temporary
Special Education
Professional Medical Services
Administration Services, Health

17. SWAM Certification
• Small AND/OR Woman AND/OR Minority
• Department of Minority and Business
Enterprise (VDMBE)
• www.dmbe.virginia.gov
• Mandatory set-aside program

18. No
Guarantees
It takes
Work!
FUTURELAB

19. Doing Business with the Commonwealth
eVA – Virginia’s Procurement Tool
eVA is the Commonwealths’ Procurement System
Supporting
• all 171 Agencies/Colleges/Universities
• 575 Local Governments
• with 22,686 Users and 53,094 Vendors
The Market… annual estimate
$5 Billion from State government, plus
$5 Billion from Local government

20. Why Register…
Access to Business Opportunities
• Active/Current Solicitations
• Future Procurements
• Current Statewide Contracts
• Vendor Catalogs & Punchout Websites
• On-Line Bidding
Access to Market Research & Learning
• Reports for Analysis
• Procurement Contact information
• Vendor Information Center

22. How does this help…
Buyer Bidders Lists
• who you are… name, contacts, addresses
• what you sell…. commodity codes
• where you sell…. service areas
Solicitation Notifications… email
Order delivery choices
• electronic…. email
Search for opportunities… VBO
Bid on-line… Quick Quote

23. How to Register
What you need
• Tax ID Number
• DUNS Number (from Dun & Bradstreet)
• Addresses
- ‘Headquarters’ - Orders
- Solicitations - Billing
• “Administrator” (manages account)
• Contacts
• Commodity Codes
• Service Areas
Where you go www.eVA.virginia.gov
Who can help eVA Customer Care, 866-289-7367

25. Current Procurement Guidelines for
Non- Technology Goods and
Services
 $5,000 and under: Buyer only has to get one verbal
or written quote from a certified small business.
Contact the buyer to let them know what commodities
you can provide. The public report in eVA will help you
identify what buyers are buying your commodity.
 $5,000-$50,000: Buyers place an electronic quote in
eVA utilizing Quick Quote, if your commodity code
matches the code the buyer used, you will be
automatically emailed a notice of the opportunity
 More than $50K: A formal solicitation, Invitation for
Bid or Request for Proposal (VBO), again you will
receive an electronic notification of the opportunity

27. Vendors Manual
• on the eVA Home Page
www.eva.virginia.gov
• your guide on the rules
and regulations
Available in .pdf and Word formats

28. Hey Big Spender……
Some of the top spenders in the Commonwealth
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
State Police
Department of Mines, Mineral, and Energy
Department of General Services
Department of Corrections
Universities: UVa, VaTech, VCU, GMU, JMU,
CNU, CWM, VSU

29. • Examples of Purchasing:
– Soft Drinks
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $800,553 – 529 PO’s
– Souvenirs: Promotional, Advertising, etc.
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $454,488 - 534 PO’s
– Grounds Maintenance: Mowing, Edging, Plant (Not Tree)
Trimming, etc.
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $27,247,930 – 1,145 PO’s
– Tires and Tubes, Passenger Vehicles
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $942,724 - 589 PO’s
– Concessions, Catering, Vending: Mobile and Stationary
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $15,011,996 – 9,034 PO’s
– Building Maintenance
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $291,413 - 70 PO’s
– Earth Moving Equipment Rental
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $14,756,465 - 918 PO’s
– Janitorial/Custodial Services
• 05/01/2011 – 04/01/2012 = $18,221,240 – 1,366 PO’s

30. Selling to the
Commonwealth
 Obtain your SWAM (small, women, and minority)
Certification from the Department of Minority and
Business Enterprise
 http://www.dmbe.virginia.gov

31. Avoid Common Mistakes
Make sure NIGP(Commodity) codes are
accurate and current
Keep your contact information current in the
eVA system. If your email address changes,
update this in eVA or you will not receive
notifications of opportunities
 Register as a premium vendor, not basic.
Use service area for statewide or you could
potentially miss opportunities
Don’t select to accept faxes….make sure your
email is correct!!!!
correct

32. Ready to get to
eVA customer Care
work on eVA?
1-866-289-7367 Let’s start
navigating!
eVACustomerCare@dgs.virginia.gov
System issues, changing certain account
information, technical questions, password
help

33. eVA’s Home Page

34. Vendor Tab

35. Run Reports

36. Vendor Reports
Find other vendors
selling your same
Step 3: Run a commodities - 720
Commodity Spend
Report - 702
Look-up the
purchasing history
for your commodity
- 703
Vendor Spend by Zip
Code Search - 704
See what your
competition is
doing within the
Commonwealth/
who they are
selling to - 701

37. Commodity Spend

39. Public Report to View
History

40. Commodity Report - 702
Save in Excel

41. Vendor Information

42. Vendor Information

43. Competition or
Prospects?

44. Competition or
Prospects?

46. ----- DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL -----
Dear _______________,
This message is to notify you and your location that
an amendment #3
to the following solicitation has been published to the public:
Solicitation Type : IFB
Issuing Organization : A216
Solicitation Number : IFB #08-09-72
Solicitation Version : 3
Solicitation Description: Construct three (3) offices in Room 100A of Carrier Library.
Work Location : James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
NOTE: all times displayed in eVA are EST
Click here to view the solicitation:
https://vendor.epro.cgipdc.com/loginEngine/index.jsp?openDoc=openDoc&DocumentCode

48. Open Solicitations &
Awards

49. IT’S NOT HARD, IT JUST TAKES WORK
AND DON’T FORGET…. BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS/NETWORK!

50. SWAM Certification

58. Lets Connect:
Sandy Ratliff
The Virginia Department of Business Assistance
276-676-3768
sandy.ratliff@vdba.virginia.gov
Online:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sandyratliff
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sandy.ratliff
LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyratliff
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/vastartup