The federal fiscal year ends September 30. Agencies that have not spent their budget face an uncomfortable prospect: unspent funds may not carry forward. The result is a surge of purchasing in July, August, and September, and eBuy is one of the places you see it.
Why it matters to you
A large share of the year's eBuy requests appear in the fourth quarter. Deadlines are short, decisions are quick, and buyers prefer vendors who respond fast with clean quotes. If you are not watching, you will miss most of it.
Before the surge (May and June)
- Audit your contract. Are your prices, products, and contacts current? Submit any needed modifications now, since approvals take time.
- Set up alerts or monitoring for your SINs. See our eBuy monitoring service.
- Prepare templates: a capabilities statement, past-performance summaries, a pricing sheet at your schedule rates, and a standard quote letter.
- Decide who responds. Name the person who screens requests and the person who signs quotes.
During the surge
Screen daily
Check the board every business day, not weekly.
Go/no-go in an hour
Score fit, deadline, and effort quickly. Skip requests you cannot win.
Respond completely
Follow the instructions exactly. Late or noncompliant quotes are simply discarded.
Quote sharply
Price at or below your schedule rates, and highlight relevant past performance.
Follow up
A short confirmation that you submitted, and an offer to answer questions, keeps you visible.
After September 30
Review what you bid on, what you won, and what you learned. Early in the new fiscal year, agencies begin planning, so it is a good moment to reach out to the buyers you met.