# Government contracting

Concept · [Business and metrics](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/business)

Also called: government contracts, govcon, gov con, public procurement, selling to government, federal contracting

Selling products or services to a government agency under a formal contract. Agencies buy through set rules for bidding, paperwork and [compliance](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/compliance), so the process is slower and more structured than selling to a business. Some programs help small and new companies learn the process.

**For example:** A [founder](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/founder) with a drone inspection product registers as a government vendor and answers a city's [request for proposals](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/request-for-proposal).

## Connects to (10)

- [B2B / B2C](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/b2b-b2c): Who you sell to.
- [Compliance](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/compliance): Meeting the laws, regulations and standards that apply to a company.
- [Pilot](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/pilot): A small, time-limited trial of a product with one customer, run to learn whether the product works for that customer before a full contract.
- [Non-dilutive funding](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/non-dilutive-funding): Money a company receives without giving up any ownership.
- [Small business loan](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/small-business-loan): Money a business borrows and must repay with interest.
- [E-Rate](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/e-rate): A US program, administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company, that gives schools and libraries discounts on internet access…
- [Nava](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/nava): A technology company and public benefit corporation formed in 2015 to improve government services, programs and agencies through…
- [SBA Mentor-Protégé Program](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/sba-mentor-protege): A US Small Business Administration program in which a small business (the protégé) learns from an experienced government contractor (the…
- [Women-owned small business certification](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/wosb-certification): A free US Small Business Administration certification that lets small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are US…
- [Oklahoma CareerTech](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/careertech): The Oklahoma state agency for career and technology education, with tech centers on campuses across the state.

Map view: https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/government-contracting