By Maria Valdez Haubrich

Does your business sell an environmentally friendly product or service? Did you know that the federal government’s Executive Order (EO) 13514 requires 95 percent of all applicable government contracts to meet sustainability requirements? That could mean new opportunity for your small business.

Lourdes Martin-Rosa, the American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracting, offers the following tips to get started marketing your green products and services to government agencies:

  1. Check out the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Green Contracting Opportunities section and become familiar with how the federal government purchases green products and services.
  2. Register in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) national database and add your business to the Dynamic Small Business Search.
  3. Broaden your NAICS codes to open up green contracting opportunities: Visit www.naics.com/search.htm to determine your NAICS codes.
  4. Create a green-specific capability statement: When doing business with the government, a capability statement includes a company overview, a list of core competencies, past performances, differentiators, company data and contact information.
  5. Team up with other green government contractors: Register on TeamingUSA.com to find potential partners.
  6. Go to the Environmental Protection Agency’s website to learn about the Five Guiding Principles providing a framework for green federal purchases.