Contractors start the new calendar year with customers funded for the fiscal year. But some new rules and procedures will take some attention. To get an outlook for 2023, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke with federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen…

Tom Temin

Right. So therefore, what is a good procedure for new projects in the meantime, since contractors technically can’t get obligated funds, and they can’t get paid, then. Should they start?

Larry Allen

Oh, Tom, I think absolutely, you should start. I think you probably should have started a month ago, because we had a fairly good idea that this was going to happen. Although certainly Congress kept things interesting, as they usually do, right up to the last minute, contractors should definitely be out talking to their government customers doing the planning, doing the procedures that they would normally do to develop business. What the big difference between last fiscal year and this fiscal year, Tom, is there’s going to be just a little bit more time, a couple of months more time, for agencies to plan, to maybe do things that are a little bit in more of a strategic manner. And that’s going to benefit I think both contractors and government because everybody will have an opportunity to talk a little bit more, to plan a little bit more. It should lead to a somewhat longer buying season, although I certainly am predicting that most of the big spending will come in August and September.

Tom Temin

Okay. And just to make sure we’re super clear on this, the contractors then should feel confident in expending costs pursuant to a new project, even though they won’t get paid for it until sometime after the funds flow into the agencies and the agencies can then sign off on purchase orders and invoices… Read the full article here.