The U.S. Government (USG) is the world’s largest customer, including for space-related products and services, offering numerous opportunities to businesses through its procurement system. As with many other governments, the rules for qualifying to sell products and services to the USG are not the same for foreign companies as for domestic companies. This session is geared at non-US companies in the space industry, and will contain a lot of “how to qualify” advice for these companies to be able to receive US government contracts and awards. As described in the outline below, the course will cover basic qualification requirements and how to meet them, and ways non-US companies can qualify despite rules directed at US companies.
This session will provide a basic framework on qualifying for and obtaining USG procurement contracts, particularly for non-US companies. It will also address some flexible ways to do business with the USG including Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs). The session will cover: 1. Basic requirements and how to meet them from the start (how to qualify), particularly for non-US companies 2. Various sales channels available to non-US space companies 3. Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) rules and security clearances 4. Supply chain risk management, and cybersecurity 5. The USG innovation ecosystem (DARPA, DIU, AFRL, SDA, In-Q-Tel, and more) 6. Brief overview of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) 7. Types of FAR / DFARS contracts and the differing obligations with each 8. Other types of USG agreements (grants, OTAs, CRADAs)