Small-business special report | Focus, partnership and know-how drive success

Skim the headlines of the Fast 50 portionof the 2008 Small-BusinessSpecial Report and you'll get someinsights into what it takes to succeed in thegovernment market.The annual Fast 50 list recognizes thefastest growing small businesses in the governmentmarket, and this year's winners boastfive-year compound annual growth rates thatstart at 64.14 percent for the No. 50 company,Trusant Technologies LLC, of Columbia, Md., to275.59 percent for the No. 1 company, ESCgovInc., of McLean, Va.For small businesses in the governmentmarket, success hinges on their focus on corecapabilities, an ability to form partnershipsthat deliver results, and an understanding ofcustomers' problems and how to help solvethem.Also, executives warn about an overrelianceon small-business set-aside programs.Although good tools for gaining entry into thegovernment market are available, they don'tguarantee success."I've learned the hard way: You get 8(a)status, and you think all of a sudden thefloodgates will open," said Sanjay Agrawala,co-founder and chief executive officer ofVector Consulting Inc., of Duluth, Ga. "Itdoesn't happen that way. Make sure you'rethere for the long haul." The company ranksNo. 20.Furthermore, in this feature package, wehighlight the Top 25 8(a) small businesses, andfor the first time, we separately rank AlaskaNative Corporations and tribally owned companiesthat participate in the 8(a) program.We also examine two groups dedicated tofostering the growth of small businesses. Oneencompasses the small-business offices at federalagencies. Directors of several of them offertips on how to approach their agencies andwhat tools and knowledge small businessesneed when talking to agency procurementofficials.The second organization is the AmericanSmall Business Coalition, a four-year-oldgroup that started as a forum for smallbusinesses to share tips and ideas aboutwinning contracts. It is gaining a reputationfor bringing large and small businessestogether to form partnerships.The coalition has 350 members, some ofwhich are anything but small, such as CiscoSystems Inc. and MasterCard.