How to Find Contact Information for Federal Agency Buyers

The federal government is looking for reliable small business partners to help them achieve their mission goals. In order to become the right partner, you need to understand and speak directly to their goals, objectives, challenges and pain points. How do you do this?

Update for 2025: We are excited to introduce the updated 2025 Directory of Federal Small Business Specialists – a one-of-a-kind crowdsourced initiative created by Neil McDonnell and GovCon in a Box.

• Watch the full training replay at bottom of this post.

How can you find the real decision makers for government contracts? 

How can you begin building relationships that lead to government revenue if you don't have their direct contact information?

1. Who works at your target agency program office?
2. Where can you find buyer phone numbers and email addresses?
3. What to do if you can't find someone's contact information?  

This research is a critical part of Neil's 7-Step Process for Federal Revenue Success. 

HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT FEDERAL BUYERS IN A PROGRAM OFFICE?

In this training, Neil use PEO Digital in Department of Navy as his example. Each U.S. federal government department and agencies has its own website listing many emails, phone numbers, addresses.

What's the difference?

• Program Office | Has the actual requirement leading to a contract opportunity​ | the ones who have a need for specific goods and services 
• Funding Agency / Office | Provides funding for the requirement resulting in a contract award​
• Contracting Agency / Office | Issues (awards) a contract to fulfill the requirement​

What if you want to dig deeper?

HOW CAN YOU FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE BY NAME?

1. Attend Industry Day​s and get the slides
2. Review the Agency Website​ for org charts, fact sheets and white papers | See PEO Digital example  
3. LinkedIn company​ pages  | See  PEO DIgital
4. Google News articles​:
   • use strategic search terms
     • "PEO Digital Search - site: .mil" after the agency name (limits returns to official military sites) 
     • "PEO Digital Search - filetype:pdf "
5. Matchmaking​ Events :
   • Who is attending the vendor outreach sessions?
6. Ask​ other people for introductions and referrals from Small Business specialists or anyone of your 7 Mentors of Federal Government Contracting 

8 WAYS TO LOCATE SPECIFIC PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAILS

1. 2025 Directory of Federal Small Business Specialists  with 1,000+ names, emails and phone numbers for key small business specialists; 100+ Federal Agencies; 100+ large prime Small Business Liaison Officers (SBLOs); 90+ PTACs (APEX Accelerators)
2. Online Agency Staff Directories. (HHS has a very good site)
3. Agency Fact Sheet​ : These sheets summarize the activity purpose, major areas of work and key people working on the projects
4. GAL​ | Global Address List
5. Agency Website​s
6. Search strategically (example john smith site:.mil ) or use their search bar
7. Ask​ other people | Everyone has a part of the puzzle.
8.  VISIT USA.gov  Find agency contact information for each state and territory.

WATCH THESE RELATED VIDEOS TO LEARN MORE

In "Federal Agency Industry Day | The Gateway to Building Relationships with Specific Program Offices", Neil explains how –

• To get the most value from federal agency Industry Day documents
• To understand the major projects and programs of a specific Federal Agency office
• To reach a specific program office in the federal government agency
• To find the contact information of the federal buyer in your field