Firstgov.gov, is a search engine that organizes and centralizes federal agency information. It searches over 30 million web pages. It takes some rudimentary experience in web searching to use it properly. If you get frustrated using it, keep this in mind: it has revolutionized the business development process.

Once at an agency website, look for links to such gold nuggets as these:

• The contracting organization
• Doing business with the agency information
• Official buyer names and phone numbers
• Organization charts and end-user contact directories
• Procurement forecasts
• Active contract listings
• Public bids
• Advanced announcements of upcoming public procurements
• Credit card holder contact data

The business development information available at agency websites varies from sparse to very rich.

If an agency website does not contain organizational directories with titles and phone numbers, call the Directors Office or Public Relations Office and ask for the agency telephone directory, organization charts, and agency program publications. Usually they will send you the information without a formal Freedom of Information Request, if the information is available as an off-the-shelf publication. 

Tips:

End-users for your product and service can be identified by calling the official buyers who’ve purchased your type of product or service and asking about the end-users with whom they work. Sometimes official buyers are listed at agency websites. At the very least you will find the phone number of the contracting organization for the agency.

Try using local and federal blue page telephone directories to find the federal offices, facilities, and military base in you geographic are.