Professional Procurement Support for Small Businesses and Organizations
Experience you can trust.
Mas Procurement’s mission is to help small businesses, organizations, and government contractors strengthen their procurement and financial practices through knowledge, guidance, and fractional support.
Core Values
Why Work with a Procurement & Finance Professional?
A procurement and finance professional helps businesses improve processes, control costs, and make informed financial decisions. Businesses gain greater efficiency and visibility into their operations, resulting in a stronger financial foundation that allows for successful growth.
Smart procurement and financial management create opportunities for growth. With better vendor relationships and financial insight, businesses can make confident decisions. Professional support helps turn day-to-day management strategies into a strategic advantage.
With the right support, businesses keep operations organized, spending under control, and finances on track. This means less stress for business owners, and more time to focus on serving customers.
What People Are Saying About Mas Procurement
“I can't say enough good things about Stephanie! For her to give her valuable time to walk me through a Sam.gov issue I was stuck on was so helpful. If you have a government contract question, she is the one to know.”
— Kwase P. via Alignable“Stephanie brings something most GovCon consultants don't. Real experience from inside federal and local governments. She knows SAM.gov cold, registration and annual renewals, FAR analysis, funding, and how to respond to solicitations. Since she's worked inside those agencies, she knows what they actually use and where they need help getting the work done. If you are trying to break into GovCon or sharpen how you go after federal, state, and local opportunities, Stephanie at Mas Procurement is the one to talk to.”
— Rick L. via Alignable“Stephanie has a great knowledge and experience with government contracts at all governmental levels and a genuine desire to help.”
— Late L. via Alignable
Procurement FAQ
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Procurement is the process of sourcing or purchasing goods and services. It starts with planning and research, and ends after final acceptance, payment, and closeout.
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Effective procurement can help businesses save on costs, maintain relationships, and mitigate risks. Establishing consistent practices is an important part of ensuring your business’s success.
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Procurement and Finance are both involved in spending, but approach management differently. Finance uses accounts payable, budgets, and invoicing to track purchases, while Procurement focuses on policies/procedures, supplier relationships, and negotiating contracts.
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There are four (4) main types of Procurement - Direct, Indirect, Goods, and Services.
Direct: purchasing materials and components used to create your final products and services. (E.g., wood and fabric used to make furniture items)
Indirect: purchasing goods and services to support business operations (E.g., office supplies, maintenance contracts, janitorial services, etc.)
Goods: acquiring physical products your business needs (E.g., equipment, computers, inventory items, etc.)
Services: acquiring services that provide expertise, labor, or specialized knowledge to help your business (E.g., consulting, IT support, legal services, etc.)
Procurement might also be defined in different ways based on other factors:
Procurement Method/Strategy: You might hear terms like “full and open competition” or “restricted/set-aside” to designate the types of businesses that can respond to a solicitation.
Contract Type: You may hear terms like “firm fixed-price” or “cost-reimbursable” to state the type of contract pricing that will be used.
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Policies and regulations will vary depending on who you are working with.
A Federal Government Agency must adhere to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and their specific supplemental documents, like the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) or Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR).
A Local Government Municipality might have required regulations or statutes from the state to follow along with their own charter and policies.
A Commercial Entity will typically have their own standard practices and policies that they follow to ensure fairness, competition, and efficiency, but will also meet other requirements if working with another private or public entity.
An Educational Institution may prefer to work with non-commercial terms and conditions, depending on the type of services provided.
No matter who you do business with, there will always be policies to follow and terms to negotiate. This is where a Procurement professional can provide guidance to ensure your business is aware of and/or meeting third-party requirements.
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The Procurement process can be broken down into 10 general steps:
1. Identify the Need: A department/team identifies a requirement.
2. Requests & Approvals: A Purchase Request is submitted and approved.
3. Market Research: Locate potential sources and suppliers. This can include posting a Request for Information (RFI).
4. Solicitation: If required, issue a solicitation (E.g., Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote or Qualifications (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), etc.)
5. Evaluation: Assess responses from the solicitation.
6. Negotiation & Award: Finalize terms and select a Contractor/Supplier.
7. Award/Purchase Order: Execute a Contract/Agreement and/or Purchase Order.
8. Receiving & Inspection: Goods/services are received and accepted.
9. Invoice & Payment: Process invoices and pay Contractors/Suppliers.
10. Administration & Closeout: Complete modifications/amendments if needed, ensure compliance with requirements, and closeout the PO.

