1. Telephone follow up:  An occasional call to the buyer or the agent for your special commodity or service is always helpful.  When you call, ask for information on current and forthcoming bids and if any using agency may need assistance in any area. Telephone follow up is important after giving a telephone quotation to determine your standing in the final award for the telephone solicitation. Telephone follow up is vital when dealing with the using agencies, particularly after you have delivered a product to the user. A follow up call can resolve complaints or problems they may have with the shipment before the problem grows.

2. Bid Openings:  The vendor's presence at a bid opening accomplishes many things which make this an important part of follow up with a local government. Many times, the using agency is present at the bid opening and you can take advantage of this contact to further explain your bid to the user. Being at a bid opening also gives you an excellent opportunity to record the prices of your competitors for the item bid, a major advantage in future competitive bids.  Follow through on your original contacts with the purchasing office can be the most rewarding activity of your dealings with local governments. Name recognition, competitive information, extra sales, opportunities for additional contacts and advance information on future bids are but some of the advantages of this activity.