Partnership in Motion

Collaborative partnerships are often essential components of a successful business operation. Each member company bringing to the table an essential piece of the puzzle.

The world of federal contracting infrastructure is increasingly competitive and complex. Prime contractors must build stand-out teams that can help qualify for and win bids. Creating these power partners means choosing contracting partners – whether large or small — that know the process and bring a lot to the table.
When you’re looking for a government contract partner to support a contract, follow our standard partnership checklist.

Six Elements Every Partnership Agreement Needs.

So you want to go into business with someone. Good for you. Maybe your potential partner is a family member, long-time friend, investor or business associate. Whatever the relationship, the start of a partnership is much like the beginning of a romantic relationship. The parties are euphoric and it may seem as though nothing could go amiss.

Time for a strong dose of reality.

Just like every personal relationship has its ups and downs, so do business partnerships. So before you tie the knot (so to speak), you need to enter into what is known as a partnership agreement to protect yourself and your business. Here are some of the common elements that you should include in a partnership agreement, which by the way, must be in writing and signed by all partners. This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list, so consult with your professional advisor.

• Percentage of Ownership. You should have a record of how much each partner is contributing to the partnership prior to its opening. (People have short memories.)  Typically, these contributions are used as the basis for the ownership percentage, but this is not a cut and dry formula. For example, one partner may put in a considerable amount of cash, with no plans to work in the business, and a second partner may not invest cash, but will provide the sweat equity to make the business a success. As such, the partner who works the business full-time may get a larger percentage or vice versa. That’s up to you.


•  Allocation of Profits and Losses. You must decide if the profits and losses will be allocated in proportion to a partner’s ownership interest, which is the way it is handled unless otherwise indicated.  Also, will partners be permitted to take draws? (A draw is an allocation of profits from the business prior to the actual distribution among all partners.)  Because money is the root of all evil, as they say, you and your partner(s) need to make these decisions in advance.  


• Who Can Bind the Partnership? Generally speaking, any partner can bind the partnership without consent from the others partners. Imagine if your partner, without your knowledge, signed a contract for a private jet timeshare. (Sounds cool, but not practical.) That’s certainly something most small businesses can’t afford and such a liability could be a significant risk to the financial stability of your business. So you must clarify what type of consent a partner must obtain before he/she can obligate your company.


• Making Decisions. Making decisions in a business is often like trying to make decisions in a committee- nothing gets done.  In fact, it can often come to a company stalemate a company and result in business failure. Therefore, you need to establish a decision-making process in advance so your business operations can move along smoothly.  


• The Death of a Partner. What happens if one partner is deceased or wants to leave the partnership? To manage these situations, you need a buy/sell agreement.  This establishes a method by which the partnership interest can be valued and the interest purchased either by the partnership or individual partners.  


• Resolving Disputes. What happens if you and your partners reach a point where you can’t agree? Do you head to court? Well, only if you want to spend a lot of time and money. My recommendation is to include a mediation clause in your partnership agreement to provide a procedure by which you can resolve major conflicts.  

    As noted above by SBA.gov, these are some of the key elements that a partnership agreement should include.  You and your partner(s) should schedule time to talk about these issues, but it is best to go to a legal professional who can draft the agreement for you. An attorney can help advise you and make sure you have thought about and covered all the necessary elements so you can manage, protect and grow your business venture.

Example Partnership Checklist

WACommerce also has certified mediation support available where an attorney services may not be needed. The Roles WACommerce Business Solutions Can Play for Your Partnership

• Partner Meeting/Facilitator - working with you to design and deliver powerful and effective meetings that get all partners better aligned and working with greater collaboration towards mutually-beneficial outcomes for both the business and the partnership.
• Proposal Management – Advise on potential proposal options with set aside opportunities and ensure proper documents are addressed
• Partner Mediation - Creating the right partner conversations to get differing or opposing partners to see eye-to-eye on important and delicate matters.
• Partner Coach - Working with individual partners to help them be their best in the worthwhile service of the partnership and business.
• Partner Education - Providing quality and timely skills training on how to build and manage effective relationships - be it with customers, employees or other partners.
• Partnership Strategist/Advisor - Analyzing the direction of your partnership and the strategy of your business, and providing sound recommendations for improved business and partnership performance.
• Formulate a proper partnership checklist – WACommerce has a download Partnership Checklist available, search the internet for other examples that suite your needs.
• Business Research Analysis - Receive Industry & Business Reports on potential competitors as well as potential partners to assist with business dicsions to help build strong partners.

Option One Traditional Business Options

Option Two Mobilization Capital

Option Three Partner with Another Company