Prime paperwork wasn't meant for 1099s

I'm bidding on a project with a large prime, and they have a vendor/supplier cybersecurity questionnaire that I have to fill out for the company.

They ask questions about logs and audits of cyber intrusion events, anti-virus software, cyber security reporting policies and training, and all sorts of stuff that I have no knowledge of and experience with.

If this is your first time filling out this type of paperwork for a 1099 role, you might worry that if you don't have all these systems in place or fill out the paperwork wrong, you won't get the gig.

But the truth is, as a solo 1099 or a small business, the prime doesn't care.

Most of the stuff is not applicable to smaller subs/1099s but to be compliant with various rules, they have to make you fill it out.

I literally checked off the N/A box on half the items or wrote, "I don't know what this is."

If the prime wants to bring you on, they will push the paperwork through.

So fill out the paperwork as best as you can, ask the sub-contract administrator any questions you have (or just write N/A), and then move on.

Paperwork is annoying, but unless you're a mega-corporation, you shouldn't spend energy worrying about it.

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