Today's Startup Journal has a great article we all should read - Being Small Can Help Win The Big Contract. It's great on several points: it highlights licensing opportunities, speaks of small business innovation, and gives insight into evaluation process of larger companies looking for smaller partners.

It's the last point I want to draw your attention towards.

To grade potential partners, Deere measures such things as turnaround time, financial viability, warranty cost and sales with a pass/fail system. But Deere also judges licensees based on something it dubs "wavelength" -- attributes that matter in the relationship. An example: Does it take a business three days or 30 minutes to call back with an answer to a question? What kind of outward respect do they show for the Deere brand? How quickly can they make prototype changes?There are two parts of getting the big opportunity with a large company or customer. One involves the larger company. The one you control is the readiness of your business.

Is your business ready for a big partnership? Would your company make the grade?