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Tag: Government contracting

The Door Is Open—But Can Small Businesses Get In?

Dr. Nazeera Dawood believes that if we genuinely want more competition and greater participation from women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses, we need to rethink what access to government contracting really means. (Federal News Network August 6, 2026)

Years ago, while working in county government, Dr. Dawood managed a request for proposals for a solution her community urgently needed. Like procurement professionals across the country, her team spent months developing the scope of work, meeting with stakeholders, and balancing cost, quality, compliance, and public need. She expected several qualified businesses to compete. (ibid)

Instead, she received only two proposals. One arrived a minute late and faced automatic disqualification. The other failed to meet the minimum requirements. After months of preparation, she had no award, no qualified vendor, and no solution for the residents who depended on the county government. (ibid)

Why weren’t more businesses bidding?

The answers were surprising.

Business owners told Dr. Dawood they did not understand government contracting or know where to begin. Some assumed agencies had already chosen their vendors. Others did not trust the process. Many could not afford to spend weeks preparing a proposal without knowing whether anyone would seriously consider it. (ibid)

That experience was a huge lesson: America does not lack capable small businesses. It lacks accessible pathways into government contracting.

And that problem is becoming more urgent. (ibid)

In March 2025, the Small Business Administration announced plans to reduce its workforce by 43% and close or relocate six regional offices, including its Atlanta office. At the same time, the government-wide goal for small disadvantaged businesses fell from a 15% target to the statutory minimum of 5%. (ibid)

Just as the government needs more competition and a broader supplier base, the support system that helps businesses enter the market is shrinking. (ibid)

This is not simply a procurement issue. It is an economic development issue. (ibid)

The federal government ranks among the world’s largest purchasers. Every contract can create jobs, strengthen a small business, and help that business grow into a larger employer. When fewer businesses compete, taxpayers lose the benefits of competition, agencies lose access to new ideas, and communities lose economic opportunity. (ibid)

The numbers tell the story.

The federal government awarded a record $183 billion to small businesses in fiscal 2024. Yet roughly the same number of small firms won federal contracts in recent years as a decade earlier, even though the number of small businesses nationwide has increased. (ibid)

Women-owned businesses received just 3.4% of federal contract dollars in fiscal 2024, well below the 5% goal Congress established in 1994. The government has reached that goal only twice in three decades. (ibid)

The dollars are growing, but the door is narrowing.

The problem does not lie in a lack of talent or expertise. Instead, we continue to confuse eligibility with accessibility. (ibid)

We tell businesses to register, obtain certifications, and attend webinars. Those steps can help. But once the orientation ends, many entrepreneurs must navigate hundreds of pages of solicitation documents, pricing requirements, compliance rules, past-performance narratives, and subcontracting plans on their own. (ibid)

A missing attachment, an unchecked box, or an incorrect signature can eliminate an exceptional business before anyone evaluates whether it can actually perform the work. (ibid)

Think about how backwards that is. (ibid)

These entrepreneurs already possess valuable expertise in cybersecurity, engineering, healthcare, construction, technology, and countless other fields. Yet we expect them to become procurement experts before we give them a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate what they already do well. (ibid)

Those are two very different skills.

Dr. Dawood spent my career in many different environments, as a physician, public health leader, county executive, and now an entrepreneur. In each setting, she watched capable people lose opportunities not because they lacked the ability to succeed, but because no one showed them how to access the opportunity in the first place. (ibid)

Dr. Dawood acknowledged her own stake in this issue. After leaving public service, she began working in this field. But the problem extends far beyond any one company or consultant. She continues to meet businesses that could successfully perform government contracts but lack a realistic path to compete for them. And experience tells me that simply providing more guidance rarely closes that gap. (ibid)

Some argue that businesses that cannot navigate the procurement process are not ready to perform a government contract. She understands that perspective. But writing a winning proposal and delivering excellent contract performance require different skills. (ibid)

We would not judge a gifted surgeon by her ability to master medical billing software before allowing her to operate. Yet that is essentially what we ask thousands of entrepreneurs to do every year. (ibid)

If we genuinely want more competition and greater participation from women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses, we need to redefine access. (ibid)

That starts with simplifying solicitations wherever possible. It means measuring success not by how many businesses register, but by how many actually compete and win. And it means investing in hands-on proposal support and stronger partnerships between government and organizations that prepare businesses to compete. (ibid)

Most importantly, we need to reward what a business can actually accomplish, not how well its owners can decode government paperwork. (ibid)

None of this will change until we stop assuming that opportunity exists simply because an application appears online. (ibid)

It doesn’t.

Opportunity exists only when a qualified business has a real and fair chance to compete and win. (ibid)

The next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and employers already exists. They are creating jobs, developing new technologies, and solving problems that government agencies need to address. (ibid)

They should not have to prove that they can navigate a maze before they can prove that they can do the work. (ibid)

The real question is whether we are willing to build a procurement system that measures what matters: what a business can do, not how well it can decode the paperwork. (ibid)

Are procurements getting harder for your business to navigate? Could you use some assistance navigating the solicitation process? Give us a call.

Back to Basics

If you are a long-time government contract holder or just beginning your government contracting journey, it is helpful to know the various forms of government contracts. According to GovCon Wire, these are the following 5 categories of government contracting.

Fixed-Price Contracts

The pricing of a fixed-price contract never changes. All risk is borne by the contract. The vendor works with what is provided by the government

Indefinite Delivery & Indefinite Quantity Contracts

Sometimes an agency isn’t exactly certain of its requirements. An agency may not know the exact amount of material or length of time required by a vendor to offer a service. Because of this, these are adaptable government contracts. They may also be called Task Order Contracts or Delivery Order Contracts.

Time & Materials Contracts

The contracting agency establishes a per-hour labor rate, evaluates materials costs, and puts in place a price ceiling. Vendors who find they can deliver services within a budget will find this an appealing option. Often contracts for emergency services are short-term. The contractor will deliver only labor and are called labor-hour contracts.

Cost Reimbursement Contracts

This form of contract tends to place greater risk on the government agency. This form of contract tends to lean towards research and development as opposed to actual goods or services. There are various cost-reimbursement contract subcategories, including cost/cost-sharing, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus award fee, and cost-plus incentive fee.

Incentive Contracts

This form of contract is actually based on a cost-reimbursement contract or a fixed-price contract, with added incentives. A government agency may award an incentive cract to a business who can complete a project swiftly. If the vendor completes the project ahead of schedule, the vendor may be eligible for an incentive (bonus). (GovCon Wire October 2021)

Do you have questions or need assistance with a government contract? Give us a call.

How to find the perfect partner – in government contracting

The government contracting arena is not only tough to navigate but also highly competitive. Many businesses turn to business partnerships to better align their products and services to meet the requirements of the government. While there are many forms of business partnerships, the most common are subcontracting, joint ventures, and contractor team arrangements.

Subcontracting is the most popular form of partnership in government contracting. Generally, a prime contractor (possibly with an established government presence) looks for a small business entity to assist with a government contract. This type of partnership works particularly well for a small business trying to “break” into government contracting. Govconwire December 20, 2021

Another form of partnership is a joint venture. This is when a small business especially those under the Small Business Administration’s mentor-protege program form a partnership to execute specific tasks within a government contract. Small businesses will integrate their specific skills to perform under contract guidelines. (ibid)

The third type of partnership is the contractor team arrangement (CTS). This is when two or more businesses, all with GSA Schedule contracts, come together to work on very specific government contracts. (ibid)

There are several ways to meet prospective partners. There are government contracting events, sponsored by businesses and on occasion, the government. Government websites, also publish various subcontracting opportunities, such as eLibrary, SubNet, the SBA Directory of Federal Government Prime Contractors with a Subcontracting Plan, and the Department of Defense’s Subcontracting Opportunity Directory. (ibid)

Being prepared when pitching a potential business partner is the most effective way to learn whether or not the partnership will work for both parties. Knowledge of your potential partner is key, company background, products and services offered, benefits to both parties, and a product demonstration all help to determine if the businesses are the right fit to work together. (ibid)

It can be hard to know if two companies are right for each other. One way to determine a good fit is to work on a project together before heading into the government arena. Look at their performance under pressure. Did they handle expectations well? Did the pressure cause hiccups in performance? Did communication take place or were there bottlenecks? These are just a few questions to be answered when determining whether a business relationship will be positive as well as productive. (ibid)

Finally, is there a commitment from both parties? Like any lasting, strong relationship, there must be dedication on both sides to make the partnership work.

Struggling to get your first government contract? Looking for a business to partner with? Give us a call.

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Government Contracting Automation?

Recent survey results of federal acquisition senior procurement executives and chief acquisition officers provide a window into the world of government procurement and what should occur over the next few years, according to Kraig Conrad CEO of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), who conducted the survey. (Federal News Network, January 7, 2020)

According to NCMA, the three major findings from the survey are:

  • The role of the contracting officer is changing
  • The business of contracting is changing.
  • The workforce is changing.

The survey found that respondents are looking to shorten the procurement cycle while giving the Contracting Officer the ability to be less restricted and able to focus on providing solutions as opposed to getting mired in the routine administrative tasks. According to Conrad, the acquisition professional should see their role as a solution maker and not a compliance “police” officer, which ultimately limits the Contracting Officer’s impact. (ibid)

One element that threads itself through all of the findings is the need for top cover from agency executives to allow contracting officers as well as program managers the leeway and freedom to try different things and bring new ideas to the table. Conrad gives the example of the Air Force pitch days, in which 51 contracts were awarded to companies that have little or no experience with the military. The service doled out $3.5 million to those small businesses on a Wednesday — each in 15 minutes or less. The first installments of the companies’ contracts were in their bank accounts almost immediately. (ibid)

Conrad noted, “we heard from a lot of our senior procurement executives that in an environment where they feel they have top cover, the risk aversion conversation is easier to overcome. Otherwise, you will go right back to the same old model where everyone is trying to protect themselves. That top cover really only comes when someone in a leadership structure is not afraid to get in trouble. You run into situations where the senior leadership doesn’t feel they are covered or protected. It will take leaders stepping out and leaning over these challenges to be able to open challenges for their workforce.” (ibid)

Another area of impact on federal acquisition is technology. The survey white paper states “Several senior leaders even described a future in which an encyclopedic knowledge of the rules and regulations will be devalued as artificial intelligence further automates their application to acquisitions or incorporates regulatory provisions and requirements into contracting app algorithms.” (ibid)

According to Conrad, “we need to get better at how we train into the workforce. Those that have data science understanding need to tell a really good story with data. How are the contracting officers the solution makers? That really comes down to competency. What is those balance of skills that will allow someone to be competent as a business leader in this function? That is one of the areas, because of technology advances, that the technical components will soon be outweighed by the software skill needs.” Conrad feels the “softer skills” include a baseline knowledge of the actual problem/mission, products, and their related markets. (ibid)

Most senior leaders interviewed expect a shift from tactical to strategic work as technology is used for repetitive or routine tasks. It’s expected that many administrative tasks, for example, contract modifications, will become fully automated. Some senior leaders look to AI to further automate regulatory provisions and requirements into contracting app algorithms. (ibid)

Conrad expects to meet with federal acquisition leaders to discuss the survey results and begin the process of changing the role of the contracting officer.

Wondering if this will affect how you work with a Contracting Officer? Give us a call.

 

It All Comes Down to SAM

GSA is merging its current legacy sites into one system, beta.SAM (the System for Award Management). SAM (login at sam.gov), is the official government website for people who make, manage, and receive federal awards.

Contracting organizations across the federal government post notices on proposed actions valued at more than $25,000 to SAM. These notices, or “procurement opportunities,” include solicitations, pre-solicitations, and sole source justifications.. Anyone interested in doing business with the government can use SAM to learn about available opportunities at no charge. However, you’ll find a few surprises at the new SAM.

The new domain contains data that has been migrated from government legacy systems. It supports two distinct federal awards: acquisition and federal assistance. Transitioning in this manner offers a more efficient way to access all federal award information.

Once you peruse the site, the government welcomes your feedback. Original SAM sites will co-exist with beta.SAM.gov until they are retired. Once the original SAM.gov site has retired, the beta site will be renamed “SAM.gov.” (beta.sam.gov)

Another way to look at the ten online sites being merged into one:

sam-new-img
source:sam.beta.gov Learning Center

For instance, SAM officially replaces WDOL.gov (Here’s a quick start guide for wage determinations.) as well as Assistance Listings and CFDA.gov. Users of CFDA.gov will be required to manage their listings using a new user account. (beta.sam.gov)

Have questions about your login credentials? Questions on where to go to obtain “official” information? Did you register and no word back on your registration? Give us a call.