Looking to understand the basics of the Department of Homeland Security? Learn here about the Department's purpose, organization, and procurement trends.
The Pulse sat down with Tyler Sweatt from Second Front Systems to learn more about how and when federal agencies utilize SBIR and STTR programs. No one in GovCon is a stranger to these seasonal trends, but this time it feels like we are all counting on a little extra Q4 magic. Naturally skeptical as we are, we felt compelled to do a little digging to find out if the Q4 hype is real. Mastering the federal teaming arrangements process is essential for contractors to establish a winning strategy. This free resource guide explains the ins/outs of these arrangements. Similar to any effective federal bid strategy, a successful marketing and communications plan in Government Contracting starts with research. Taking the time to establish a federal pipeline is critical to business development efforts. Here are some tips to build a rewarding tool! Federal opportunity pipelines are the life-blood of Government Contracting firms, but what is their purpose? Find out here! This article teaches Government Contractors how to utilize federal open-source data to effectively analyze their PWin for contracts against an established incumbent – all while increasing competition and driving out underperforming competitors. The Pulse explored federal discretionary spending directives to identify FY21 contract opportunities for Government Contractors. The Pulse reviewed the last 10 years of Federal discretionary spending data and high-impact market trends critical to Government Contractors. The relationship between the IC and GovCon has always been complicated. We know playing in the IC is an artful game as information and opportunities are organized, funded, and “classified” differently. So how do you, the Government Contractor, develop business within the IC? Tune into this episode of Game Changers to hear Lisa Shea Mundt's thoughts on automating aspects of the bid and proposal process. What is Price-to-Win and why is it an important concept in your proposal development? Find out how Price-to-Win is more than a number. In August 2020, The Pulse of GovCon created, presented, and recorded GovCon 101: Teaching the Basics to Market Entrants. The Pulse explores how the cancellation of GSA's Alliant 2 Small Business (A2SB) shook an already fragile industry. Government Contracting oral presentations are theater. The Pulse offers a few best practices to get your team ready for the stage. The Pulse released our Q4 Fiscal Year 2020 Preparation Guide: Civilian + Defense Roadmap. A Special Report available exclusively to our Pulse Insider + SME members. This 34-page report contains the critical information Government Contractors need to strategize where to focus their energy, resources, and workforce over the next three months. “You need to pay for Government Contracting intelligence” is one of the biggest lies in our industry. The data is free...you just need to know where to look. The Pulse has provided four tangible ways to capture this intelligence online. Most companies enter the Government Contracting marketplace ill-prepared to work in the field of Federal Procurement. The Pulse has provided you with our top five tips to consider as you expand into Government Contracting. Back in early April, The Pulse and Public Spend Forum provided a free workshop on how to outline a Federal Solicitation...live! Our evolving coronavirus analysis addresses guidance issued by Federal agencies and related spending that has been disbursed across the Federal Government. From the desk of Ryan Bradel, Partner at Ward & Berry PLLC, here is what contractors need to know about government contracting during a pandemic. The Pulse sat down with Elizabeth Jochum to find out what Federal Protest Attorneys look for in acts against compliance and how you can use this to "protest proof" your federal proposal. We all know the man, the myth, the legend which is Q4 of the Government Contracting Fiscal Year. But did you know, outside of expected Q4 FY spending sprees, the Federal Government discretionary spending peaks traditionally during the months of March and April every year. This influx makes March Madness in our Nation’s Capital more than just college basketball… To discuss how you, the Government Contractor, can leverage SEO to attract federal buyers, The Pulse sat down again with Google SEO expert, Janet Waring, from ModelB, a modern digital marketing agency. Government Contractors have a lot to juggle. They are tasked to find opportunities on beta.SAM, make sure they are up to date with cost accounting standards, and monitor the ever moving target of their socio-economic classification. Yet there is one more less-discussed avenue Government Contractors need to monitor to stay ahead of the curve – publicly available Congressional documents. We are 70 days into Fiscal Year 2020 and the final Fiscal Year 2019 numbers are finally in! As Government Contractors gear up for Q2 of Fiscal Year 2020, The Pulse wanted to take some time to reflect on how Fiscal Year 2019 turned out. The Pulse has pulled together our suggestions on how to cross-train your Bid & Proposal teams to give your organization durability, agility, flexibility, and efficiency. We sat down with Mr. Alexander W. Major, a Partner at McCarter & English and Co-Leader of the firm’s Government Contracts and Export Controls Practice Group, to discuss what exactly we should be expecting from our Industry’s Greatest Show on Earth. On October 8th, The Pulse of GovCon and Eastern Foundry teamed up to facilitate an open and honest discussion on industry best practices and pitfalls when shaping in opportunity in government contracting. We are venturing out again to create a simplistic resource guide for Government Contractors to assist them in their journey to understand the history, application, and the opportunity behind this creative procurement tool. After weeks of scouring, vetting, and verifying — The Pulse has pulled together a one-stop reference guide for what it takes to get your socio-economic certification. Each certification has its own enumerated steps and any other necessary, supplemental information. On August 20th, The Pulse of GovCon and Eastern Foundry teamed up to facilitate an open and honest discussion on industry best practices and pitfalls when creating a proposal outline in response to a Federal Government Request for Proposal (RFP). The countdown to the (fiscal) new year has begun - we are a mere 54 days away from Fiscal Year 2020 - so The Pulse wanted to take a moment to reflect how Fiscal Year 2019 has progressed, analyze what Q4 will hold, and begin to prepare for Fiscal Year 2020. We sat down with Mr. Ed Bassett from NeoSystems, an Organization that assists Federal Government contractors and other cloud-driven businesses by enabling, running and securing their business through dedicated security and compliance. On June 19th, The Pulse of GovCon and Eastern Foundry teamed up to facilitate an open and honest discussion on what it takes to be successful in not only hiring a Business Development professional, but also in performing business development functions in this highly competitive environment. The Pulse of GovCon sat down with Ms. Janet Waring, to discuss how to market for Government Contractors! On May 28th the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released their latest infographic summarizing the Federal Government Contracting landscape in Fiscal Year 2018. And because you know we are all about the details - The Pulse has decided to shred GAO’s infographic and present the collective elements which made up Fiscal Year 2018 in Government Contracting. The Pulse of GovCon, Lunarline, and Public Spend Forum came together to discuss the actual value of three pertinent GovCon elements and evaluate Industry’s ROI Your Pulse gals sat down with Ryan C. Bradel, an experienced Federal GovCon Lawyer with Ward & Berry, PLLC, to find out the answers to the GovCon legal questions you’ve been too afraid to ask. Sometimes working an interesting Government contract can feel like finding the golden ticket. Since it’s Valentine’s Day, The Pulse has decided to re-visit the glittery and shiny agency that has had our attention — the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This concept of efficiency is as alluring as it is elusive. It’s an intangible motivator that both excites GovCon with its possibilities while also evoking fear from the absolutism of its power. This shutdown is unfortunate, but we recommend Government Contractors try to use the time effectively in the interim. We aren’t here to pontificate on what is going on - you have numerous outlets for that - but what we want to contribute are a few ideas to keep you, the Government Contractor, from going stir crazy while we wait out this storm. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been told there is only one way to put together a PowerPoint for a presentation. One golden standard “best practice” to ensure your audience is engaged while you’re speaking. No one in GovCon is a stranger to these seasonal trends, but this time it feels like we are all counting on a little extra Q4 magic. Naturally skeptical as we are, we felt compelled to do a little digging to find out if the Q4 hype is real. It’s been a long year—filled with late nights, dizzying brainstorming sessions, and a steep learning curve, all masked under a cloak of intriguing secrecy. From the bottom of our cynical little hearts, we thank you for putting your trust in us as we were nothing but an idea in its infancy. Despite its alluring mission of promoting economic growth, the Department of Commerce could be considered the wallflower of GovCon customers; it’s technically at the dance, but not shaking it wildly out on the floor. From reports saying that “OTAs” are a new procurement method, and others saying this is the future of just DoD R&D procurement, we are here to debunk and clarify. You can call us the GovCon MythBusters. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) in GovCon is nothing new, but the playing field is starting to look less like a game of golf, and more like a round of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The noise around AI has been a buzz that is steadily turning into a fanfare- but do we in GovCon really know what it entails? Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your favorite GovCon experts. This Thanksgiving, your Pulse gals would love to share our gratitude for helpful and informational resources in this topsy-turvy industry. The General Services Administration (GSA) is everyone’s favorite love-to-hate “mission enabler,” charged with “delivering the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to Government and the American people”. However, over the past 68 years, we have seen GSA’s area of responsibility morph into monstrous proportions. It’s easy to forget about the second “A” in the acronym (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) but this buzzword should be in the forefront of the Government Contractors mind.
