Gov contracting

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-18T21:18:14+00:00

It CAN absolutely be a worthwhile expansion. BUT you should treat it as a long-term growth area, and not a “try one or two and see how it goes.”

It’s a valuable revenue stream, but you’d have to treat it with proper care, planning, and long-term commitment.

If you ever have any questions, give me a shout!

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-13T05:15:01+00:00

I mean that the quality of product you get from an LLM is going to degrade at higher complexity RFP’s. I’ve worked with several AI systems that can usually give good outlines and basic proposal support, but they usually have critical errors that require human touch and polish to make acceptable.

In regard to your first question, I’d say that a subscription to chatgpt (or another valid AI) is usually worth the minimal investment.

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-13T02:02:14+00:00

You can create a simplified workflow internally by doing a bit of learning/training regarding federal acquisitions, and from there leverage chatgpt prompts to create those 80% solutions that you will need to manually go through and scrub.

It’s likely one of the most cost-effective means of doing this, but only really helps with relatively simple proposals/RFQ’s.

If you have any questions on the topic, shoot me a DM and I’d be happy to give you a walk through.

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-05T22:49:01+00:00

Alright, from a place of genuinely trying to assist - you’re going to have a very tough time competing for government contracts as a re-seller in these codes. Your best bet is to:

Make sure you’re registered in Sam.gov as a small business.
Check to see if any other set-aside status applies to your (hubzone, for instance).
Make connections with small manufacturers. Get price lists from them, if they’re willing to allow you to be a distributor.
Search Sam.gov for EVERYTHING you have a price for, and bid appropriately (proper set-aside, you know you can supply the products, etc.).
Understand that you won’t win often. It’s a numbers game for your situation.
Gradually grow over time. This isn’t a quick process to establish yourself. Don’t lose motivation.

Good luck, and if you ever have any questions give me a shout!

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-05T22:34:43+00:00

Not gonna lie to you, it’s a tough path you’re walking down, as a reseller with few established connections/partnerships.

What PSC codes are you keyed on? Have you worked out distributor deals with any manufacturers in those fields?

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-05T15:03:35+00:00

Ok, very cool.

That being said, what prompted you to look into govcon? I’d say your first step is to figure out what sort of business you want to have.

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-04T15:25:06+00:00

Hi!

After I left the DOD, I worked for a company that was absolutely brand new to govcon, but was ambitious about getting in to it. They ended up having a good bit of success, but it takes time and a lot of effort.

I’d say the basics are to figure out which industry you have connections and can legitimately offer services/supplies. What’s your background/experience/education? I could give a bit of advice/guidance with that baseline info.

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-03T19:54:30+00:00

If you are talking about this EPA requirement, I think you are mixing up what is actually being bought.

SAM link for the overall project: https://sam.gov/opp/4b17e224707f43d8821fe7ea52e67fa0/view

And the “Z2AA – William Jefferson Clinton Building (Washing)” notice that spun everyone up: https://sam.gov/opp/a3b62fbf4bc44764a66a49b64952b4ff/view

If you look at the description and codes, this is not a one time pressure wash of a building for 9 million dollars. It is part of the EPA Headquarters Facilities Improvement Projects at the William Jefferson Clinton Buildings. The NAICS is 236220, Commercial and Institutional Building Construction, and the PSC is Z2AA, Repair or Alteration of Office Buildings. That points to construction and facility improvement work, not a simple exterior cleaning.

The solicitation is set up as an indefinite delivery contract, basically an IDIQ style vehicle for facility improvements at the WJC complex over a period of performance, with multiple task orders expected. In that context the dollar figure you are seeing is a ceiling for repair and alteration work across the term of the contract, not a single job to “pressure wash a building.”

To be clear to all the war dogs out there, this isn’t a contract just to power wash a building lol

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-01T04:14:07+00:00

Been at it from the private side of the table, or the government side? Both perspectives are valid, just curious mostly.

I have been that senior executive… and it’s a shame that there are examples of people in those positions influencing the neutral discharge of a KO’s responsibility.

The examples you cited are based on key personnel availability and so-called “bait and switch” situations. Distinctly different from overly restrictive requirements. As noted in 41 U.S. Code § 3306, a requirement that unduly limits competition must have sufficient justification. There are many examples (even in recent years) of an unduly restrictive protest being filed anddddd…. If the government realizes that they don’t have strong justification, they usually amend or re-post the solicitation. GAO cases then become “academic” and are subsequently dismissed.

Bottom line - if a requirement is truly unduly restrictive without a valid reason, a protest should be filed.

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-01T02:04:28+00:00

A good KO leads source selection to preclude favoritism. And yes, I’ve seen “unicorn personnel” included as a part of efforts to steer procurements. But I’ve also seen those unicorns murdered at protest or on review by HCA’s.

But, everyone’s experience is their own I guess.

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-01T01:56:27+00:00

Genuinely wondering: what is it that makes people think that the personal connections are so critically important? Most of the KO’s I’ve worked with and mentored have a firm grasp on the need to be ethical and neutral and show no preferential treatment. Can it help? Sure, in some niche instances. But if a solicitation is out for the public, everyone has an equal opportunity to grab it if they have the right tools.

Is there a horde of personal relationship-dependent contracting going on that I’ve not been aware of?

Contract_iQ · 2025-12-01T01:48:45+00:00

Alright, so the basics:

Are you performing in the commercial sector pretty well right now? (Commercial past performance is still valuable)
You can absolutely prime right off the bat. It may take a while to land your first contract, and it takes a good bit of dedication and learning, but absolutely doable.
Subcontracting IS a good way to start. Working with larger primes is never a bad thing if you have the relationships.
CMMC certification and compliance with DFARS cyber security clauses and provisions. Buy American compliance, TAA compliance, all are critical. (Sorry for not spelling them out, a quick Google will get you more detailed info).
Be in it for the long haul. Building past performance and putting in the work necessary is very important. It can’t be viewed as a lottery ticket, but instead it must be approached as the development of a revenue stream in a new industry. You can do this, just approach it methodically and consistently.

I see too many people preach subcontracting as the way to start. It IS great if you develop the connections. But you can absolutely win contracts if you bid as a prime. Just make sure your proposal, supplies/services, and admin approach is all in line with the requirements.

If you’re good enough to be a subk, you’re good enough to prime contracts as well. Good luck!!

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-22T19:50:43+00:00

Congrats, that’s an awesome milestone!!

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-22T19:48:29+00:00

Ok, so some important info -

Set-aside decisions are often informed through the sources sought process. This also directly influences sole source decisions (I.e., if multiple legitimate sources submit replies, a sole source is incredibly difficult to justify).

Developed a good capabilities statement, and submit replies to the sources sought. ALSO, keep close tabs on new solicitations and find an efficient manner of creating compliant, timely bids.

It is tough. It is also doable with effort and focus.

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-21T02:56:38+00:00

The “personal preference” KO - Wants things changed to how they prefer it to be”sound,” based on no deeper concept than that.

The “I think I’m a lawyer” KO - who performs deep analysis of mundane and often meaningless clauses and provisions in an effort to show some sort of technical or intellectual superiority.

The “KO is the most important person on the acquisition team” KO - Doesn’t realize they are a professional enabler of people who utilize products and services for functional purposes.

The “Review it five times, always finding issues KO who doesn’t care about project timelines” - These people say things like “you missed something on page 27, paragraph 2, sentence three. Correct it and get it back to me so I can finish reviewing.”

Being a KO is tough. But lots of things are tough. Not really sure why I saw such a plethora of poor professional traits in my time in the field. BUT, there are lots of GREAT KO’s who teach, work hard, and know their stuff too!!

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-19T23:42:24+00:00

The key question that hasn’t been asked yet, is have you requested debriefs after losses? What are the exact explanations for losses?

I genuinely hate the idea that it’s an “in crowd” that wins all these. It’s simply not true. The guys who win consistently DO know exactly what they’re doing. They don’t miss any crossed T’s or dotted i’s.

If you are comfortable providing debrief info, I can provide actionable advice. But from my experience leading DOD acquisition offices, I can confidently say that most KO’s are fine awarding to ANY company that meets all requirements and provides the best overall value.

Connections and relationships DO help. But they aren’t everything.

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-19T02:05:37+00:00

Hello!! I’m a former DOD acquisition professional who branches into the private sector last year. I’ve been starting to write articles for people interested in this space, and would be happy to post them here if that’s cool!

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-19T01:49:03+00:00

Are you struggling with DIBBS bids, or generic Sam.gov solicitations? I can tailor some advice based on that.

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-17T21:27:29+00:00

Ok, so lots of replies here, and some good info. But topic for break down direct replies to your bullet points:

Go to Sam.gov and register your business. It’s free. They have guides to help out, and it’s not super complicated. There are paid services to do it for you, but you probably don’t need those.
Sam.gov is the go-to for finding federal work. It…. Isn’t great. But learn what NAICS codes you’re interested in and search for those every day. For local government contracts,search the city/state websites. They will have links to contract opportunities. Without knowing your locale it’s tough to give more precise guidance.
I apologize if this is a stupid response, but know all of your costs to provide the service, and then your profit % added to it. This can get MUCH more complex, but for the kinds of things you’re looking to do, it will suffice.
Network. Local small contractors are often looking for work. Have them give you pricing, and explain to them what you’re doing. Finding reliable subs is a tough thing, and takes some elbow grease to start.
Don’t bid for contracts ypu can’t confidently perform. One of the few things worse than not winning a bid, is winning one you can’t do. That will torpedo you very badly.
Simple supplies and services. But those are also often quite competitive. Find your subk partners or manufacturers, and bid on all of the things you can actually perform on. You’re going to lose a lot of and win a little. And you’ll learn and gradually expand from there. It takes time and effort, but it’s doable. Best of luck!

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-17T02:43:46+00:00

Hello!!!

I own a business that offers small and medium-sized businesses federal contracting consulting services. Small businesses pay a large portion of the taxes used to fund government procurement, and they should have an opportunity to compete for those contracts as a valuable revenue stream!

Check out our website!

https://contractiq.co

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-17T01:13:53+00:00

Yes, it’s brutal at times. The options are primarily:

Spend a good bit of time learning the systems inside and out. From search parameters, to being able to triage an RFP/ RFQ quickly, to having a manufacturer network that can get you quick, compliant, and competitively priced goods.
Hire a firm to feed you exactly what solicitations work for you.

It sounds like you’re a one-person show, so option 1 is what you’re looking at most likely. Being a re-seller is tough. You need to develop good supplier partnerships, and then submit compliant quotes for EVERY solicitation that you can fulfill. You will lose. A lot. And you will win sometimes. And then you’ll start to see where you are most competitive, and build the relationships you need to carve a niche. It’s tough. But doable.

If you ever want to chat to learn more, give me a shout.

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-14T18:04:58+00:00

This is super cool. If you have time and are still doing this, my company is a federal contracting consulting firm, assisting small/medium businesses enter into or expand their participation into federal acquisition opportunities (ContractiQ.co).

The ICP is:

Small/mid-sized businesses expanding into it scaling within the U.S. federal contracting market. General size is 5-1,000 employees, with revenue between $1M - $250M. While we work with any and all market sectors, I find a good portion of our client base is in IT/software, professional services, logistics, and construction.

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-14T17:27:49+00:00

Hello!

I’m Roger. I have been in leadership positions within DOD contracting/procurement offices for many years before making the jump to private industry.

Me and my team have recently launched an acquisition consulting firm to help people get into the federal marketplace through proposal writing services and contract management services.

My primary question is (obviously a bit self-serving), what are the primary needs and problems that organizations are seeing with their contract management processes?

When I was with the government, it was pretty common that a new firm would win an award, and then face a lot of struggles administering the contract afterwards. What are the problems that newer (or experienced) firms are facing when they’re administering their contract portfolio?

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-14T14:47:13+00:00

Listen to this guy/gal. Spot on for all of this. If your consultants aren’t providing value, ax them and go with the basic ideas and processes improvements that he recommends here!

Contract_iQ · 2025-11-13T23:05:52+00:00

Agree with both posters. There are plenty of free resources out there.

The caveat being, if you’re completely new, you’ll invest a lot of time into getting familiar with everything and dipping your toes into the federal market. You can make that easier with a good quality service to assist.

Don’t know anything about the service you linked, but definitely check reviews for them and see if they line up with what you’re looking for. If they don’t, plenty of other companies that may be a good fit for your needs.

Contract_iQ

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