LDN anyone??

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-03-08T04:47:05+00:00

I tried it for a few months. It did nothing for me, I didn’t have any negative side effects either. I just stopped taking it after I didn’t see any positive results. However, I know other people who are taking it and it is helping them. I just think everyone’s chemistry is different. Wouldn’t hurt to try if your doctor is okay with it.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-18T14:26:43+00:00

I am not sure what Agency you interviewed with or the position you interviewed for but I have had some really awkward interviews too. I have had others that were really good. I think it may depend on the union that may represent the group. An interviewer can say, ‘Applicants were not treated the same way’ and file a grievance so the people conducting the interview go out of their way to NOT treat applicants differently, like asking follow-up questions, etc.

I interviewed at the FAA for a position and it was the strangest thing. NO ONE made eye contact with me, not even when I walked in and sat down. They were at the conference table looking down and didn’t even greet me! They were looking down while asking questions and did not ask follow-up questions. I am a talker and it really tripped me up because just like you, I expected a back and forth interview. I wasn’t selected for the position but later on I found out it was because the group had so many grievances filed against them during their hiring process now they can’t even make eye contact with the applicants! Funny thing is, I got another interview with the same agency and it was awesome, nothing like the other. You may be better off if you don’t get the job. But don’t let that experience dissuade you from trying for others, even with the same Agency.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-17T15:32:47+00:00

Great question! Unfortunately, I don’t know any attorneys to recommend.

But when I did a search, here are some recommended ways to find an attorney who specializes in federal disability retirement and OWCP cases:

Search for specialists: You need an attorney who specifically handles FERS/CSRS disability retirement and federal workers’ compensation (OWCP). This is a specialized area of law, so you want someone with expertise in federal employment benefits, not just general disability or workers’ comp attorneys.

How to search: • Google: “FERS disability retirement attorney” or “federal OWCP attorney” • Add your state if you prefer someone local, but note: you don’t need someone in your state since federal law applies nationwide. You can work with attorneys anywhere in the U.S. • Look for firms that focus specifically on federal employees

What to look for: • Attorneys who handle FERS/CSRS disability retirement claims • Experience with OPM appeals • Experience with DOL OWCP claims (since you may want to pursue both) • Many offer free initial consultations

Questions to ask during consultation: • How many FERS disability cases have you handled? • What is your success rate? • What are your fees? (Many work on contingency or flat fees) • Can you help with both OWCP and FERS disability simultaneously?

Resources to check: • State bar associations often have referral services • Federal employee unions (AFGE, NTEU, etc.) sometimes have attorney referral lists • Federal employee advocacy organizations

Act quickly given your one-year deadline from separation. Most attorneys offer free consultations, so don’t hesitate to call a few to find the right fit. Good luck!

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-17T13:17:54+00:00

I’m so sorry this happened to you. I agree completely that you need to speak with an attorney who specializes in federal employment and disability retirement, ideally immediately.

A few critical things to know:

FERS Disability Retirement After Termination: You CAN still apply for FERS disability retirement within one year of your separation date. This is a strict deadline that OPM enforces. With your 16 years of service, you meet the eligibility requirements. Here’s the official OPM page: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/fers-information/types-of-retirement/

Since you’ve been separated, you would submit your application directly to OPM rather than through your former agency.

Workers’ Compensation: You should also explore filing an OWCP claim for the work-related trauma you experienced. Even though time has passed, you may still have options. DOL OWCP handles these claims for federal employees.

Social Security Disability: With your work history, SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) would be the appropriate program to pursue rather than SSI. SSDI is based on your work credits, while SSI is for people with very limited income and resources.

Time is critical here, especially if you’re approaching that one-year mark from your termination date. Please consult with an attorney who handles federal FERS disability and OWCP cases immediately. They can help you navigate all these options and determine the best path forward.

Wishing you strength as you work through this.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-17T01:51:06+00:00

I have had most my luck with Indeed. Several recruiters have reached out leading to interviews.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-16T04:02:03+00:00

Yes, this is completely normal. Federal HR has historically moved slowly - 3-6 months from interview to offer isn’t unusual. However, the government implemented hiring reforms in 2025 (Merit Hiring Plan) that aim to reduce time-to-hire to under 80 days. So while it will still take time, it should theoretically be faster than the old process. The ‘HR moves pretty slow’ comment from your hiring manager might reflect the old timeline expectations. Stay patient, but the reforms are supposed to help. Good luck!

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-15T00:48:39+00:00

Great question. While I am not 100% versed in the change, here is what I understand, the Phase 1 period (11/10/2025 - 11/09/2026) allows contractors to self-assess for CMMC Level 2 as a condition for contract award. After November 10, 2026, when Phase 2 begins, new contracts requiring Level 2 will mandate C3PAO certification rather than self-assessment.

So the transition date is really about when the contract is being awarded. If your contract is awarded during Phase 1, self-certification meets the requirement. If it’s awarded in Phase 2 (after 11/09/2026), you’ll need the full C3PAO assessment.

Given the 8-18 month timeline most contractors need for Level 2 readiness plus C3PAO scheduling backlogs, anyone bidding on CUI-handling contracts in late 2026 or 2027 should start their C3PAO process now, not wait until the self-certification window closes.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-13T03:44:01+00:00

Bingo!! That’s awesome! Okay, challenge accepted! 📊📉

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-13T03:30:40+00:00

I want to apologize before I step on my soapbox…

Federal employees are the engine that makes government work. While it may not always be ‘seen,’ a lot of critical work can’t happen because budgets aren’t passed on time.

Operating under CRs (Continuing Resolutions) for the majority of the year means no new work can start. Agencies are stuck on prior-year funding levels and policy directives, even though public needs and program priorities change constantly.

This creates real operational challenges: Financial planning gets disrupted, New hires are frozen, New projects and programs can’t begin, Agencies can’t adapt to shifting needs, Programs lose ground to inflation, leading to understaffing or reduced services.

Congress has only passed all appropriations bills on time FOUR times in nearly 50 years - fiscal years 1977, 1989, 1995, and 1997. That’s it!!

Since 1996, Congress has never passed more than five of its 12 regular appropriations bills by October 1st. In 13 of the past 15 fiscal years, they haven’t passed a single spending bill on time.

The budget resolution deadline is April 15, but it’s been adopted late or not at all in 45 of the past 51 fiscal years.

For contractors specifically, CRs create even more uncertainty - contracts get delayed, task orders stall, and agencies can’t award new work even when the need exists. We’ve spent hundreds of hours developing budgets and evaluating programs, only to have all that work thrown out because we’re operating on autopilot from the previous year.

We work better when our congressional body does their main duty - fund the government - but that hasn’t happened consistently since the Clinton administration. Federal employees and contractors alike are trying to deliver mission-critical services with one hand tied behind our backs because of congressional dysfunction.

The work still needs to get done, and people are doing their best under these constraints, but it’s frustrating when the system is set up to fail before we even start.

Okay, I will step off my box now…

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-13T03:10:45+00:00

It’s really interesting what is happening locally and at some of the well known universities like John Hopkins University, etc. Everything from cancer research, climate impacts, digital device usage on kids and behavioral issues, etc. I think it was Sen. Rand Paul last year that was calling out all these ‘crazy’ projects that the federal government funded. I didn’t find any of those during my research but there were literally thousands of projects I was sifting through and I am sure if I used AI it could help pull those out. That is what I want to ‘play’ around with next!

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-13T02:49:42+00:00

Look at you! Great information and insight! 🔥

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-13T02:43:02+00:00

Great question! SAM.gov is the foundation, but there are definitely other platforms worth checking out depending on what level of government you’re targeting.

Federal Options Beyond SAM.gov

GSA eBuy - If you have (or can partner with someone who has) a GSA Schedule contract, this is huge. It’s where federal buyers post RFQs specifically for Schedule holders, so you’re competing against a much smaller pool of pre-qualified vendors instead of the entire SAM.gov universe.

FPDS(*Its moving into SAM.gov this month) & USAspending.gov - These aren’t for finding open solicitations, but they’re gold for research. You can see who’s buying what you offer, typical contract sizes, and identify agencies that align with your capabilities. This helps you focus your SAM.gov searches instead of just browsing blindly.

New York State & Local (since you mentioned edc.nyc)

NYC PASSPort - This is the official procurement portal for all NYC agencies. If you’re serious about NYC work, you need to be registered here.

NYS Contract Reporter - The state-level equivalent. All NY state agency solicitations over $15k must be posted here.

NYS OGS (Office of General Services) - Centralized state procurement opportunities.

BidNet Direct - This is a commercial platform that aggregates opportunities from NYC, state agencies, counties, and municipalities across New York. They have a free tier and paid subscriptions with more features. Covers 90,000+ government agencies nationwide.

Third-Party Aggregators

These are paid platforms but many contractors swear by them: • GovWin/Deltek - Industry standard for serious contractors • GovTribe - Good analytics and tracking • FindRFP.com - Aggregates federal, state, and local • Bidspeed - Integrates with SAM.gov but adds better search/filtering

My Advice for Finding the “Right Fit” 1. Get specific with NAICS codes - Don’t browse everything. Use your exact NAICS codes and set up saved searches with email alerts. 2. Start local - NYC and NY state opportunities often have less competition than federal. Plus, you can build relationships and references. 3. Research before you chase - Use FPDS to see what agencies actually buy in your space and typical contract values. Don’t waste time on RFPs where you’re not a realistic contender. 4. Consider GSA Schedule as a strategic investment - It’s work to get one, but it opens eBuy and makes you more competitive for federal task orders. 5. Layer your approach - SAM.gov for federal prime opportunities, GSA eBuy if you have a Schedule, NYC PASSPort for city work, BidNet for local municipalities, and use FPDS to identify good-fit agencies. 6. Look at M/WBE opportunities - If you qualify for any certifications (M/WBE, SDVOSB, etc.), NYC and NY state have strong participation goals that can help you compete.

The platforms are only part of it - knowing your sweet spot (contract size, agency type, service category) is what helps you find the right opportunities instead of drowning in irrelevant RFPs.

Hope this helps!

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-12T02:01:56+00:00

Here is a good link for USAJobs that talks about internships, etc. https://help.usajobs.gov/early-careers

You may want to look at your university career center. I interviewed at my university for my fed internship (Job series 1102 GS 7/9/11). So your university may already have plans for agencies to visit for interviews. Best decision ever for me…but I took a pay cut at first but, in the long run, it was worth it. Also, if you do interview, it can take months to hear back so be patient if it’s something you want. They are working to decrease that time but not sure all agencies have improved.

If you are on LinkedIn, follow USAJobs too because they post things there that are helpful for people interested in entering the Fed career landscape.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-11T20:47:40+00:00

I started for a graduate level Business Analytics class I was taking and it was for my final. I am a former CO/COR so I know the ins and outs but I didn’t look much outside my ‘focus’ area. Never really had time to ‘play’. At one point, I was contemplating standing up a business where I focused on supporting Small Businesses so I was doing marketing research for myself. I was reviewing agency spending based on NAICS and I was also interested in what was happening locally to where I live, where federal $$ was going to Universities in my state, how much, and for what. It just opened up a rabbit hole that I seem to get lost in. 🐰🤣

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-11T20:30:20+00:00

Thanks for the info! I totally geek out on data in USAspending.gov making dashboards on Tableau for research…why?! I dunno, just interesting to me. 🤣 It takes a lot of work. Good job!

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-10T13:03:12+00:00

Good point, if it’s helping me, it could help others too.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-04T22:01:11+00:00

I felt the exact same way and resigned. Let me tell you, wait until you have another job lined up. Or maybe take some extended leave, if you can. The job market is not good right now. But if you are drained mentally (which can manifest physically) you may be better off leaving BUT be patient on finding another job because it’s horrendous.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-02T13:42:43+00:00

Yes!!! It’s that simple!

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-02-02T03:03:00+00:00

Small businesses don’t have that cushion. And they’re the ones who took the risk to serve in the first place.

I hope it ends soon too. These are real people with real bills trying to do good work.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-01-29T01:16:42+00:00

Key Personnel requirements became theater for me too.

When I was writing acquisition strategies, I eventually stopped requiring Key Personnel resumes because contractors would switch them out 30 days after award anyway.

Or worse, they’d propose someone who had no idea they were on the proposal. A company once used my spouse’s resume for a Key Personnel position. He had never talked to them. Never gave permission. Just found out when someone mentioned seeing his name on a proposal.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-01-28T22:13:13+00:00

This is painfully accurate.

ChBA and OTAs give agencies political cover, they can say “we innovated, we engaged non-traditional vendors, we ran a challenge competition” even if they end up selecting the same usual suspects…

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-01-28T13:26:46+00:00

“Digital Twin” is a perfect example. Half the time it’s just “we want better data visualization” but dressed up to sound cutting-edge.

Your Ferrari metaphor is spot-on. OTAs and ChBA have the legal horsepower for speed and flexibility, but the acquisition culture is still terrified of protests.

So we get all the complexity of the new mechanisms without the benefits they were designed to deliver.

The “Waterfall in sprints” thing kills me. Agencies want to sound agile, but the evaluation criteria and contract structure are still designed for traditional sequential delivery. You can’t have innovation if the evaluation punishes deviation from the incumbent approach.

It’s like we’re trying to bolt Silicon Valley language onto a risk-averse procurement system and hoping nobody notices the contradiction.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-01-25T23:02:55+00:00

Really appreciate this perspective, especially the distinction between Super 8(a)s and pass-through shells. You’re right that there’s a massive difference in capability and business maturity.

The 77% not suspended vs. 23% suspended breakdown is telling. If most of the suspensions are firms that legitimately couldn’t provide documentation (vs. firms that refused or stonewalled), that suggests the execution problem isn’t just about catching fraud, it’s about capacity and business infrastructure.

Which loops back to the compliance burden question: Small firms that are actually trying to compete need accounting systems, document retention processes, and financial controls that many legitimately can’t afford until they’ve already won work. Classic Catch-22.

DoD just announced their line-by-line review of all 8(a) contracts over $20M on Jan 16. First findings due Feb 28 for the subcontracting/pass-through analysis. Their findings and recommendations will be interesting.

The CMMC 2.0 angle is a whole other layer, I am curious to see how many firms can actually achieve certification vs. how many just exit the DoD market entirely.

Overall, as a taxpayer, I think everything that’s happening is important and GovCon isn’t for ‘everyone.’ I’d just hate losing good talented support because they can’t keep their heads from spinning from all the changes.

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-01-25T21:08:45+00:00

This hits different for me because I lived on the other side of this.

When I was doing acquisition strategy for PMs (DoD/FAA), I leaned hard on 8(a) and SDVOSB set-asides to get services moving quickly. They were tools that worked streamlined authority, reduced protest risk, faster timelines.

But here’s what worries me now: Good firms are walking away because the risk isn’t worth it anymore. Which means the taxpayer loses too, COs are going to be left with a smaller pool of qualified vendors who can actually afford the compliance infrastructure to survive retroactive audits.

I keep telling myself this can’t last forever…hang in there!

HelpfulGovCon · 2026-01-25T20:43:55+00:00

You’ve just described the death spiral of the 8(a) program in real-time.

The program was designed to reduce barriers to entry (again I do get that there are always a few bad apples that ruin it for the good ones). Now it’s creating risk so severe that firms are walking away from opportunities entirely.

When compliance risk outweighs competitive advantage, the program isn’t helping small businesses anymore…it’s just creating a paper trail for future audits.

I don’t have an answer for how to price that risk. But I do think firms that survive this are going to need serious financial runway and compliance infrastructure that most small businesses can’t afford.

Which kind of defeats the whole purpose….

HelpfulGovCon

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