In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Randie Ward explains why winning contractors don't stay stuck in the constant "bid, bid, bid" cycle. She breaks down the difference between tactical bidding (reactively searching SAM.gov) and strategic capture (building relationships and forecasting opportunities before they ever hit the platform). The goal isn't just finding contracts — it's positioning yourself so agencies and primes can find you first.

Randie shares a real success story from a higher education contract win, proving that the same federal capture strategies work across state, local, and university projects. By staying persistent, connecting with the right decision-makers, and tracking opportunities early, contractors can stop chasing bids late and start winning through visibility and preparation.

• Stop relying only on SAM.gov — build a strategic pipeline through relationships

• Capture starts before the bid drops by tracking projects early and staying persistent

• The best wins come from being known before the proposal stage

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Join 2026 Surge Bootcamp Starting January 31: https://govcongiants.org/surge

In this episode, Eric Coffie breaks down a massive Q1 opportunity: the government has roughly 90 days to obligate $82.8B in unobligated DoD funds—or risk losing budget authority. Eric shares how he triangulated data across sources (including NDAA legislation, Treasury Fiscal Data, CBO, and unobligated balance reporting) and explains what "unobligated" really means: authorized money that hasn't been committed to contracts yet—creating a high-pressure spend window from January through March.

Eric also explains why this is a "perfect storm" for small businesses: higher sole-source thresholds (non-manufacturing up to $8M, manufacturing up to $10M), relentless small business goal pressure, and a huge recompete marketplace where long-term vehicles can lock up spend for 5–10+ years. He closes with actionable next steps (buyers lists, low-competition hit lists, NDAA cheat sheets, agency pain points, and recompete trackers) so contractors can stop reacting late—and start positioning early.

• Q1 is a use-it-or-lose-it spend window—position now, not when the bid drops

• Most money is tied to task orders/IDIQs + sole source, not just SAM "open bids"

• Track recompetes + agency pain points to negotiate and partner before teams are picked

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Join 2026 Surge Bootcamp Starting January 31: https://govcongiants.org/surge

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Ryan Atencio explains why timing—not talent—is the biggest reason contractors lose government opportunities.

You'll learn how relying on sporadic SAM.gov searches puts you weeks behind, why safe searches and daily monitoring are critical to catching opportunities the moment they drop, and how internal delays quietly kill bids before pricing or proposals even begin. The episode also breaks down why many companies pass on winnable work due to short timelines, how competitors often miss the same opportunities you assume they're chasing, and why mastering fast, repeatable proposal submission is one of the strongest unfair advantages in government contracting.

• Speed beats perfection. Catching opportunities the day they drop gives you a massive edge over competitors who see them late—or not at all.

• Most companies self-eliminate. Delayed go/no-go decisions and slow pricing cycles cause businesses to pass on contracts they could win.

• Price always matters. Even in best-value trades, technically acceptable proposals often come down to cost—so never price like it's "a sure thing."

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Join 2026 Surge Bootcamp Starting January 31: https://govcongiants.org/surge

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Ryan Atencio breaks down a bid-list and search strategy that helps specialty contractors stop missing opportunities—and start getting inbound requests from prime contractors.

You'll learn why relying on narrow NAICS searches limits growth, how using multiple PSC codes (including general construction) opens the door to subcontracting work, and how specialty trades like HVAC, roofing, electrical, and facilities maintenance can position themselves as the go-to local expert on military bases and federal installations. The episode also explains how responding consistently—even when declining—keeps you top-of-mind with primes, why submitting proposals fast matters more than perfection, and how AI enables teams to compete on shorter timelines without burning out.

• Search broader than your specialty. Specialty contractors should track construction PSC codes to find subcontracting paths and prime partners.

• Bid lists beat daily searches. The goal is getting primes to send you opportunities—so one estimate can support multiple bids.

• You can't win if you don't submit. Fast, repeatable proposals create momentum—and follow-up requests often signal a win.

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Join 2026 Surge Bootcamp Starting January 31: https://govcongiants.org/surge

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Ryan Atencio breaks down a practical, AI-powered approach to opportunity shredding—the fastest way to determine whether a government contract is worth pursuing before wasting time and resources.

You'll learn how a custom AI "shredder" prompt can instantly extract the who, what, when, where, why, estimated FTEs, security clearance requirements, key personnel roles, contract structure, and even potential incumbents—without manually reading dozens of pages. The episode also covers how this summary becomes a clean internal go/no-go decision tool, why brevity matters when sending opportunities upstream, and how visual summaries (like infographics) can dramatically improve decision speed and clarity.

• Speed wins contracts. AI-driven shredding replaces manual highlighting and cuts RFP review time from hours to minutes.

• Go/No-Go is the real objective. Early summaries should answer only one question: Do we pursue or walk away?

• Brevity beats brilliance. Decision-makers won't read walls of text—clear summaries (or visuals) get faster approvals.

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Join 2026 Surge Bootcamp Starting January 31: https://govcongiants.org/surge

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Ryan Atencio shares how his experience writing performance work statements, serving as a COR, and evaluating proposals inside DoD completely changed how he approaches opportunity identification and proposal strategy today.

The conversation dives deep into why most contractors miss opportunities on SAM.gov and how to fix it by shifting from keyword and NAICS-only searches to PSC-based custom searches. Ryan also walks through his practical framework for shredding opportunities, extracting real objectives, and using AI the right way—section by section—to build stronger, more compliant proposals without relying on shortcuts that don't work (yet).

• PSC codes beat keyword searches. One PSC can capture multiple NAICS-based opportunities—saving you from missing bids before they surface.

• Think like the end user, not the CO. Winning proposals align directly to mission objectives, not just compliance checklists.

• AI is a force multiplier—not a shortcut. Strong proposals are built paragraph by paragraph, then validated with compliance checks.

If you want to learn more about the community and join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Join 2026 Surge Bootcamp Starting January 31: https://govcongiants.org/surge

In this episode of the Govcon Giants Podcast, Eric Coffie sits down with Melanie Patterson, Founder & CEO of Integrity Global Logistics and Team Integrity Knowledge Center for a candid conversation on what it really takes to win government work without getting ignored, overlooked, or stuck in "bid mode." Melanie breaks down the mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur, using a powerful metaphor: you have to "date the government"—learn their language, understand how they operate, and build trust the right way.

Melanie shares her underdog story—from ER trauma nursing to entrepreneurship in transportation and logistics—where she took a bold leap, cashed out her 401(k) to fund her next chapter, built an 18-wheeler fleet, and started winning state and city contracts before stepping into federal. Along the way, she explains why niching down is the fastest path to credibility, how partnerships unlock contracts you can't fulfill alone, and why execution (not motivation) is where most small businesses break down. The episode also tackles real-world tension business owners face—politics vs. profits—and why separating emotion from strategy is critical if you want consistent revenue, payroll stability, and long-term scale.

• "Date the government." Capability statements alone won't get attention—learning their language, responding strategically, and building trust will.

• Niche down, then expand. Being known for one clear capability gets you in the door; strong performance opens bigger opportunities.

• Execution beats information. Free resources help, but pipeline, outreach, bids, and deliverables are what actually build a GovCon business.

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Join 2026 Surge Bootcamp Starting January 31: https://govcongiants.org/surge

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Randie Ward breaks down what contractors must understand about CMMC, NIST scores, and SPRS before pursuing Department of Defense contracts. She explains why every DOD contractor must complete a NIST self-assessment—regardless of score—and how contracting officers are now required to enforce these cybersecurity requirements in every DOD RFP. Randie also walks through where your NIST score is housed inside SPRS through PIE, why eligibility depends on it, and how monthly expert-led CMMC webinars can help contractors stay compliant and confident as requirements continue to evolve.

• No NIST score means no award: Positive or negative, you must have a score to be eligible for DOD contracts.

• SPRS is mandatory for CMMC compliance: Your self-assessment lives inside SPRS, accessed through PIE.

• Start with self-assessment before anything else: It reveals what protections, processes, and controls your business needs to put in place.

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding