Key Solutions Blog

Imagine you are at the post-award debrief. Win or lose, you must search for the good, the bad, and the ugly about your proposal. 

Sure, companies lose contracts because of faulty pricing, unqualified key personnel, lack of customer insight, a flawed strategy or approach, or some other technicality or non-compliance. But too often, these maladies are only symptoms, not the root causes for a loss. 

Each year at this time, we stop and take a breath. Clear our heads. Gain some perspective. And reconnoiter the GovCon horizon. 

This time of year, the Government’s acquisition cycle is in full swing. Sometimes it helps to step back and consider what makes a difference between winning and losing government contracts.

All of us have been there. If not, your day will eventually come. The Red Team Review members have done their pigeon-like thing. Now, your proposal writers are swimming in the after wash. How do you learn from it, keep moving, and improve your proposal?  

The Consolidated Appropriations Act (“The Act”), signed into law in March of 2018, provides $500 billion in new federal spending for defense and domestic programs over two years. 

In federal contracting, multi-company teaming arrangements are the rule rather than the exception.

We often hear negative representations of Government contractors, and these stories seem to garner a lot of media attention. But what about the positive impact these companies have on our larger community? Now more than ever, for professionals in the government market it's important to know that each day you come to work you are privileged to have the opportunity to do something great, difficult, unlikely, or nearly impossible to achieve.

Like it or not, as a Proposal Manager your attitude is infectious. For better or worse, you set the tone that others see and internalize. 

You've been assigned to manage a major proposal. Before springing into frenetic action, withdraw to your quiet place. Ground yourself. Anticipate. Plan. Preview in your mind the production about to unfold. Have a vision for how you will lead your team to win.