I’d love some feedback from those of you who have successfully built a GovCon business using a prime contractor/integrator model. Right now, I’m continuing to build out my company’s core offering around leadership, resilience, workforce development, and training, while also pursuing additional certifications that strengthen what we can deliver directly. In the meantime, I’m trying to better understand how to legitimately and profitably pursue opportunities where my company serves as the prime/integrator and brings in qualified subcontractors or teaming partners to perform portions of the work. My challenge has been finding opportunities where the pricing actually makes sense. I’ve been bidding for about a year, and in several cases the subcontractor pricing leaves very little—or no—margin for the prime once you factor in management, compliance, risk, proposal costs, and contract administration. So my questions are: How are you identifying contracts that are actually viable for an integrator/subcontracting model? How do you determine whether there is enough margin before spending time on the bid? Are there certain contract types, industries, or dollar ranges that work better for this model? And while you’re still building out your own direct capabilities, how do you structure the business so you’re adding legitimate value as the prime rather than simply passing work through? I’m not looking for shortcuts. I’m trying to understand how people have built this model correctly, compliantly, and profitably while continuing to develop more in-house capability. Would really appreciate hearing what has worked and what hasn’t from those actually doing it.

The hard part is what comes after figuring out who's actually buying, when, and why. SAM.gov just gets you in the room. Most people treat registration like the finish line. It's the starting line. What stage are you at right now, still working through registration, or registered and stuck on "okay, now what"?

I could really use some guidance on choosing the right contracts to pursue. I feel like this is the part of GovCon where I’m currently stuck. I have my SAM registration completed, Maryland vendor registration, and several small-business/set-aside certifications in place, including veteran- and woman-owned certifications. I’ve also already started bidding on contracts, so I’m actively in the game. Where I’m struggling is figuring out what I should actually be bidding on based on my experience and qualifications. I’m a retired Air Force veteran with 22 years of service, followed by about a decade in corporate America. Most of my professional background has been in security, law enforcement, investigations, leadership, recruiting, operations, and program management. I have a lot of real-world experience, but I don’t necessarily have the traditional industry certifications that many solicitations seem to ask for. My long-term goal is to work with the VA. I’m currently pursuing my PhD in Health Science with a concentration in Trauma, and ultimately I want to provide training and programs around trauma, veteran transition, resilience, mental health, and wellness. I recently completed Mental Health First Aid training and have also started the process toward becoming an instructor. I’m continuing to build additional certifications, but obviously that takes time. So my question is: while I’m building those credentials, how do I determine which contracts I’m actually qualified to pursue right now? Should I be searching primarily by my past performance and professional experience, by NAICS codes, by certifications, by the statement of work, or something else entirely? I’m willing to bid, team, subcontract, and learn — I just want to make sure I’m putting my energy into opportunities I can realistically perform and win instead of randomly chasing solicitations. For those of you who have been doing this successfully, how did you figure out your lane when you first started?

Good morning everyone! Happy Tuesday! ☀️ Here’s your reminder for today: You do not have to have everything figured out to make progress. And if you're pursuing federal government contracts, NOW is the time to be moving. We are in the 4th Quarter of the Federal fiscal year, which runs through September 30. Agencies are actively working to meet their procurement needs before the fiscal year closes. So don't sit on an opportunity waiting for everything to feel perfect. Get those bids submitted! Government contracting and building a business can sometimes feel overwhelming—SAM.gov, certifications, capability statements, solicitations, pricing, outreach, follow-ups…the list can get long. But today, don't focus on the entire list. Make ONE move forward. Maybe today you: ✅ Review one solicitation ✅ Submit one bid or quote ✅ Email one contracting officer or buyer ✅ Follow up on an opportunity you've already submitted ✅ Update your capability statement ✅ Research one agency that buys what you sell ✅ Contact one potential teaming partner ✅ Follow up with one customer or facility And remember: the federal procurement portals don't close when your workday ends. Opportunities are available to research 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You may not work government contracts from 9–5. Maybe you have a full-time job, you're raising a family, running another business, caregiving, or building your second chapter. That's okay. An hour tonight still counts. One solicitation reviewed still counts. One email sent still counts. One bid submitted absolutely counts. One email can start a relationship. One phone call can create an opportunity. One bid can become your first—or your next—government contract. 🎯 Tuesday Challenge Drop ONE thing in the comments that you're committing to accomplish today. 👇🏾 Let's hold each other accountable. Federal Q4 ends September 30. Don't just watch the opportunities—position yourself to win one. 🇺🇸