Question · Gov Contract & Business Growth

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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?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated because I have all the registrations in place… now I’m trying to figure out where I actually belong in this GovCon maze. 😂

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