This blog post was inspired by a conversation Kevin Jans and I shared during our June 24th, 2025 webinar, where we explored how Federal contractors can stay visible and relevant—even when buyers say, “We’re good for now.” If you’d like the full discussion, you can watch the webinar replay here for free.
Feeling stuck trying to win federal contracts in this year of shifting rules and budget uncertainty? You’re not alone.
Even as federal spending trends downward, opportunities remain for contractors who know how—and when—to engage the right people. The key is this: Contracting officers still buy from people they know, like, and trust. Your mission is to be one of those people, even while the ground keeps shifting underfoot.
This blog dives into how to find and effectively engage contracting officers despite rapid policy changes, drawn from insights in my conversation with Kevin Jans, CEO of Skyway Acquisition, and from recent market developments. Let’s ensure you’re not invisible in the federal market—especially now.
Why This Matters: A Market In Flux
As of mid-June 2025, the government had obligated $336.1 billion in contracts. That’s sharply down from $438 billion at the same point in 2024. If this pace continues, we could end the fiscal year 25% lower in federal awards—a blow hitting small businesses especially hard.
Spending patterns are shifting:
- DOD spending is down ~6% year-over-year.
- Some civilian agencies (like VA and DOE) are up slightly.
- But overall, many agencies are flat or declining in obligations.
Even if you’re behind on your revenue goals, you’re not alone. And despite all the turbulence, the wins will go to those who stay in the game.
“We’re in the messy middle right now. And it’s easy to feel like you should wait for the dust to settle. But the truth is, it never really settles.” — Kevin Jans
Why You Can’t Wait for the Dust to Settle
Some contractors think it’s wise to wait until policy changes shake out. That’s a mistake. Here’s why:
- It’s never truly settled. The FAR has been evolving for 40+ years and won’t stop now.
- Agencies still have needs. Even amid change, missions continue, and requirements remain.
- Everyone else is waiting, too. Engaging now gives you a head start over competitors sitting on the sidelines.
Relationship-Building: More Critical Than Ever
We’re in a time of unprecedented change:
- Agency missions are shifting.
- Staff cuts and reorganizations are reshaping procurement offices.
- The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) are undergoing overhaul.
- Continuing resolutions and spending freezes stall buying decisions.
Contracting officers are human, too. Many are worried about their jobs or struggling with contradictory guidance. When engaging them:
✅ Start with empathy. A simple, “How are you doing with all the turbulence right now?” can build trust.
✅ Play the long game. Even if purchases are delayed, the people who maintain relationships now will be remembered when budgets free up.
“The worst thing you can do is just plow ahead with your demo if your contracting officer is worried about losing their job or if purchase cards are frozen.” — Kevin Jans
The Three Deciders: Who Holds the Power?
Understanding how federal buying really works is crucial. Kevin Jans uses a triangle to illustrate the three deciders:
- Economic Decider: Controls the money (often a program manager or Congress).
- Customer/User: Has the requirement—the need for a product or service.
- Contracting Officer (KO): Handles the how—the acquisition strategy, rules, and compliance.
Key insight: Contracting officers don’t have requirements or money. They manage how things get purchased.
What Contracting Officers Really Want From Vendors
Contracting officers are under immense pressure. Here’s what matters most to them right now:
- Solve Their Problem
Don’t lead with your company story. Lead with how you solve the end-user’s problem. - Show Credibility
Prove you’ve done similar work. Under the new FAR Part 1, “past performance” isn’t always mandated, but demonstrating your ability to perform remains critical. - Minimize Risk
Think of your offering like insurance:
- What’s the price?
- What does it cover?
- How likely are you to deliver?
Contracting officers hate starting over if a contractor fails. Prove you’re the low-risk choice.
“Your story about how you started your company may be great. But it’s not an evaluation factor.” — Kevin Jans
The FAR Overhaul: What’s Changing?
The FAR revisions underway are reshaping how contracting officers evaluate vendors. Notable changes include:
- No mandate to evaluate past performance in FAR Part 1.
- FAR Part 10 (Market Research) has been slashed from ~1,300 words to just ~318.
- Contracting officers have greater discretion and fewer prescriptive steps.
Bottom line: Relationships and proactive communication are even more crucial as CO/KOs navigate newfound flexibility.
Federal Contracting Trends: 2025 vs. 2024
Drawing on my work developing the moderator’s commentary for our June 24th webinar, here’s a snapshot of key shifts:
- Lower Federal Spending Pace: We’re trending ~25% lower YTD vs. 2024.
- Purchase Card Disruptions: Over 170,000 government purchase cards remain frozen or constrained.
- Longer Decision Cycles: RIFs and reorganizations are slowing procurement cycles in many agencies.
- More Use of IDIQs: FAR revisions encourage agencies to use existing IDIQ vehicles, even more than before.
- Growing Uncertainty: Agencies hesitate to release new requirements while awaiting further policy clarification.
For contractors, this means:
- More small-dollar buys under simplified acquisition thresholds.
- Less predictability for Q4 surges.
- An even bigger advantage for those who maintain strong relationships during the turbulence.
The Acquisition Time Zones: Engage Early
Kevin’s “Acquisition Time Zones” model is a powerful tool:
- Requirement Zone
- The end-user defines the mission need.
- No specific procurement action yet.
- This is your chance to influence what goes into the requirement.
- The end-user defines the mission need.
- Market Research Zone
- Contracting officers explore how to buy.
- RFIs, industry days, and market surveys happen here.
- Small Business Specialists often weigh in.
- Contracting officers explore how to buy.
Important: This is the best time to:
- Suggest contract vehicles.
- Offer capabilities briefings.
- Share insights on commercial solutions.
- Suggest contract vehicles.
Once this zone closes, your ability to influence how the acquisition is structured shrinks dramatically.
- RFP Zone
- The formal solicitation hits SAM.gov.
- Evaluation factors and contract vehicles are locked in.
- Trying to change requirements now? Practically impossible.
- Selection Zone
- Proposals are evaluated.
- Discussions and clarifications may happen.
- Awards are made.
“If you’re showing up at the RFP drop, you’re two time zones late.” — Kevin Jans
How to Use SAM.gov Data to Identify Contracting Officers
Many contractors underuse SAM.gov for strategic intelligence. Here’s a practical mini-guide drawn from my blog post, “How to Use SAM.gov and Federal Contract Data to Build Buyer Relationships and Win in 2025.”
Why Use SAM.gov?
- It shows who’s buying what you sell.
- It reveals specific humans behind contract actions.
Key Data Fields to Check
When reviewing contract award notices, look for:
✅ Created By – Who initiated the contract record.
✅ Approved By – Who approved the contract action.
✅ Last Modified By – Who’s maintaining or adjusting the record.
These names often belong to contracting officers or contracting specialists—the very humans you need to know.
How to Use This Data
- Search for awards in your NAICS codes or PSCs, but also refine your search via keywords in the Description of Requirements field.
- Sort awards by agency, region, or dollar value.
- Capture the names in the fields above.
- Check LinkedIn for matching profiles.
- Build outreach:
- Request capability briefings.
- Reference prior procurements.
- Ask intelligent questions tied to their missions.
- Request capability briefings.
Bonus: SAM.gov’s Ad Hoc reports let you extract bulk lists of contracting officers involved in your target areas—gold for targeting!
🎯 Step-by-Step Demo of Federal Contract Data Search
Curious how to actually do the searches we’re talking about? In our free webinar, “How to Find Opportunities in Federal Contract Award Data,” you’ll watch a live, step-by-step demo inside SAM.gov and other tools. See how to uncover hidden trends, identify the right buyers, and target the opportunities that are right for your business. Watch the Webinar Now
Top 5 Things NOT to Do
Kevin and I see contractors making these mistakes all the time. Avoid them if you want to stand out and win business.
❌ Don’t Start Without Value
One of the biggest mistakes contractors make is opening the conversation with statements like:
- “We’re a woman-owned small business.”
- “We’re a veteran-owned company.”
- “We’re local to your area.”
These facts might be true—and could ultimately help you in competition—but they’re not value propositions. As Kevin put it during our conversation:
“I don’t care that you’re a small business. I care whether you can solve my problem.”
Lead instead with how your solution addresses the specific challenges your government customer faces. For example:
✅ “We’ve helped other agencies reduce response time by 40% through our secure cloud platform.”
✅ “Our services have supported mission-critical operations during times of budget cuts and staff shortages.”
Remember: the contracting officer’s primary question is “How will this contractor help my customer succeed?”
❌ Don’t Be Average or Invisible
Another mistake is blending into the crowd. Many contractors pitch themselves in generic ways that could apply to anyone:
- “We provide high-quality services.”
- “We’re reliable and responsive.”
- “We’re dedicated to customer satisfaction.”
That’s pure vanilla. Kevin shared a perfect analogy:
“It’s like looking at a yard full of identical blades of grass. Nothing stands out.”
If your message sounds like everyone else, you’re invisible. To stand out, you must:
✅ Highlight unique solutions.
If your product solves a problem in a way no one else does, explain it simply and directly.
✅ Reference specific agency missions.
Show you understand the agency’s priorities, mandates, or pain points. For example:
“Given VA’s mission to expand telehealth, we’ve designed a platform that securely handles patient data while ensuring compliance with VA cybersecurity standards.”
✅ Connect your value directly to the customer’s needs.
Tie your offering to measurable outcomes the agency cares about—time savings, compliance, operational readiness, cost reductions, or mission success.
If you can’t answer the question, “Why should they choose me instead of any other contractor in my NAICS code?”—you’re not differentiated enough.
❌ Don’t Share Content Without Intent
Contractors sometimes blast out marketing materials, thinking that “touching base” is enough. It’s not. Contact without purpose wastes everyone’s time—and can harm your reputation.
“Don’t be the contractor who’s just checking the activity box,” Kevin warned. “That’s the sales equivalent of cold-calling just to hit your numbers.”
Everything you share should have a clear reason and value:
✅ Educate the KO.
Share updates on policy changes, FAR revisions, or new technologies relevant to their mission.
✅ Build credibility.
Provide case studies, performance metrics, or thought leadership that proves you’re a serious player.
✅ Show your understanding of their challenges.
Reference the agency’s strategic goals, recent organizational changes, or known pain points. For example:
“With the freeze on government purchase cards, here’s how agencies are still achieving small-dollar acquisitions under the simplified acquisition threshold.”
Don’t just send generic PDFs or capability statements “for your files.” Ask yourself:
- What’s the recipient supposed to do with this?
- How does it help them right now?
If you can’t answer those questions, rethink your message.
❌ Don’t Connect Without Depth
Being visible isn’t enough—you need substance. Kevin calls it the “icing and no cake” problem:
“You can have the slickest website and best-designed brochure, but if there’s no substance behind it, the contracting officer won’t trust you.”
Contracting officers are looking for evidence you can perform:
✅ Past performance details.
Show similar work you’ve done, even if it’s commercial. Kevin pointed out:
“The FAR overhaul is removing the automatic requirement for recent past performance, but that doesn’t mean the CO won’t want to know if you can actually deliver.”
✅ Market insights.
Bring data or insights about how your solution fits into their procurement strategy or evolving mission needs.
✅ Agency-specific knowledge.
Mention programs, office names, or initiatives specific to that agency. Demonstrating familiarity with their world goes a long way.
Without depth, you risk becoming just another brochure in the pile.
❌ Don’t Assume Your Story Is Enough
Many contractors believe that sharing their personal or corporate story will win the day:
- “We’re a family-owned business with strong values.”
- “Our founder was inspired to start this company after serving in the military.”
- “We built this company from the ground up.”
Those are wonderful stories—but they’re not evaluation factors. Kevin shared:
“I’ve had people accuse me of questioning their patriotism because I didn’t award them the contract. But their story wasn’t part of the evaluation criteria.”
Contracting officers have strict rules on how they can evaluate proposals. Emotional stories might help them remember you, but ultimately, they need proof:
- Can you perform?
- Will you lower their risk?
- Do you solve their customer’s problem?
Instead of leaning on your backstory, pivot to how your expertise and solutions directly benefit the agency.
Bottom line: Don’t be invisible. Show up with value, differentiation, intent, depth, and a laser focus on how you help federal customers achieve their mission—especially during times of uncertainty.
Practical Momentum Moves: Take Action This Week
If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, pick just one of these momentum moves to try:
✅ Block an Hour for FAR Updates
- Study the most recent FAR rewrite updates. [Link here.]
- Consider how changes might affect how you work with your CO.
- Draft three practical questions you might ask a CO to get their take on the new rules.
✅ Reconnect with Three Contracting Officers
- Thank them for their past collaboration.
- Ask: “Given all the turbulence in government contracting right now, how are you doing?”
- Use that as a lead-in to discuss how relevant FAR changes might affect your business with them.
✅ Research COs Working with Competitors
- Review past awards to identify COs awarding to your competitors.
- Articulate three ways your company offers better performance, higher value, and lower risk.
- Use those ideas in a three-message mini-campaign to request a capability briefing.
✅ Send Genuine Help
- Write a CO:
“I pulled together a quick matrix of vendors—including us—who meet these requirements. Would you like me to share that with you?”
These small, consistent steps compound into big wins over time.
Stay in the Game
Federal contracting has always been challenging—but also full of opportunities. Your competitors may be waiting for clarity. Don’t. Instead:
- Lead with empathy.
- Solve real problems.
- Stay visible.
- Build human relationships.
This is the long game. And those who play it are the ones who win.
Ready to Take Action?
Don’t let policy chaos stall your business. Book your complimentary Federal Business Breakthrough Session with me and discover tailored next steps to grow your federal revenue—even in turbulent times.
Further Resources
🔗 Free Blog Post MicroEngagement: How To Get Momentum When No One’s Buying
📥 Complimentary Download: MicroEngagement Momentum Moves
Power checklist with ten follow-up ideas Contracting Officers genuinely appreciate.
🎧 Skyway’s Acquisition’s Contracting Officer Podcast (use code “webinar” for 10% off) https://skywayacq.com