Success in contracting with the Federal government takes more than having the best product or service. Top GovCons know the five critical roles or personas involved in the Federal contract decision-making process. Based on their responsibilities, each brings a unique perspective, authority, and set of priorities to the table, and your ability to connect with these individuals could make or break your efforts. In this blog, we’ll explore who are the government decision-makers, what they care about, and how you can build strong, trust-based relationships with them that lead to contract awards and business growth.
There’s no such thing as selling to “the government” (or “DoD” or even “the Marine Corps”.) Decisions are made, and contracts are awarded by people… who have everything at stake when they choose you.
Successful vendors figure that out early. They invest time and resources in understanding who influence procurement decisions and who are government decision-makers. They learn appropriate and effective ways to engage with people based on their responsibilities. And they invest time and resources yet again in researching the individual Federal humans in those roles as they build trust and meaningful relationships…long before pitching a formal proposal.
Government Decision-Makers & Influencers
Here are the five people/roles you need to know when working in the Federal contracting arena. I call them “The Players at all the Layers”:
- End User
- Small business specialist
- Contracting (officers and specialists) (CO/KO)
- Stakeholder
- Industry (primes, large and small, current or incumbent)
The first four “layers” are all government employees: their email addresses end in .gov or .mil. This following fact might surprise you if you’ve never worked in government. Each of them experiences long-term professional – and personal — consequences of choosing you as a vendor and how well (or poorly) you and your team perform.
Federal employees receive annual performance evaluations. Those evaluations include assessments of the projects’ results that depend on the quality of the services and products we provide as contractors! Those performance evaluations have huge short-term and long-term impacts on Federal employees.
Short-term, our performance as contractors can affect our client’s career advancement as they compete for positions that bring more responsibility and salary. However, the long-term impact of a failed project that slows down someone’s career track is profound: Federal employee pensions and benefits are based on the average of that person’s best three years of salary.
So, when they choose a contractor, it’s not just professional; it’s personal, too! Contractor performance can support—or risk—the agency’s credibility, the employee’s reputation, family financial security, and retirement planning. With so much at stake, their trust in a new vendor is hard-won. Vendors need so much patience and persistence to move from contact to contract. Let us help you engage with government decision-makers.
Make Those Relationships Easier!
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Industry or Primes
The Federal government’s industrial base of suppliers provides billions of dollars worth of the products and services used daily by Federal agencies. Their goal is to grow their companies by winning new work and unseating incumbents through delivering top-tier performance.
Achieving these goals involves completing projects on time and within budget, winning recompetes, and consistently expanding revenue and profit. These contractors operate in a highly competitive environment where profit margins may be limited by law, so top performance and cost-efficiency are paramount.
Motivations of primes
Teaming, joint ventures, and subcontracting are common practices in Federal contracting and are essential to many government contractors’ growth strategies. They love ideas for ways to keep clients happy while sharpening their competitive edge with improved performance and higher profits. If you have low-risk solutions that demonstrate compliance with regulations, high performance, cost-effective operations and relationships in the account…they will return your calls.
However, prime contractors also face significant fears that can impact their approach to business. Prime contractors are highly risk-averse: poor performance by a partner or subcontractor can have an immediate financial impact and cause widespread damage to their reputation and prospects. Failed performance, high risk, and losing business are critical concerns that drive their need for reliable solutions and partnerships. When you understand these fears, building trust with them is easier.
Finding the right primes for you
Approaching primes for potential partnerships requires strategic preparation and a clear understanding of their needs. When you are familiar with their goals and challenges, you position yourself as a valuable partner. Before you call them, research the past contracts and the expected completion dates of current contracts held by the prime contractors who serve the
To find Federal agencies you want to work with, start with SAM.gov Contract Data and the GSA e-Library. Also, review the agency procurement forecasts for projects that those primes might be hoping to win.
Get their attention with ideas for proven solutions the client has told you they’d love, hints about real relationships you have, and intelligence about emerging opportunities that you’ve heard about in the account but might not yet (or ever) be published in agency acquisition forecasts.
Engaging primes
When you call on primes as potential partners, spotlight the best values that contribute the most to their goals. Highlight your unique capabilities, past performance, and contract vehicles that will resonate with buyers. Explain how your expertise complements the prime’s strengths and how you can help them achieve key objectives.
Verify that your lists of small business certifications (such as 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or WOSB) and levels of other industry-specific standards like ISO or CMMC are current and complete. While primes often have small business subcontracting goals, those are rarely a top criterion for choosing a teaming partner.
Attend government contracting expos, industry days, and networking events to introduce your business and directly connect with prime representatives. Engage early –especially during the market research phase of contracts, to increase your chances of being included in their proposal teams. Those chances are extremely small once the Request for Proposal is published.
Another essential tool is a strong capability statement. This document should succinctly outline your expertise, certifications, differentiators, and past performance, customized to align with the prime’s needs. Ensure your business meets compliance requirements, such as cybersecurity standards like NIST 800-171 or CMMC, and demonstrate your reliability through a proven track record of on-time, high-quality delivery.
Approach primes with a collaborative mindset, emphasizing how your expertise fills gaps in their capabilities or addresses specific requirements. If you’re new to government contracting, focus on building experience through smaller contracts or subcontracting on less competitive projects to enhance your track record.
Maintain relationships through consistent follow-ups, keeping primes informed about your capabilities and updates like new certifications or contract successes. By strategically positioning your company as a reliable and complementary partner, you can secure subcontracting opportunities and build long-term success in the Federal contracting arena.
End Users
These are the people you work with or use your products daily in the account. They might be project managers, program managers, engineering directors, help desk personnel, or warriors in the battle space. End users play a critical role in developing and defining requirements but are rarely the final decision-maker in the acquisition process.
They are the ones who are stuck with the everyday consequences of choosing you and your company as a vendor. Their primary responsibilities center on delivering the agency’s mission on time and within budget. End users serve the public and internal clients, perform the day-to-day tasks and plans that keep the organization running, work with the vendors, and collaborate with other agencies.
Successful vendors cultivate a broad and deep end user network to build broad support and gather detailed intelligence about what the client likes best and fears most. That intelligence, verified and cross-checked, ultimately feeds into winning proposals. Vendors who skip this step consistently lose bids and keep hearing that they lost because they “didn’t understand the requirement.”
The end user layer includes a “super-user”: the Contracting Officer’s Representative (or COR), who is the formal liaison between the end user layer and the contracting shop. This person gathers the end user’s requirements and hands them to the contracting team to initiate the acquisition process and vendor selection. The COR might also verify that your work has been properly completed so that your invoice is approved for payment. You definitely need to know who they are.
Motivations of end users
End users are highly responsive to solutions that are easy to implement, low-risk, and – sometimes — innovative (see “low risk”!). They value measurable results, continual performance improvement, and cost-effectiveness.
Engaging with end users
Since end users are vital technical requirements advocates, building trust with them is essential to your success. As they work closely with the contracting officers who run the acquisition process, broad support among end users significantly affects your chance of winning contracts.
Some government-focused networking events, trade shows, and industry days can offer opportunities to meet end users in a less formal setting. However, the most successful vendors also include site visits, office calls, small group meetings, and capability presentations in their marketing mix. These interactions allow you to showcase your expertise, listen to your buyers’ concerns, develop and refine solutions, and show your commitment to their goals.
Craft and share relevant case studies demonstrating how your solution has benefitted similar government agencies or organizations. These success stories help end users envision the positive impact your product or service could have on their operations.
In short, be patient and persistent when researching and building relationships with your Federal end users. Consistent communication and follow-ups ensure you remain “top-of-mind” when new needs or projects arise.
How To Give Your Federal Buyers What They Want At Fiscal Year-End
Emily Harman, former Director of Small Business Programs for the U.S. Navy, reveals strategies to connect with decision-makers who need your solutions—before their budgets are spent. Watch webinar recording
Small Business Specialists
Small Business Specialists act as advocates and facilitators for small businesses seeking to work with Federal agencies. Their primary responsibility is to help agencies meet their small business contracting goals by identifying and supporting qualified suppliers. They bridge gaps between end users, small businesses, and large primes by ensuring that opportunities are available to a diverse range of suppliers and that small businesses have the guidance needed to succeed in the Federal marketplace.
A key part of their role involves answering questions from U.S. small businesses and advocating for expanded opportunities. They work to ensure that small businesses are given a fair chance to participate in government contracts while also assisting larger companies in meeting their small business subcontracting goals.
Motivations of Small Business Specialists
The role of the Small Business Specialists centers on ensuring that Federal agencies meet their small business contracting goals, which align with broader government initiatives to promote economic growth and inclusivity.
The Federal government aims to award 23% of all addressable contract dollars to eligible small businesses. The Small Business Administration (SBA) negotiates specific goals with each Federal agency and military service. Meeting or exceeding these goals is the top tangible measure of success for the efforts of the Small Business Specialist.
Most Small Business Specialists also demonstrate a deep commitment to advocating and fostering opportunities for small businesses within the government contracting ecosystem.
Engaging with Small Business Specialists
Research the Small Business Specialists within the agencies you are targeting. Every Federal agency has dedicated Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and their contact information is readily published on the agencies’ websites.
When contacting a Small Business Specialist, come prepared with a clear and concise capability statement. Highlight how your business can bring value to the agency’s mission and meet specific needs.
Attending small business events, industry days, and networking sessions hosted by federal agencies is another effective way to engage with Small Business Specialists. These events provide a platform to introduce your business, ask questions, and build relationships. Use these opportunities to listen actively, gather information, and establish yourself as a credible supplier.
Contracting Officers – Important Government Decision-Makers
Contracting Officers (CO/KO’s) and Contracting Specialists are key facilitators between government agencies and vendors. They serve the end users. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that the end users’ requirements for products and services are met efficiently and in compliance with laws and regulations. (Within DoD, Commanding Officers are called “COs,” so Contracting Officers are nicknamed “KOs.”)
Their work includes conducting market research to identify potential suppliers, maximizing competition to achieve the best value, and awarding and administering contracts to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
A significant part of these government decision-makers jobs involves ensuring that funds authorized for contracting are spent by the end of the fiscal year, adhering to thousands of rules and regulations, and avoiding problems such as protests or compliance issues that could delay progress. They must simultaneously serve the end user, manage compliance, and deliver the best value for taxpayer dollars.
Finding contracting officers
Research the CO or KO you’re targeting and the agency they represent. Use resources such as SAM.gov Contract Opportunities and Contract Data, USASpending.gov, and agency procurement forecasts to identify their areas of responsibility and ongoing projects.
Contracting Officers are highly risk-averse and prioritize compliant, reliable vendors who deliver value. Once you have engaged with and enlisted the enthusiastic support of the End Users on a specific requirement (and before the formal competition begins), it’s a good time to seek an introduction to the contracting shop they work in.
At that point, your professional capability statement, tailored with relevant highlights of your expertise, past performance, certifications and unique differentiators, can lead the Contracting Officer to invite you to make a capability presentation. That’s your opportunity to show how well you understand their procurement challenges and how your solution offers a compliant, low-risk way to meet their requirements.
Motivations of contracting officers
Contracting Officers and Specialists are most receptive to proposals that meet all the criteria specified in the published solicitation.
They evaluate and prioritize offers that best address end user requirements, deliver the best value and/or the lowest cost, deliver the best performance with the least risk, and simplify the procurement process. Vendors who demonstrate high performance, low risk, and strict compliance with regulations are most likely to win.
Beyond their professional responsibilities, Contracting Officers and Specialists are also motivated by personal considerations such as career advancement, job security, and planning for retirement.
Engaging with contracting officers
Effective communication is key. Be concise and respectful of their time, as COs and KOs often manage multiple contracts and tight deadlines. Before you call them, always read the rules of engagement in the solicitation that specify you can talk to, when, and how to submit questions and ask for clarifications.
When discussing your offerings, emphasize how your solution simplifies their work, reduces risk, and delivers high performance at a competitive cost. Avoid a hard sell and instead focus on providing valuable information that helps them make informed decisions.
Finally, remember that if the Contracting Officer says, “I can’t talk to you right now,” that might be because they’re working on another seemingly related project and don’t want to create even the appearance of a conflict of interest that could lead to a complaint or protest. If that happens and the contracting shop goes tight-lipped, you can circle back to the small business specialist and ask for help exploring what might be going on.
COs and KOs are harder to find at agency-hosted events and industry days unless the event is focused on procurement that they are working on…but you’re more likely to see them there than at more general government contracting conferences and expos.
Again, they want to avoid the risk of inadvertently sharing information that gives one company an unfair advantage over another. After every meeting or introduction, send a follow-up email thanking them for their time and summarizing your key points. Keep them informed of any updates in your capabilities, certifications, or past successes. Staying engaged ensures you remain at the top of your mind when new opportunities arise.
Let us help you engage with contracting officers – important government decision-makers!
Stakeholders
In Federal contracting, stakeholders hold significant influence but do not usually make final contract decisions. These individuals are typically high-ranking figures such as Cabinet Secretaries, administration appointees, Base Commanders, or Chief Information Officers.
Stakeholders are responsible for setting the agency’s mission and strategic direction. They develop the agency’s strategic plan, and reviewing it is essential for understanding its goals and priorities.
Like business owners, stakeholders are visionaries focused on their legacy and the long-term impact of their leadership. However, they are equally concerned with compliance and mitigating risks that could prevent the agency from meeting its mission. Waste, fraud, or actions that damage the agency’s reputation or effectiveness are critical concerns for these leaders.
Directly pitching ideas to stakeholders is ineffective, as they will likely refer you to a program manager. Without proper preparation, such introductions rarely lead to meaningful outcomes…and can actually be detrimental! Players at the End User layer don’t want to have contractors pushed onto them by senior management. Don’t be surprised if you get a polite initial meeting with the right person…but then find you’re unable to get a second meeting.
Instead, focus on building strong relationships with program managers, end users, and other individuals directly involved in decision-making. When interacting with a stakeholder, you should demonstrate respect for their team and the people they work with. Speaking highly of their staff and understanding their priorities will help you establish credibility and foster trust within the agency.
What should your next steps be?
Apply for your private, 30-minute session. This is for qualified companies who want to get to know government decision-makers to build their Federal business over the next 12 to 18 months. You’ll come away with at least three things you can do immediately! Request a complimentary Federal Business Breakthrough call.