Tag: govcon giants

165: Empowering Small Businesses: Insights and Strategies for Federal Contracting with Lori Smith

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Today’s guest is Lori Smith, founder of Acu-Elligent LLC, a consulting agency specialized in helping small businesses successfully obtain government contracts. With 40+ years of experience as a Procurement decision maker & Contracting Officer, Lori provides insider perspective and guidance to navigate the government marketplace. In this episode, Lori shares her insights and tips on how to successfully win federal, state & local contracts for your business.

Lori is committed to helping black women-owned and other small businesses obtain lucrative contracts and simplify the federal contracting process. She also shares her journey from federal service to founding Acu-Elligent LLC, highlighting the difficulties small businesses often face when trying to secure government contracts. She explains how her team of seasoned business strategists collaborates to develop cost-effective solutions that help companies achieve their contracting goals.

Navigating the government marketplace can be a challenging and complex process, but with Lori’s insights and guidance, small businesses can successfully win government contracts. So let’s welcome our next Giant, Lori Smith.

If you want to connect with Lori, you can go through these links:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-smith-17985a18/ 

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/acuelligent/about/ 

Email: acuelligent@gmail.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acuelligent

164: How to use Federal/Military Unit funding to pay for certification training – Joshua Atkinson

Posted on by Eric Coffie

In this episode, we have Joshua Atkinson, an experienced project manager with a passion for improving military leadership and helping veterans transition from active duty.

Joshua Atkinson is a seasoned project manager with over 17 years of experience. He is dedicated to improving military leadership and bridging the transition divide through the integration of project management certifications as active duty PME. Joshua believes that people are the number one asset and we need to focus on building them and providing them with the tools to be successful in any situation.

According to Joshua, his mission in life is to help others and empower them to make their own decisions by providing new ways to think. He has developed and managed projects, operations, and plans at the highest level. Joshua has a passion for helping veterans through their transition from active duty.

In this episode, we will explore the various training options available for aspiring project managers, and delve into the key skills and knowledge areas needed to become a certified PM professional.

So, without further ado, let’s welcome our next Giant, Joshua Atknison.

If you want to connect to Josh, you can go through this links:

Website: https://www.pm-prolearn.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajatkinson/
Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pmprolearn/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pm.prolearn
Contact: https://www.pm-prolearn.com/contact
Email: support@pm-prolearn.com

156: 3x Inc Award Winner provides IT Staffing support to industry and government – Manish Gorawala

Posted on by Eric Coffie

In today’s episode, we bring our guest Manish Gorawala, a serial entrepreneur, Technology Expert, and a Chief Visionary and CEO of Tri-Force Consulting Services, Inc., headquarter in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA.

Since 2000, under Manish’s leadership, Tri-Force has executed projects worldwide focusing on enterprise application development, business intelligence, process automation and mobile solutions for government and commercial clients.

Tri-Force has managed a number of private and US government IT projects over the last 15+ years. Manish’s rich experience in the industry has fueled the rapid development of Tri-Force Consulting Services, Inc., as a five-time winner among Philadelphia’s 100 fastest growing companies and winner among Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest Growing companies.

Manish’s deep personal and professional interest in technological trends and his excellent management skills have helped him bring quick success to the company.

Let’s welcome our next giant, Manish Gorawala.

Links from the episode:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manish-gorawala-972693/ 

Website: https://triforce-inc.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/triforce_usa/ 

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tri-force-consulting-services-inc./ 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mgorawala1 

Contact number: +1 215-362-2611

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Zero To One by Blake Masters and Peter Thiel

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter

155: Which Certifications Matter the Most in 2023 and Why?

Posted on by Eric Coffie

In today’s podcast episode, we replay a recent Youtube Live interview that I did on the topic of minority certifications. In this interview we featured two guests, Kevin Williams of TekConnX and Heather Cox of CertifyMyCompany.

Throughout the interview we discuss the Big 5 certifications that the Fortune 1000 recognize.

Now, a little bit more about the guests, Kevin Williams of TekConnX, CEO and Strategic Advisor to emerging and innovative minority owned businesses. He’s also the Treasurer for the National Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee which is a critical part of the leadership of the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council.

Heather Cox, President of CertifyMyCompany is a Diversity Certification Expert who aids eligible diverse suppliers in the process of becoming Diversity Certified and maximize the benefits of their certification.

Without further ado, let’s help kick off the great start to 2023 with this conversation on Certifications.

Links from the episode:

Registration Open – VA Direct Access Program – Uprite Construction Virtual Business Opportunity Session: https://www.vetbiz.va.gov/events/event-detail/?id=4c0eaa60-1177-ed11-81aa-001dd807078a 

The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): https://www.wbenc.org/certification/ 

National Minority Supplier Development Council: https://nmsdc.org/ 

National Veteran Business Development Council: https://nvbdc.org/ 

Disability:IN https://disabilityin.org/

The DBE Certification Program: https://www.fdot.gov/equalopportunity/dbecertification.shtm 

SBA Contracting assistance programs: https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs 

ServiceNow: https://www.servicenow.com/ 

U.S. AbilityOne Commission: https://www.abilityone.gov/ 

Free Government Contracting Course – https://www.freegovconcourse.com 

Kevin Williams Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwilliams16/ 

Heather Cox Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/certifymycompany/ 

154 – Veteran certified businesses are booming find out how to start for FREE in 2023 – Renona Brown and Raffa Gibbard

Posted on by Eric Coffie

In this episode, Renona Brown and Raffa Gibbard discussed how veterans can get money for starting a business. That’s why I wanted to revisit this episode for those of you who missed out on this because there are a lot of veterans out here, but they specifically were in certain tracks that the government has that allows veterans to start their business and so we’re going to talk about that in this episode.

Renona Riddle Brown is the CEO and Founder of HuRMAR Solutions, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Woman-Owned Small Business. HuRMAR is a Human Resources, Administrative, and Business Consulting company delivering mission-focused and solutions-oriented services to the federal, state, and private industries. After retiring from the military, Renona continued her service for the federal government sector. She knew she had so much to offer to the world, and so it was fate that she discovered the self-employment track.

Raffa Gibbard is the CEO of Brave One Contract Agency. In the Army, She was a Project Manager on several multimillion dollar projects (roads, entry control points, barracks , airfield runways and ranges in Kuwait. With Brave One Contract Agency her crews are vetted with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Interior, and the Department of Transportation. All employees have OSHA 10 certifications and supervisors have OSHA 30.

Stay tuned for this episode and let’s welcome our Govcon Giants, Renona Brown and Raffa Gibbard.

Links from the episode:

Raffa Gibbard Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffa-gibbard-846371102/  

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brave-one-contract-agency/ 

Website: https://www.braveone.net/ 

Email Address: info@braveone.net 

Telephone number: 828-406-7498

 

Renona Riddle Brown: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reownyourlife/ 

Website: https://www.hurmarsolutions.com/ 

Email: renonarb@hurmarsolutions.com   

Telephone: 410-961-8594

Fax: 443 283 4212

153: Woman becomes 8a certified at 6o years old – Contract Solutions Inc President – Corliss Udoema

Posted on by Eric Coffie

The reason why I think this is a fascinating story for some of those persons who have not listened to her story is that she received her 8a Certification at the age of 60.

Corliss “Mama U” Udoema served for over 20 years in the US Marine Corps, as an Assistant Officer in Charge for the Facility Supports Contracts, and as a Supervisory Procurement Analyst in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, respectively.

Then, in 2006, she founded Contract Solutions, Inc. (CSI), a professional staffing and management support services company providing acquisition support, training solutions, human resources, and technology solutions.

She is also the President and founder of Agape Love in Action, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to helping people in need.

With all of these, her motto in delivering excellence is a reflection on why she is an acclaimed businesswoman and CSI is part of the Inc. 5000 list for the last consecutive 3 years, and the 2019 USDA Small Business Contractor of the Year, among others.

More importantly, Mama U wants to be known for her work in philanthropy, recently she’s been ranked in the top 5 companies by the Washington Business Journal in terms of their philanthropy. Mama U has a different perspective on how she looks at government contracts, so I want you to have the same perspective as well moving forward with your government contracting journey.

Let’s welcome our Govcon Giant, Corliss “Mama U” Udoema.

Links from the episode:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corliss-udoema-4b972910/

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/contract-solutions-inc–csi-/ 

Website: https://contractsolutions-inc.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ContractSol_inc 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/contractcsi/?fref=ts 

Amazon Book: https://www.amazon.com/Words-Wisdom-Mama-Speaks-Business/dp/1948149206

152: Contracting Officer gives away Billions to small business – Donnie Harris

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Today’s guest is Mr. Donnie Harris, is a former guest of ours on the show. However, given the fact that there’s so much money put into the infrastructure plan, I thought it would behoove me to bring him back on to let all the listeners out there to listen to the episode once again.

Donnie Harris is a former senior contracting officer with an unlimited warrant, meaning he could sign off at any size contract. Over the course of his 20 years in government he managed complex and high-profile procurements totaling over $3 billion, that’s billion with a B, from the acquisition phase to the pre-award for three DC agencies.

His government customers where Mr. Harris provided procurement support included the Internal Revenue Service, Federal Aviation Administration, the Veterans Administration, Food and Drug Administration, Commerce, SBA, Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard, DOE, National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Labor.

What I like the most about this interview with Mr. Harris was that he shared some truths about how the government works from the inside. These are things that are rarely heard outside of the government workplace.

He shared his insights, tools, the things that he’s learned, suggestions for small businesses on how to grow, all of that in this episode.

Listen to this episode with our Govcon giant, Mr. Donnie Harris.

Links from the episode:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnie-harris-ba26a68a/

151: How non citizens can win Government Contracts – Vicky Mangano

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Real quick before we get started today, just want to let you know we have reopened Academy 3.0 our flagship program helping small businesses win large contracts, visit giantscourse.com for more info. Now back to our program.

Given the current crisis between Ukraine and Russia. What is happening overseas withAmazon in China. The building of military commands within Africa, it is a common question that people ask me, “Eric can I get contracts as a non citizen of the United States?”

My guest Today, Vicky Mangano reached out to me from Siciliy Italy stating that she was helping foreign companies win U.S. government contracts in Italy and she wanted to share her experiences. I thought wow this is incredible. So we discuss for the next 45 mins how she’s doing that.

What websites she uses to register foreign entities, how to find international bids, and how you as an American can work overseas and make money.

I had a dinner with a military contractor that told me he usually finds the places he wants to visit first and then seeks out contracts to work there so that it is essentially paid for.

I didn’t think that was a bad idea. So if you or someone you know wants to move to a foreign country, it may be worthwhile identifying contract opportunities there first so that at least you can be billable and travel at the same time.

Also worth noting that if you are a non citizen this is the episode to tune in.

Links from the episode:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-mangano

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mangano-international-development/

Website: https://manganofederalprocurement.com/home

The Do’s and Don’ts in Performing Your Government Contracts

Posted on by Eric Coffie

As government contractors, you cannot freely do anything with your project the way you wanted it to be. You have guidelines to follow which are all in your contracts. To give you an idea, here are the do’s and don’ts in performing your government contracts.

FOLLOW THE SPECIFICATIONS. 

Contracting officers have a very specific set of guidelines that government contractors should follow. 

These people might not be the one who are the main reason why that project took place but for the fact that they have the authority to obligate the government’s spin and funds, then you shouldn’t defy them. 

“We should be thankful that we are in a position to where somebody is calling us with the contract and opportunity that is not publicly posted to do a negotiation and a potential sole source.”

COMMUNICATE IN TERMS OF CHANGES.

Then, you should also communicate with your contracting officer if you want certain changes in your contract or there are parts that you find difficult to understand.

In most cases, when you do something that is not part of your contract, contracting officers will either not pay you or only pay the agreed payment based on the contract. 

However, you can avoid it by writing all of your recommended changes in terms of a Request for Information and sending it to your contracting officers so that they can include the changes in your contract or exclude anything from the list of your responsibilities.  

“If there’s a change of scope, you put it in the form of an RFI and you let them make the determination.”

STOP THE PROJECT.

The last thing that you should do is to stop the project if there are changes that are not part of your scope of work.

Don’t just do all of the things that are being ordered by the agency that you’re working with. Rather, communicate with your contracting officer and make sure that what you’re doing is still under your contract and if you are sure it is not, then temporarily stop  your project. 

“Don’t come back and ask for money for things that you took upon yourself without getting permission.”

Remember that the government and the contracting officer will just pay you if a project is done or a product or service is delivered according to their contract. Other problems that you might face in doing the project is not part of their problem. So, it is best to ask for the permission of your contracting officer first.

RESOURCES

If you want to watch Eric Coffie’s full video, then be sure to click the links below.

Negotiating a $5 million dollar contract do’s and don’ts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXj_oSdNKb8

How to price a FedBizOpps contract, things to consider?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Rdcck0e0Q

How to Bid a Job?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drxbXzQSfG0&t=146s

International Contracts – How to register if you are a foreign company

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWbcnqp1ymE

TOP 7 With Charles Jones—Baltimore Powerhouse Commissaries

Posted on by Linette Genao

Back in August 2019, Charles Jones, President and CEO of C&S Jones Group, LLC. joined us on the GOVCON GIANTS PODCAST. With hard work and perseverance, he was able to build his business. We were honored to have Jones as a guest and give our audience some advice on how to continue to meet your HUBZone requirements while growing your business. We also touched on his win percentage to stay ahead of the curve and continue growing, his favorite books, training recommendations, and much more.

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE 

Charles Jones runs a minority-owned business based in the Baltimore Metro Area, conducting work for the U.S. government in five separate states in three different time zones. CEO of C&S Jones Group, LLC is a certified full-service government contractor dedicated to improving all areas of government and business operations, streamlining processes and cost reduction.

TOP 7

EVERY COLLEGE IS A HUB ZONE

As Mr. Jones stated, “This is $1 million that I’m giving you right here…College students, even ivy league colleges are considered HUBZones because the students that reside there, their income is below the threshold, to be considered a low-income area.”

Therefore, it’s a win-win. By doing this, students get experience and get prepared for their future business or career success. In turn, the company gets the benefit of maintain their size standard.

 

DON’T GIVE UP!

Most companies give up before the 5th year. Don’t give up! If you can stick it out and maintain to your 5th year, that becomes your turning point. At the 5th year, doors begin to open, and you begin to propel forward in new ways. As Reginald F. Lewis said and Jones quotes, “Keep going no matter what.”

 

HOW TO GET A MENTOR

When looking for a mentor, Jones advises looking at what you bring into the relationship as a mentee. Looking at it from these lens, evens the playing field and allows you to know what you can bring into the relationship and what you have to offer in return for their mentorship.

 

CONTINUE LEARNING EVERYDAY

The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and his local paper, the Baltimore Sun, are three tools Jones uses to keep his learning going. As an avid reader he loves to educate himself and states, “If you’re not looking for new ideas and seeing what’s coming down the pipeline, you may miss some harvest.”

Some of his recommendations include online classes, online magazines and the following books:

  • “Soul Food: Fifty-two Principles for Black Entrepreneurial Success” By Doctor Robert Wallace
  • “Entrepreneurial Finance: Finance and Business Strategies for the Serious Entrepreneur” by Steven Rogers

 

WAIT

Wait? For what? Well, Jones advises you wait until your company is ready to join the 8a program. In order to receive its full benefits, you want to assure you are prepared and ready to take full advantage. Also, wait to assure you can do what you say you’re going to do. “This is a people business,” states Jones. “They have to like you and trust you…we’re utilizing taxpayers’ dollars, so you definitely want to make sure that you’re doing what you say you’re going to do and delivering because if not you’re out of the game.”

 

CHECK THOSE CHECKS!

Okay, maybe most of us get direct deposits and this is a digital era so they’re not necessarily “checks,” but checking your payroll is very important as a business owner and having your own company. As Jones states, “you are responsible for its financial health and wellbeing.”

 

“BE CAREFUL WHO YOU GET IN BED WITH…IN BUSINESS”

An old saying that still holds true. Make sure you listen to your gut and that you can trust the people you are working with. Most importantly, Jones advises that even if you do, “you still have to get it in black and white.” Make sure you have paperwork, so everyone is protected and on the same page.

  

To conclude, Charles Jones ended with some great advice and encouragement, “If I can you can… Know that there’s ups and downs. It’s a cycle. It is not easy. It’s not going to be easy… Be prepared for the ups and downs and sleepless nights. Have a strategic plan but don’t let that plan become your gospel. Be fluid in everything you do. Have someone to turn to,” for Jones it’s his wife, “and also have alone time during the tough times.”

  

To learn more from our guest speakers, join the GOVCON GIANTS Podcast Community available on  Spotify, Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Google Play and iHeart.

To learn more about government contracting subscribe to the GOVCON GIANTS YouTube Channel.