“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “A contingent hire agreement is one way to approach an experienced employee with the prospect of joining your firm at a later time when the business base is there to permit professional advancement. Under such an agreement the prospective employee agrees to contribute time and effort on a proposal for a new contract and is assured on paper by your company of a position on the project when it is awarded to your firm.”  ______________________________

“DEFENSE ONE” By Lauren C. Williams, Business Editor “With the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency as its north star, ‘GeoFutures’ is part of the Greater St. Louis, Inc. not-for-profit, but investor supported, effort working to get defense tech to put down roots in the Midwest.” _______________________________________________________________________________ “St. Louis is vying to be the  next big defense tech hub  with a new initiative meant to attract startups and invest

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson ” The practical aspects of how business ethics effect a company past performance rating and how not meeting the associated challenges can jeopardize an industry reputation and business success.” _______________________________________________________________________________ “It is vital to maintain solid ethical business practices in dealing with customers and industry partners. Maintaining an Ethical Company Image IGNORANCE ON POLICY AND REGULATOR

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE The irony the United States faces, both within our country and globally, is a product of technology, weapons and power races inside human communication bubbling voids. This is high risk. Both within our country and abroad, we are struggling to understand one another, having not taken the time to learn about each other’s respective values, cultures and objectives. We have much more in common than we have been led to believe. _____________________________

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“ MILITARY.COM ” By Joe Plenzler “In a nation as diverse and complex as the United States, the task of uniting all our people is difficult but essential. Veterans and their families, with their unique experiences and dedication to service, can be pivotal in fostering unity. Here are six ways veterans can help Americans overcome differences and bring them together. Keep Informed Knowledge is power, and being well-informed is the first step toward meaningful engagement. Vetera

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Sculpting a government contracting business opportunity to the point where it becomes a small business set aside procurement. _____________________________________________________________________________________ “Marketing is one of the greatest challenges for the small business federal government contractor. We have previously discussed the federal government marketing process at the following articles: Insights to Succeed Small Business Governme

Image:  purchasinginsight.com “SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “If a potential for a conflict of interest is real, it is best to make that fact a principal factor in your bid/no bid decision. Your past performance rating will take a major hit if OCI is uncovered after award and you have not made full and open disclosure previously.” _____________________________________________________________________________ “While planning, marketing, teaming, proposing or performing under feder

“WASHINGTON TECHNOLOGY” By By Jacob Horne “Congress told the DOD to put teeth behind cyber. CMMC is the teeth. Believing DOD will now punt third-party validation another year across the board requires ignoring what’s actually written and how program managers behave when careers are on the line.” ______________________________________________________________________________ “There is a bedtime story making the rounds in the defense industrial base, which goes like this: Once

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE “BREAKING DEFENSE” By Valerie Insinna “While all eyes were on the efforts to avert a government shutdown at the end of September, a lesser known tool used by the Pentagon to support small companies was left fighting for its own life: the Small Business Innovation Research program.” ______________________________________________________________________________ “Funding for  SBIR   lapsed, and while it could be restored, lawmakers are at a hard impasse ab

“ SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Now is the time to think through your marketing strategy and the various venues for contracting with the federal government. This article discusses primary venues and the opportunities they offer your small business.” _________________________________________________________________________________ “You have positioned your existing or start-up company for doing business with the federal government. You have registered your enterprise at the   Sy

“RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT” By Dan Grazier “President Dwight Eisenhower coined this immortal phrase during his January 17, 1961  farewell...

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“MILITARY TIMES” By Natalie Gross “[An updated law brought] significant changes to education benefits for service members, veterans and...

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Strategic thinking must be applied to structuring a government service contract project management...

“WASHINGTON TECHNOLOGY” By Nick Wakeman, Editor In Chief “The Federal Acquisition Regulation rewrite keeps in place mandatory...

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “On occasion the government finds it necessary to terminate contractual arrangements with contractors. FAR...

GAO finds Pentagon LACKS ABILITY TO TRACK $16 BILLION IN OTA’s and “cannot assess the extent to which they are delivering capabilities to...

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Astute government contractors do not allow effort to proceed or cost to be incurred on a particular contract...

CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE What do we put in the place of bureaucracies gone afoul to manage things as important and expensive as...