“SMALL TO FEDS” By Ken larson “Most small businesses, particularly those selling services, will encounter the need to team with industry partners in small business federal government contracting. Be prepared for challenges and the risks. Exclusivity is the practical way to go on any given program. Team early and exclusively by opportunity, then give it your all and be a winner. Your reputation is key, ethics count and your customers as well as your industry are observing you.
Military pay raises have been minimal, recruiting has been a challenge in the services. How do we acquire, train and retain what we need? Reserves and National Guard involve long term multiple deployments with no assurance of a future for those who return. What is the mix of technology and manpower required to fight today’s wars? The following are 3 perspectives from experts: Can YOU answer the Citizen’s Question at the end of this article? __________________________________
The defense industry in America has utilized the threat of war and self-fulfilling prophesies to promote engagements by our country in several countries in the last 65 years. From Vietnam to the Balkans, from Iraq to Afghanistan, from Ukraine to Gaza and now Venezuela, many of the largest defense companies have paid more in lobbying costs each year than they pay in taxes. __________________________________________________________________________________ There have been two ma
“MILITARY TIMES” “Veterans are 45 percent more likely than non-veterans to start a small business.Today , veterans own 2.52 million small businesses — nearly 1 in every 10 — while employing 6 million Americans and generating $1.14 trillion in receipts. “ _______________________________________________________________________________ “As an estimated 200,000 service members transition from the military every year, the Small Business Administration knows how imperative it is to
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY – BY Beth Reece “The DLA Mentor-Protégé Program incentivizes successful DLA prime contractors to provide developmental assistance to small businesses. Protégés don’t need prior government experience. DOD approves agreements before awarding them.” ________________________________________________________________________________ “The Defense Logistics Agency’s Office of Small Business Programs [has] a new way to help small vendors expand their capabiliti
“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “In dealing with government officials the small business owner must be aware of regulations regarding procurement integrity. This body of law has come into being through trial and error in dealing with conflict of interest and undue influence by industry on government officials and vice versa.” _______________________________________________________________________________ “ FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION 3.104 The section of the Federal Acquisiti
1. It is easy to become established in the federal marketplace by founding a start up in small business contracting to the federal government Very few do so. The principle reason for this is lack of past performance records either commercially or as a registered government contractor. Past performance is a major factor in awarding government contracts: The Small Business Federal Government Contracting Past Performance Challenge Small enterprises who succeed in federal govern
“WASHINGTON TECHNOLOGY” By Robert Smith, Former Director, Navy SBIR/STTR Programs “ A proposed change to the SBIR program would deprive the military of some of its best problem-solvers. Put simply, punishing multiple award winners for their successful track record would be disastrous for our efforts to develop and field new technologies as we are struggling to outpace our adversaries .” ________________________________________________________________________________ “One of t
“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Focused and direct, your CAPE must be informative, concise and a snapshot of the very best you can offer.” ________________________________________________________________________________ “Federal government contracting is all about relationship development. Marketing to influential agency personnel, industry partners, prospective team members, employees, associate contractors and others who can help you requires a hard hitting synopsis of what
The defense industry in America has utilized the threat of war and self-fulfilling prophesies to promote engagements by our country in several countries in the last 65 years. From Vietnam to the Balkans, from Iraq to Afghanistan, from Ukraine to Gaza and now Venezuela, many of the largest defense companies have paid more in lobbying costs each year than they pay in taxes. _________________________________________________________________________________ There have been two maj
By Rieva Lesonsky, CEO Grow Biz Media “Supporting women entrepreneurs has long been a mission of mine, so I’m always searching for organizations that share my passion. In alphabetical order, here are 26 of my favorite online resources for women entrepreneurs. Some have membership fees, but even without joining, you can get a lot of information from their blogs and newsletters. https://rosecoveredglasses.wordpress.com/2025/12/27/25-essential-sites-for-veteran-women-owned-busin
“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “ Values-Based’ marketing does not relate to a client’s perception of your product or service value. Rather, it relates to your understanding of the client’s personal values and using that knowledge to motivate the client to buy. It occurs when you become uniquely aware of what motivates specific personnel internal to a customer company, a buyer or a prospective teaming partner to make favorable decisions regarding your product or services.”...
TASK AND PURPOSE By Nicholas Slayton “ Auditors had to go through the department’s roughly $4.7 trillion in assets, and another $4.7 trillion in liabilities. The Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Agency Report found 26 material weaknesses and two “significant deficiencies in the department’s controls for financial reporting. The report was released a day after President Donald Trump signed the massive 2026 National Defense Authorization, a record $901 billion in spending for the
“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Service contracting to the federal government is a natural venue for small business. It does not require a product with a niche market or capital intensive manufacturing facilities.” _________________________________________________________________________________ “Service contracting does require skilled management and labor resources capable of performing a scope of work for which the government has identified a need and for which outsourcing to
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 a
DEFENSE OPINION – By Thomas J. Wilson, III and Christopher R. Fee “Those in command and those actually pulling the triggers are well advised that their actions may not be soon forgotten and that the “I was just following orders” defense was rebuffed in Nuremberg and at the My Lai trials of the Vietnam War era. ______________________________________________________________________________ When Adm. Alvin Holsey relinquished his command Dec. 12, it was amid growing criti
