Hackmer Leaves Deltek’s GovWin
After some careful consideration over the last few weeks, I decided to leave Deltek to pursue other opportunities. Last Friday (March 9, 2012) was my last day.
With this transition there are a couple of important things I want to convey:
1) I will miss the daily interactions with government contractors that made my role as the senior community manager for GovWin.com so unique and special. It is profoundly rewarding to work with companies of all shapes and sizes that are trying to make adjustments and improve their overall operations so they can compete for government contracts. At GovWin, we conducted a wide variety of video interviews with executives designed to showcase what companies are doing in a variety of sectors. We conducted roundtables, brought in experts for Q&A sessions and much, much more. The proof that these were the right things to do was illustrated by the executives, consultants and others from across the industry that I worked with who not only appreciated the information and value to their business, but also how they were treated in the process.
2) I will miss the daily interactions with the people at Deltek who were less concerned about process or having control, and more focused on building a positive relationship with the consumer. At the end of the day, engaging with prospects and customers in thoughtful and meaningful ways is the best path to understanding what people really need to be successful. It takes more time, energy and commitment, but establishing a relationship takes time, energy and commitment. Given the pace of business (and the rather slow pace of government contracting), relationship building is the cornerstone of success. For those whose emphasis was on sales numbers or leads on a spreadsheet, you are only limiting your own potential and that of your team and company.
3) This does not mean I am leaving the world of government contracting. I plan on taking a break for several months and then getting engaged when the time is right – and with those people who want to make a difference for small and mid-sized businesses in the GovCon marketplace.
- Published in GovCon
Cloud Trends In The Federal Market
I had the opportunity in the early spring of 2012, to put together and moderate a panel on “Cloud Trends In The Federal Market” while I was at GovWin.com.
The federal government’s move to the cloud is ongoing. We see both the private and public sector using cloud technology to improve storage and data accessibility. The issue of data security, as with all platforms, remains of vital importance. In the case of government adoption, it is not just security and technology that are issues, but culture and process as well.
During this Virtual Roundtable Webinar, the distinguished panel of experts that I organized explore the challenges government agencies and contractors are facing with adoption of cloud technology, as well as the opportunities for 2012 and the government’s own success stories.
SPEAKERS:
Michael Hackmer, Senior Community Manager, GovWin, Moderator
Steven A. Coles, Vice President, Sales, VMware
George “Mel” Hurley, Director, Information Assurance Solutions, Wyle
Stanley Kaczmarczyk, FAS/ITS Director of the Cloud Computing Service, General Services Administration
Russ Langford, Managing Director, EMC Consulting
Kevin Plexico, Vice President, Federal Information Solutions, Deltek
View the full, hour-long archived video:
- Published in GovCon
The Opportunity to Ask is Now: Cloud and Cybersecurity
As part of the Virtual Executive Roundtable series that we started at GovWin.com, we have put together two outstanding panels of experts – one to cover the government’s cloud initiatives (February 16) and another to address the new programs and efforts to enhance cybersecurity (March 9).
But going beyond forming a panel of leading cloud and cybersecurity speakers, we decided to try something a little different with these roundtables. Instead of having the audience sit and watch a long series of slides and data, we have decided to get more people involved and help drive the flow of the conversation – before, during and after the event.
The process is simple. Just register for the events (registration is free). And then post questions in our Q&A forum. When the event is LIVE, submit additional questions and answer polls. Then following the event we will keep the conversation going with our panel, provide an event recap and video, and explore the topics and issues we need to address next.
TO THE CLOUD! GOVERNMENT CLOUD INITIATIVES
CYBERSECURITY
- Published in Conferences, Events And Contests, GovCon, Technology
Top 10 GovCon Stories – #1 – The Suspension of GTSI
Though the cuts to Defense Department funding is a close second, the shock of GTSI’s suspension by the Small Business Administration from receiving new procurement work on October 1st reverberated through the government contracting space. Though the suspension lasted just a few weeks and has since been lifted, the allegations GTSI improperly subcontracted through other firms to gain access to contracts set aside for small companies caused significant damage to its reputation and led to the resignation of its CEO. According to analysts, this was the most significant suspension of a top-tier contractor that many in the industry can remember, helping to make it our #1 story of 2010.
Why did the suspension of GTSI mean so much to the GovCon space?
- Published in GovCon
Starting the GovCon Business Development Discussion
On Thursday, September 16 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm, a group of leading business development professionals in the government space is gathering at the Tower Club in Tysons Corner, VA to discuss best practices, strategies and changes in the federal procurement marketplace.
The event will help facilitate a discussion among the leaders in federal contracting and sales in the GovCon space at a time when the dynamics of doing business with the federal government is changing faster than ever.
To get the conversation started before the event, I had a chance to ask one question of each of the panelists. Take a look at their responses below, and submit your comments.
And don’t forget to register for the GovCon Business Development Panel, this Thursday from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to network with top GovCon experts over complimentary cocktails and appetizers. Click to register(registration is free).
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Question: What piece of advice would you offer business development professionals in the government space on either what they are doing or not doing that they need to change to improve their success?
Jim McCarthy, CEO, AOC Key Solutions
Here is my advice: We need to reinvent the way we conduct business development, execute capture, and manage proposals. We need a new process, a new paradigm. We need to change our thinking from a slavish compliance to RFP requirements (“beyond mere compliance”) that elevate form and process over substance and content.
We need to shift to thinking about how we can serve our government customers and add value to them. Not how we can guile them into awarding us the contract.
Stop focusing on what we want to “tell them and sell them.” Focus instead on what they want to hear and what they want to buy. Telling and selling is often different than hearing and buying. To know the difference takes leadership and courage. It is time to reinvent ourselves as BD professionals.
Dan Shyti, Vice President, GWAC Management Center, L-3 STRATIS
The Federal BD process is a unique animal. If one were to explain it to a commercial salesperson, they would think you were from another planet. Because of the uniqueness, it’s easy for a Federal BD person to focus on reading portals like Input, tracking RFPs, and following the government compliance process. It’s easy to forget that basic sales skills still apply. My advice is to keep your basic sales skills sharp. Be personable. Know how to make customers feel comfortable around you. Build strong relationships across the marketplace – both inside government and with industry counterparts.
Mary Gostel, Senior Vice President, Market Intelligence, FedSources
BD professionals in government contracting need to find ways to “do more with less”. Increased competition, IDIQ sales cycles and fewer large program opportunities translates to more proposal activity without additional resources. Choose bids wisely, based on solid market intelligence not industry buzz, for greater win probability.
Al Mink, National Security Strategy Director, SRA, Inc
Much of the answer depends on the context. But in general I’d say, “Strive for agility and mass.”
Maneuver/Agility to move quickly in terms of closing on teaming, strategic hires, customer meetings (before doors close), writing task orders in 10 days, etc
Mass: to have the brainpower and heavy lifting to for a successful capture and proposal. If the resources for capture are spread too thin, then you risk competition outperforming you. For example, many firms either gloss over or decide a Black Hat is unnecessary, only to learn later that they would have improved their proposed solution had they thought about how their competition would approach the opportunity. Another example of thinness is making “availability” the primary criteria for the technical team. This leads to constant turnover during capture and the B team during proposal.
Maneuver/Agility and Mass – two military terms that definitely relate to successful business development activities
Hillary Fordwich, President, Strelmark, Business
Development Consultants
Business development professionals to improve their success need to keep their focus on just one issue. How are they creating a WANT for their products and services? Not selling, not pushing something that is not wanted.
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If you are outside of the DC area, but still want to participate in Thursday’s GovCon Business Development Panel, click here to watch the live-streamed panel discussion from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
- Published in Conferences, Events And Contests, GovCon
Panel of GovCon Business Development Experts to Present at the Tower Club on 9/16
For people interested in business development in the government space, there is an event at the Tower Club on Thursday, September 16th, 5:30 – 8:00 pm, featuring some of the leading experts in obtaining government contracts.
The event will cover things like, finding the right opportunities, developing capture strategies and proposals, and more. What’s more, registration is free: http://govwin.com/node/72484
I will be on-site to run the live video stream and to manage questions from Twitter and the video chat. If you are outside the great DC region, we welcome you to join the live video and post your questions. But if you are within striking distance of the Tower Club in Tysons Corner, VA, you will want to be there. Not only will there be the panel discussion, but lots of networking opportunities, good food and a copy of the recent Clarity report will be distributed.
Speakers include:
Al Mink, National Security Strategy Director, SRA, Inc
Daniel A. Shyti, Vice President, GWAC Management Center, L-3 STRATIS
Finley Foster, Executive VP and GM, Business Development, American Systems
Jim McCarthy, CEO, AOC Key Solutions
Mary Gostel, Senior Vice President, Market Intelligence, FedSources
Hilary Fordwich, President and Founder, Strelmark Consulting
- Published in Business Development, Conferences, Events And Contests