Judy Bradt needs no introduction in the government contracting world. For more than 32 years, she’s been helping people in federal contracting as a consultant, speaker and author. She’s helped thousands of businesses from solopreneurs to multi-million dollar corporations find their fast track success in the federal arena. Judy says there’s no such thing as doing business with the federal government, instead of asking what can I bid, winners focus on the right question, Who’s my buyer? That’s because winners know you do business with people whose needs, fears and priorities aren’t in those databases. Today, we go over her story and journey coming into the govcon world and how she led 5,000+ Canadian firms to win more than $250 million in US government contracts, publish guides on US federal solicitations, market for technology architect engineering services and her latest book. Please welcome our next Giant, Judy Bradt.
Month: December 2020
Sources Sought: Forklift Trucks And Walkie Pallet Stackers
The Contractor shall deliver four (4) new Clark ® or equal 4,000 lb. capacity 36 volts, 3-Wheel sit down Counterbalanced, pneumatic tire forklift trucks and two (2) new Clark ® or equal
power steering walkie reach hand trucks to the BEP located in Washington D.C. All units provide under this procurement shall meet the technical requirement listed below. The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, assembly, materials, management, supervision, and other associated services (i.e. delivery, transportation, and demonstration) necessary to supply and deliver the items listed above.
- Product Service Code: 3930 – WAREHOUSE TRUCKS AND TRACTORS, SELF-PROPELLED
- NAICS Code: 333924 – Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing
- Place of Performance: Washington, DC 20013 the USA
- Original Response Date: Dec 17, 2020, 05:00 pm EST
Full details via beta.sam.gov
Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.
PAE Applied Technologies LLC Awarded $98M IDIQ Contract
PAE Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a ceiling $98,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for U.S. Air forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) electronic warfare operations training and infrastructure maintenance services. This contract provides electronic warfare aircrew tactics evaluation, electronic warfare combat training, operation and maintenance of equipment, and electronic warfare range infrastructure maintenance for USAFE-AFAFRICA. Work will be performed at various locations in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The basic contract has a five-year ordering period ending Nov. 19, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,091,999 will be obligated via the first task order, which will be awarded immediately after the basic contract, and is expected to be completed on Jan. 31, 2026. The 764th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is the contracting activity (FA5641-21-D-0001).
PAE Applied Technologies LLC provides aerospace and aviation services. The Company offers information and enterprise technology, maintenance and overhaul services, and expeditionary logistical services, as well as provides management, launch, and operations support services. PAE Applied Technologies serves customers in the State of Virginia. (www.bloomberg.com)
Sources Sought: Everett Gate Painting and Hydraulic Repairs
The contractor will be required to provide an operator who is designated by the employer to be trained, certified, and qualified to operate that crane. Per EM 385-1-1 and ANSI/ASME, the contractor’s designated Competent Person
will be required to conduct a shift inspection before every Load Handling Equipment (LHE) operation, at the beginning of each shift, or following a change of operator.
- Original Set Aside: Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
- Product Service Code: Y1QA – CONSTRUCTION OF RESTORATION OF REAL PROPERTY (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE)
- NAICS Code: 238990 – All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
- Place of Performance: Weare, NH USA
- Updated Date Offers Due: Dec 17, 2020, 01:00 pm EST
Full details via beta.sam.gov
Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.
RFI: Next Generation Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform
Program Manager Infantry Combat Equipment (PM ICE), Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM), is seeking industry input that identifies potential sources and best practice information regarding industry manufacturing capabilities for the economical production of a Flame-Resistant (FR) and signature-mitigated modification to the current Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU). Currently, the Marine Corps has two types of utility uniforms to utilize in non-tropical environments, 1) the MCCUU, and 2) the Flame-Resistant Organizational Gear (FROG) Combat Uniform. The MCCUU provides Visible (VIS) and Near Infrared (NIR) signature mitigation, but no flame protection performance. The FROG provides flame-protection, VIS, and NIR signature mitigation performance at a significantly higher cost and at the expense of durability and comfort. Currently, the Marine Corps has active but separate research and development efforts in signature mitigation and FR treatments for nylon/cotton textiles used in standard uniforms.
- Product Service Code: 8415 – CLOTHING, SPECIAL PURPOSE
- NAICS Code: 315210 – Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors
- Place of Performance: Quantico, VA 22134 USA
- Updated Response Date: Jan 08, 2021, 05:00 pm EST
Full details via beta.sam.gov
Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.
Sources Sought: Repair Pentagon Transit Center (PTC) Bridge
To facilitate market research, WHS/AD is seeking capability information from interested qualified and responsible sources under NAICS 237310, entitled “Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction”, that can provide bid-build construction services for the Pentagon Transit Center Bridge Repair Project. Final documents are still being developed for the subject project.
- Product Service Code: Z2LB – REPAIR OR ALTERATION OF HIGHWAYS/ROADS/STREETS/BRIDGES/RAILWAYS
- NAICS Code: 237310 – Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
- Place of Performance: Arlington, VA 22202 USA
- Original Response Date: Dec 15, 2020, 10:00 am EST
Full details via beta.sam.gov
Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.
078: Brian Henry – Former truck driver builds successful top contractor company
As a special guest, Mr. Brian Henry, President of Henry General Contractors, who was a former truck driver turned multi-million dollar general contractor. His journey began as a dump truck operator when a good friend approached him about doing more. The business owner was a former employer of his cousin and asked Brian, who’s going to be the next MBE and the area. Realizing that his time spent sitting in the dump truck waiting on loads could be more effectively used in managing projects and teams. Brian set out to get his construction supervisor’s license. Eventually, he worked his way up until the 8a program and four years later had surpassed the $10 million annual revenue mark.
In today’s story, we share Brian’s lessons learned from his father, the trial and errors of running a business, viable lessons from building a multimillion-dollar business, speaking with multi-billion dollar executives, how he views a general contractor as a traffic director, and much, much more. This is an eye-opening episode to listen to for those of you who may want to pivot markets for those who believe they are stuck in one particular area. And for those persons looking for direction. Brian was first introduced to me by one of our Govcon EDU students. I remember meeting him in Florida at a National Parks event where he attended and we discussed his ambitions. He’s a regular guy who decided that he wanted more out of life. I think that we could all relate to that.
Sources Sought: Portable Toilets Services
2d Supply Battalion Ammunition Company aboard Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, North Carolina has a requirement for the rental and servicing of portable toilets and handwashing stations. Services include delivery to site, set up for operation, servicing as required by the contract, and removal at the end of the period of performance.
- Original Set Aside: Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
- Product Service Code: W085 – LEASE OR RENTAL OF EQUIPMENT- TOILETRIES
- NAICS Code: 562991 – Septic Tank and Related Services
- Place of Performance: Camp Lejeune, NC 28547 USA
- Original Response Date: Dec 14, 2020, 03:00 pm EST
Full details via beta.sam.gov
Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.
Want GROWTH? Find a MENTOR!
Create an opportunity for yourself and let a mentor help you with it!
WHY DO YOU NEED A MENTOR?
1. They streamline the process.
Mentors act as teachers who helped in accelerating your learning. They shape you towards events and experiences that you are not mentally aware yet. As Robert Greene said, “Mentors do not give you a shortcut, but they streamline the process.”
For instance, you have heard me talk about going after bigger contracts and not small projects. That is because one of my mentors has told me to go after huge contracts than smaller housing type renovation projects. Due to this, I went straight to doing federal contracts and commercial projects. In fact, that became my new standard and I’m still living and operating off that same truce.
“Kind of the reason why I believe and I credit my thinking bigger is because of having mentors who are already at a place where I want to be at. And the idea was that these people helped shape my thoughts, they helped shape my mind, they helped shape the ideas that I came up with because they were already successful in some respects, in their own rights. And as we start working together in some capacity, of course, I start to develop my own thoughts. But it all started with the mentors, themselves, giving me ideas.”
2. They translate ideas into actual concepts.
A lot of new people came into the government contracting space and decided to directly bid on beta.sam or buy these new softwares and tools. Although, that is not a bad idea, how will you do it when you are still new in this marketplace?
And that’s the same case for books. These are great resources but when you don’t have someone to translate these abstract ideas into actual concepts, these resources are still of no use.
“They’re great tools but how, you need someone, a mentor, to actually help you figure out how to best utilize these tools, how to take it from, you know, abstract idea to actual concepts that you can actually role out and implement and use for your personal knowledge and also for your personal gain, in terms of enrichment in growing your business or achieving your goal or whatever the case it is, whatever it is you’re trying to achieve.”
3. You save your time.
Learn to use your time to high level concepts, tactics, principles, and activities than just doing things that make you busy. Besides, if we start doing high level activities like reaching out to people, calling people, identifying partners that are bigger than us, identifying people in industries that we want to be around, then the things that are gonna start happening to us are gonna be high level things, as well.
For instance, if you’re bidding on the Unison marketplace rather than building relationships, what will happen if the algorithm changes? Of course, you need to relearn everything again. However, if you focus more on business development and other high level activities, you will gather more value from it.
“There’s a lot of things that you can make up for but time is something that you can’t get back. And it’s one of the most valuable things that we have, we tend to waste it, use it, give it away free, and not really put a high emphasis or value on that.”
4. They provide concrete evidence.
It’s so easy for us to believe in everything we see online. However, instead of being the character in the book, The Richest Man in Babylon, who got tricked and schemed by some fraudsters, you need to check who is really providing real advice.
Remember, in this day and age, we have these influencers that popped in everywhere, but no matter how huge their following is, that doesn’t make them an expert in their area. So, the key is to listen to someone who is doing what you do, day in and day out.
“Don’t, listen, do not mistake likes and followers and subscribers for expertise. That’s a false narrative that, today, you know, someone told me that, you know, they’ve been basically pimping education, and that’s like the new scheme and hustle on black and brown, minority people, right? So, don’t give, fall for the whole “I’m Instagram famous” because again, some people buy their subscribers, they buy followers.”
5. You learn from their experience.
Mentors also share their experience to help you relate their past situation to your current experiences. This way, they can help you learn from their missteps or misjudgements without having to experience all of it.
“I share my experiences to cut down on you from having to do all of these experiences. Whether you believe me or you don’t believe me. That’s up to you how you take all of this information.”
HOW TO FIND A MENTOR?
To find a mentor, all you have to do is show up and offer to help. You don’t need to have all these lengthy messages and all of that other stuff, just bring something to the table.
For instance, Mebz Manji actually sent me a message on Instagram saying how he had been following me for a while and asked what he can do to help. Now, he’s one of our new GovCon Giants interns.
These are just basic stuff. Rather than be someone who asks for a job, why not ask what you can do to help?
“It’s funny because we forget that a lot of times the people that we admire on radio, that have, those people sometimes, they sent their CDs to the radio stations, they went to ask the DJ to play their songs. We forget all of that. A combination between boldness and humility, right? So, you’re bold enough to ask them but you’re humble enough to say, ‘Hey, I’ll do whatever it takes. Like I’ll, you know, whatever that you need me to do, I’ll do it.’”
RESOURCES
If you want to learn more on how to create an opportunity for yourself by finding a mentor, then be sure to click the resources down below or visit the GovCon Giant website and social media platforms or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!
5 Reasons you need Mentors and how to find them today !!!
SupplyCore Inc. Awarded $92M Contract For Supply, Storage and Distribution of Water Purification Systems
SupplyCore Inc., Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $92,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the supply, storage, and distribution of water purification systems. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a four-year base contract with one one-year option period. The location of performance is Illinois, with a Nov. 19, 2024, performance completion date. Using services are Army and Marine Corps. The type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7MX-21-D-0016).
SupplyCore Inc. provides logistics solutions. The Company offers supply chains, distribution, warehousing, and facilities. SupplyCore serves customers worldwide. (www.bloomberg.com)