Month: November 2021

110: Jean Ibañez Payne – A navy veteran with a passion to help people work better together

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Today’s guest, Jean Ibañez Payne is the founder and owner of TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC). Jean is a navy veteran with nearly 20 years of workforce training, culture assessments, strategic communications, program and risk management, diversity and inclusion programs

TIVC  is a SBA 8a and 100% Hispanic, Service Disabled Veteran and Women Owned Small Business with three business core capabilities; Workforce Development, Translation and Interpretation and Workplace culture organization their mission is to “Help People Work Better Together”.

To be honest I didn’t know what that meant in terms of a business model, but throughout the interview Ms. Ibanez Payne offers examples of how corporate and government clients use her teachings and workshops to retain great employees, win top talent, and improve the bottom line.

TIVC has earned the trust of customers such as Dominion Energy in Virginia, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Department of Treasury, Defense Logistics Agency, Department of Homeland Security, NASA and many others.

What I can appreciate about her as an owner is that prior to us opening up for the interview she said to me I could ask any question that I wanted and she was not afraid to be vulnerable.

Throughout the interview we discuss her morning routine, the latest Amazon purchase that made her happy, examples of translation service for the government, and life experiences that shaped her as a person and set the company on a path to success. Her firm is a GSA contract holder, Navy Seaport awardee, ISO certified and part of the SBA’s exclusive 8a group.

Hope you enjoy today’s interview with our next Govcon Giant, Jean Ibañez Payne.

Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp Awarded $770M for Advanced Radar Threat System – Variant 1 (ARTS-V1) production systems.

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a $770,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Radar Threat System – Variant 1 (ARTS-V1) production systems. This contract provides for the procurement of ARTS-V1 systems and interim contract support, training and completion of the technical data package. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 24, 2027. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 other procurement funds in the amount of $43,952 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8210-22-D-0001).

Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation is located in Atlanta, GA, United States and is part of the Scientific Research and Development Services Industry. Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation has 1,100 total employees across all of its locations and generates $567.27 million in sales (USD). There are 6 companies in the Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation corporate family. (www.dnb.com)

State and Local Contract Funds Are Increasing, Find Out Where’s the Action Here!

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Find out how to take advantage of the money going into state and local contracts!

BILLIONS ARE GIVEN TO CITIES AND COUNTIES

Just this month, Route Fifty reported that the Treasury Department has begun the distribution of $350 billion in federal aid for state and local contracts. 

What’s interesting is that the article didn’t only talk about the spending, but it also highlighted that a total of 1,100 metropolitan cities are going to receive $45 billion and 3,200 counties will also receive $65 billion.

That’s a lot of money! But what does it mean and why do you need this information? 

Well, in the past, we have already highlighted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government is giving more aid to state and local areas across the U.S. 

This means that contract projects will also be funded and the state and local government will be able to give these a go. 

In this case, these projects may include public health needs such as coronal virus mitigation efforts, cleaning, PPE supplies, and medical supply transportation, as well as other projects that state and local government needs. 

But before celebrating, how can you take advantage of this opportunity? Well, read further for state and local contract hacks!

STATE AND LOCAL CONTRACT HACKS

1. Go to your local small business office.

For these contracts, it is better to go to your local small business office.

For instance, if you’re in Chicago, then you may want to go to your website, chicago.gov, and look for the vendors page or procurement services page. 

All you can do is just type the name of your city and add key terms such as “small business” and “procurement,” then your search engine will show you the particular page that you’re looking for. 

Aside from that, you can also look for resources within that page for the process on how to do business with that city and contact information of key individuals. 

“For a lot of the folks who’ve tried this, who haven’t had any success, you don’t want to go to the PTAC, you want to go directly to the actual cities where this is being impacted.”

2. Look for your local procurement department.

Another thing that you can do is look for the procurement department section of your city or county’s website. 

Why? Because in this section, you will surely see resources that you can use in doing business with your county or city. 

For instance, it may list down the contracts that you can pre-qualify, the contracts awards, the vendors, and the suppliers. 

3. Communicate with your small business person. 

If you are just starting out, then you might want to talk to your small business person. 

Consider that these people are there to help you, so if you have problems in starting your state and local contracting journey, consider talking to these people. 

“If you get stuck, if you’re concerned, start with the people there. Honestly, I can’t help you get registered in Chicago… I can’t help you get registered in Scottsdale, I can’t help you get registered in Baltimore, but the people there, they have resources there that assist you for free.”

ADVICE FOR STATE AND LOCAL CONTRACTORS

1. Don’t just focus on one location.

Be smarter than 99% of the people. Do business with agencies in your state and in different areas. 

For instance, if you’re a contractor in Miami-Dade county, why stop in your county when you can also work in the city of Miami and in other states, right?

Unfortunately, there is no one single place you can go and register for all these states. You need to literally register in every single state or location that you want to do business into. 

Still, this is much better than just focusing on one location. 

2. Hand-deliver your product. 

In the past, we actually highlighted Mebz Manji, a millennial contractor that started his govcon journey by hand-delivering clay shooting discs to a small area in New York.

Although he’s already in Africa, he’s business is still thriving. Why? Because he knows what his customers want and they already know his capabilities. 

He did it by hand-delivering those clay shooting discs directly to the government buyer, which led to that buyer stop doing business with their former supplier and start doing business with him. This is the kind of stuff that happens when you start getting out from behind a computer and start going out and talking to folks.

“You’ve got to get from behind a computer and start going out and visiting these people because they are human.”

DON’T LET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKE THESE BACK

Do you know what happens when the federal government can’t spend this money because no one decided to show up and deliver?

Well, they take these funds back and it goes into the general pool of funds.

We don’t want this to happen. 

So, instead of not doing something, take a look at the mirror and say to yourself, “Where do I want to be and what is it that I want to do?”

“Truthfully, there are more contracts and more money and more funds than people that are able to do them.” 

RESOURCES

If you want to find out how to take advantage of the money going into state and local contracts, then check our full video.

You can also visit the GovCon Giant website or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

State and local contracts are about to go berserk | Find out where’s the action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyQP468TDmw

SOURCES SOUGHT: Advanced Soldier Sensors / Displays for Dismounts

Posted on by Eric Coffie

The U.S. Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Grounds Belvoir division, on behalf of the Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center, Research and Technology Integration (RTI) Directorate, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 releases this RFI. The purpose of this RFI W909MY-22-R-A001 is to request information from interested and capable vendors to inform future requirements generation for situational awareness enhancing technologies that could enable small, disaggregated tactical units the ability to rapidly develop improved situational understanding. Technologies of interest are those that could be used to enhance Soldier’s vision, detect and localize threats, and digitally communicate those threats to Advanced Soldier Sensors and their systems.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Original Response Date: Nov 15, 2021 12:00 pm EST
  • Product Service Code:
  • NAICS Code: 333314 – Optical Instrument and Lens Manufacturing
  • Place of Performance: USA

Full details via beta.sam.gov

L3 Harris Technologies Inc Awarded $120M for a ground-based, deployable electronic warfare

Posted on by Eric Coffie

L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a $120,766,929 fixed-price incentive-firm contract for a ground-based, deployable electronic warfare capability to reversibly deny satellite communications, early warning and propaganda. This contract provides for the upgrades of 16 Counter Communications Block 10.2 fielded systems which currently operate at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado; Vandenberg Space Force Base, California; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida; and classified deployed locations outside the continental U.S. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition in which two offers were received. Fiscal 2021 Space Force procurement funding in the amount of $25,766,547 is being obligated at the time of award. Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity (FA8819-22-C-0001).

L3Harris Technologies (formerly Harris Corp. and L3 Technologies) is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs that provide advance defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains for government and commercial customers in approximately 130 countries. It makes tactical communications and other integrated vision solutions; air traffic management; and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. Although about three-quarters of L3Harris’ revenue comes from US government agencies, particularly the Department of Defense, it also has customers in the commercial sector. In 2019, the former Harris Corp. and L3 Technologies combined to form L3Harris Technologies, the sixth largest defense contractor in the US. (www.dnb.com)

SOURCES SOUGHT: Relief Well Package #3 – Lower Wood River Drainage and Levee District

Posted on by Eric Coffie

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), St. Louis District, is seeking businesses that are interested in and capable of performing the work for Lower Wood River Drainage and Levee District Relief Well Package #3. The work includes installation of approximately thirty-seven (37) partially penetrating relief wells, nine (9) Piezometers, a concrete collection ditch, ditch formation and reagarding, cast in place head wall installation, existing road raise and pavement restoration and riprap erosion control in Madison County, IL.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Original Response Date: Nov 13, 2021 10:00 am CST
  • Product Service Code: Y1PZ – CONSTRUCTION OF OTHER NON-BUILDING FACILITIES
  • NAICS Code: 237990 – Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
  • Place of Performance: IL USA

Full details via beta.sam.gov

Roberta Moore: Deceit envy and betrayal all in the name of winning a contract

Posted on by Eric Coffie

This is how Roberta Moore overcame deceit, envy, and betrayal all in the name of winning a contract!

BACKGROUND

Roberta Moore began her career as a DOD civil servant for 10 years before pursuing her government contracting journey. 

In 2002, she established AMOORER, Incorporated, a healthcare staffing small business that provides professional support services and technology.

In transitioning to this industry, Moore graduated from different small business programs and has won several multi-million dollar healthcare staffing contracts with the federal government and private industry. 

Ms. Moore’s philosophy is “commitment, integrity, personalized service, and value for your money. ”

FACING A LAWSUIT AND BETRAYAL

Moore’s horror story started with a retirement luncheon where she sat behind a decision maker who was livid because the incumbent contractor was increasing their prices. 

She believed that the incumbent had no right to do this because they are not the paying customer, so she suggested her services instead. 

Moore ended up winning the contract and transitioned 150 employees in just one day, leaving the incumbent going to the press.

Meanwhile, in order to help her execute the contract, she also worked with a colleague.

She thought that it would be easier for her, but it ended up being a problem. That person didn’t help with the payroll at all and even bought some broken equipment (which Moore had to buy again for herself). 

However, the nightmare only continued when she received a lawsuit for million dollars. That lawsuit lasted for at least two years which really took the life out of Moore and her business.

“I had this big, you know, weight over my head dealing with that, so I think it kind of crippled me a little. And I ended up getting through the process, but it was so difficult.”

The worst part is that before that lawsuit ended, she was betrayed by her best friend who became her Chief Operating Officer (COO). 

During that time, Moore was just trying to renew the contract, but that man got on a vacation leaving her calls unresponded. In the process, he was actually working with the other company to get the contract sent over to him.

“How could you do such a thing, you know? But it was greed, it was money. He wanted the deal that I had with the other colleague as a subcontractor.”

Fortunately, Moore was able to respond to the 24 hour deadline and the federal buyer exercised the option period with AMOORER.

That Monday, she ended up firing her COO for non-performance and insubordination. Unknowingly, that man thought that she betrayed him, when he was the one doing it all along. 

LESSONS LEARNED IN BUSINESS

1. Celebrate your wins.

Celebrate your wins even if it is small. Consider that when you look at all the small things that you did for your business, it all builds up into something huge. 

The truth is, your small steps are much bigger than the steps that some people do all at once, so why not take a little pause and celebrate it?

2. Trust your employees with their jobs. 

Moore is not that hands-on with her employees’ everyday tasks. Rather, she assigns a delegate or a lead to deal with them. 

This is due to the fact that she understands the need of her employees to have ownership of their work. 

3. Don’t skip the hiring process. 

One thing that Moore regretted was that she gave that person who betrayed her an opportunity for something that he wasn’t really qualified for. 

She thought that she should have not skipped the interview process and let the HR handle the process. 

“I skipped steps and then I paid for it.”

4. Hire people who can handle changes. 

Emotional IQ is a big factor for Moore’s hiring process. 

This is due to the fact that there will always be a lot of stress in the workplace and she needs people who can handle the stress and changes in their industry.

“Some people can do really well in their profession but they don’t have the emotional IQ to deal with ups and downs or to be able to pivot or to handle changes and things of that nature.”

RESOURCES

If you want to learn more about how Roberta Moore overcame deceit, envy, and betrayal, then be sure to click the resources below.

You can also visit the GovCon Giant website or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

Deceit envy and betrayal all in the name of winning a contract

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWz6nlVhWGs&t=21s

089: Roberta Moore – Pure Determination and a Chance Lead to a Whirlwind of Character Building

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIRHHcuS7OE

TRAX International Corp Awarded $654M for providing test support services

Posted on by Eric Coffie

TRAX International Corp., Las Vegas, Nevada, was awarded a $654,824,767 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, with test and test support services including planning, conducting, analyzing, and reporting the results of developmental tests, production tests, and other tests. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 26, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-22-D-0001).

Trax International Corporation is located in Las Vegas, NV, United States and is part of the Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services Industry. Trax International Corporation has 1,708 total employees across all of its locations and generates $211.15 million in sales (USD). (Sales figure is modelled). There are 12 companies in the Trax International Corporation corporate family. (www.dnb.com)

SOURCES SOUGHT: Common Very Low Frequency Receiver Increment 1 (CVRi1)

Posted on by Eric Coffie

This Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) is issued to assist the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) NCN Program Office in determining industry’s interest and ability to provide, repair and maintenance for the KGR-72 receiver in support of the Common Very Low Frequency Receiver Increment 1 (CVRi1) program. It is the intent of this SSS to assess the number of potential vendors capable of providing the sustainment capabilities the government is requesting. The government anticipates that the award of the CVRi1 sustainment effort will lead to a contract to fulfill the CVRi1 requirement. This is not a solicitation. USAF is contemplating issuance of a sole source contract to Collins Aerospace. NAICS Code: 334220, Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Original Response Date: Nov 12, 2021 11:59 pm EST
  • Product Service Code: R425 – SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: ENGINEERING/TECHNICAL
  • NAICS Code: 334220 – Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
  • Place of Performance: USA

Full details via beta.sam.gov

Making A Giant 012: Maria Martinez and Stephannie Addo: Going from a daycare center owner to government contracting

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Today’s guest Stephanie Addo Principal Owner at ACJ Luxury Maintenance LLC. ACJ provides janitorial services in the NYC/NJ area to commercial and government entities.

Stephannie Addo is what you would call a ‘serial entrepreneur’. Not only does she strive to succeed at achieving her own business and life goals, she is on a mission to inspire and counsel other women to pursue their own dreams by overcoming the fears that may be holding them back.

A veteran of the United States Army, Stephannie was the recipient of the Army Achievement Medal for her dedication to serving her country. Stephannie was mentored by CEO’s from the Nation’s Top Fortune 500 Companies through the University of Connecticut at their Veteran’s Entrepreneur Boot Camp Program. She was chosen out of 1,200 Veterans to be a part of the mentoring program and went on to win the Most Innovative Pitch Award for her business presentation.

One of the stories that you will hear in today’s episode is the story of Stephanie working alongside one of our podcast guests to help support a federal facility in crisis due to the pandemic. I’ll give you a hint, the guest is Chris Dambach, episode 46. But you’ll have to listen to get the whole story. We share her story of going from a daycare center owner to government contractor in this episode of Making a Giant.