Tag: Federal

Learn From These Millennials in Government Contracting

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Learn from Mebz Manji and Branden Coffie, the two millennials of government contracting!

USHER THE NEXT GENERATION IN!

As we get older, we become more fearful to try new things because the world has beat us up and the world has stolen our sense of imagination and wonder.

With this, GovCon Giants want to inspire you out there by bringing the youth in this marketplace.

We may have this thought that millennials and the new generation of youth are lazy but we want to show you that these people are courageous and fearless to do something new. 

“We’re going to go against the myths and we’re going to show you about people who are actually not lazy and we’re going to show you that the millennial generation that really, they want to get up and they want to make stuff happen, and they’re working with us, supporting the movement, supporting what we’re doing. We are bringing the next generation of government contractors and ushering them in.”

MEBZ MANJI

Mebz Manji came from East Africa and moved to the US to study. He built his company a year ago and decided to build a business in the government marketplace.

His first contract was an $8,000 contract to supply clay targets to Westchester county. Then, this contract was followed by more contracts of the same product. 

After that, he and his friend moved to other products like staples, and decided to find a mentor to guide them. That’s when they found us, GovCon Giants. 

1. Provide more than what’s needed. 

The reason why Manji’s first contract was followed by more contracts was because he ensured to provide the best service. He went all the way to Westchester, New York to make sure that the clay targets were perfectly delivered.

So, if you want to have this kind opportunity come knocking on your door, make sure that you know what your target market wants and give your best to deliver what they need. 

“One of the things that I say all the time, the government does not get the best people, they get the people who actually go to them. So, that’s why there’s so much room and opportunity for all of us who want to be better contractors, who want to actually give good service, to charge even a higher price because they’re not getting the best people, they’re just getting the people who respond and oftentimes that’s people who are accustomed to doing government contracts they take it for granted.”

2. Reach out to people.

The other reason why Manji is with us right now is because he reached out to people. Aside from reaching out to GovCon Giants, he also reached out to the guy whose story was used as the basis for the movie, War Dogs. 

“I think a lot of us we, so many of us have watched the movie War Dogs, I don’t know how many of us actually thought to reach out to the guy who was the movie based off.”

BRANDEN COFFIE

Branden didn’t graduate in college and was pursuing acting before he joined the GovCon Giants team. 

He has no knowledge or experience about government contracting and never really cared about where the money came from. However, just recently, he started working with us while also working with his first consulting client. 

1. Just do it. 

While editing some of the GovCon Giants videos, Branden stumbled upon one of Maria Martinez’ videos where she talked about how she got her clients. Then, fascinated how Maria thought of consulting as not difficult, he decided to do it. 

He basically just followed what Maria did from market research to calling possible clients. Right now, he has one client out of three people he talked to. 

2. Educate prospects.

One thing that Branded did when he called his prospects is he educated them about the opportunities on their door and how he can help them get it. 

He’s just 23 years old but because he knew who he was calling and what they lacked in getting contracts, they agreed to work with him. 

If you want to know some parts of his opening spiel, here it is:

“Listen, I’m not selling you anything. It’s not solicitation. This ain’t got none to do with that okay? I’m presenting to you an opportunity to just expand your company in the government arena. You guys had three contracts last year. That’s great. Very small contracts, but we can make that way bigger. We can get way more contracts, like it’s not a problem because you have it, you know, you have very big selling points.’”

3S TO REMEMBER

1. Stop giving excuses.

All of us are afraid. The person on the other end is afraid. The business owner’s afraid. The executives are afraid. We are all afraid. No one is completely confident and positive that these things are gonna work. 

Mebz Manji and Branden Coffie are just like us. Whether you have a degree or not or you entirely know everything about this marketplace or not, you can do things that they did, you just have to try. 

“No one has absolute certainty with any or everything that they do. So, we’re just, remember that in your head that we’re all operating out of some fear, right? Some of our fears are stronger than other fears. Some are more prevalent than others but I just want to continue to encourage you, continue to be able to show you, demonstrate you, give you other examples.”

2. Stop comparing yourself to someone else.

To be transparent with you, both Mebz and Branden did not feel that what they did were accomplishments and that’s because they’re comparing themselves to others. 

“That’s the wrong way to do it. We should not be comparing ourselves to someone else because for what they’ve done and what they’re doing is huge, right?”

3. Solve problems not sell things. 

One thing that makes these two young people different is they are not afraid to do their own research.

Branden found an industry and place where there is limited competition and limited opportunity and Mebz found a small municipality in New York where a customer has a need.

“How many times do I tell everyone, find someone who has a need, solve that problem. You’re a problem-solver and the more problems you can solve, the bigger problems you can solve, the more money you make. You’re providing solutions. We’re not selling anything. I keep telling people this. We’re not selling them.”

RESOURCES

If you want to learn more on how to start in government contracting and get inspiration from successful people, 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!

Learn government contracting from MILLENIALS!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk23zoNhUW8

 

Corliss “Mama U” Udoema: Inspiring CEO shares Advice on Business and Faith!

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Gain timeless wisdom in running your business and your life with Corliss “Mama U” Udoema’s Advice on Business and Faith!

BACKGROUND

Corliss “Mama U” Udoema served for over 20 years in the US Marine Corps, as an Assistant Officer in Charge for the Facility Supports Contracts, and as a Supervisory Procurement Analyst in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, respectively. 

Then, in 2006, she founded Contract Solutions, Inc. (CSI), a professional staffing and management support services company providing acquisition support, training solutions, human resources, and technology solutions.

She is also the President and founder of Agape Love in Action, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to helping people in need. 

With all of these, her motto in delivering excellence is a reflection on why she is an acclaimed businesswoman and CSI is part of the Inc. 5000 list for the last consecutive 3 years, and the 2019 USDA Small Business Contractor of the Year, among others. 

THE SUCCESS CONTRACT SOLUTIONS, INC. 

1. Starting the Business. 

Mama U was not really interested in starting a business but when asked by a friend to do it while doing some contract administration with her, she then founded CSI. 

Meanwhile, she also took a position as a Senior Acquisition Consultant at another company, however, after the company lost a contract, she decided to really focus on her business. 

With this, she decided to be part of the 8a program, after being told that the government would only call them back if they are part of a GSA schedule or any other business development program.

“So that’s what I did. And they would ask for something. Then I would, you know, give it to them immediately. Even if I had to get somebody to walk it through, you know, in another town, another state, I would do that.”

2. The Secrets for their Growth. 

In order to really achieve business growth, she hired excellent individuals who have the necessary expertise in various fields needed for their services. 

“A lot of times we want to know the answers, but there’s so many times when you’re running a business, you’re not going to always know the answers. So here’s what I tried to do. I tried to know what I know as opposed to what I don’t know… I tried to find someone that does know. So, you know, the different little things and that’s one of them. And the other one is, you know, to surround yourself with champions.”

Moreover, she makes sure that she works effectively as a rooftop manager who sees all the angles in order to gain the trust of her employees. 

“It’s not easy because when people don’t see what you see, sometimes they won’t… they won’t trust you enough to follow.”

Most importantly, what makes CSI an outstanding company is how Mama U and her team steps up in really achieving their motto. 

“Do it with excellence. You know, no slides was allowed. Do it with excellence. Do it with excellence. And people (will) come back.”

ADVICE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS

1. Have a strong foundation.

When you are starting out as a business owner, you need to have a strong foundation that can handle your growth and success. 

For instance, this might be getting the right information about the marketplace from Small Business Technical Centers, or networking with other businesses. 

“One tiny, you see one little step, that’s the key in business… You just can’t start off, you know, at the top, you know, and make a plan to grow it but don’t have it. It’s like me, if I tried to put 60 people on the foundation of what I had when I first started, it would, what? It would crumble. It would not be strong enough. So, you have to make sure that you, as you build out your foundation, that is strong enough to support what you’re going to put on top of it.” 

2. Plan the end in mind.

Whether you are on your way to success or you are starting out, you need to have a roadmap to help you focus on what you planned to do. This is why you need to have a business plan.

“When you think about critical path with respect to the business, the first thing to me is a good business plan. You’re beginning with the end in mind, right? Some people say, ‘Oh, well, I’ll just, you know, wing it.’ Well, you know what? That’s probably what you’re going to end up with, a chicken wing.”

3. Do not get into a better-than-nothing relationship.

In employing team members and dealing with clients, you should be with someone that is really interested in what you offer and, in return, you should treat them right. 

For instance, you should hire someone that is interested in your $50 pay for an hour because when you hire someone who really wants $70, then that person might stay in your company but is looking for another company who provides better pay and benefits. 

This also goes with your clients. They might give you an opportunity but just once because they will look for another company the next time. 

“When you get those things in sync, you’ll have good retention. Your clients will be happy because they won’t have to follow the bouncing ball all over again. You know, time… and you do excellent.”

4. Deliver excellence. 

Regardless if you offer products or services, it should be delivered with excellence because if not, it will strongly affect your company. 

This also goes with hiring employees. You strongly need to have people who believe in your vision because if they didn’t, then it would be hard for them to achieve your goals and do their tasks with excellence. 

“I realized that if I work 24 hours a day, as hard as I could… that the best that I could do was average. And I said, ‘I don’t do average as that.’ But once I got the platinum card, then I came back and I started to contract there with her. So, you don’t, I know you’re not a person that does average, I know you’re not.”

5. Just be patient. 

The three P’s that you need are prayer, planning, patience. You might find it easy to pray and plan things, but patience is where most people get into problems.

“You started, you have a pot of dirt, you have that seed, you have that business seed, right? And you know, it takes time. And when people come and look, they don’t see anything, right? But you know, you have a seed in the ground and it takes time. You don’t just put the seed in the ground and then, you know, and the pot and in two days later, boom, you’re big. So it truly is a step by step process.”

RESOURCES

If you want to listen to Mama U’s wisdom in running your business, 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!

022: Corliss “Mama U” Udoema – The most inspiring CEO great grandmother of all time talks business, faith and timeless wisdom

https://govcongiants1.wpengine.com/podcast/022-2/

GREAT GRANDMA CEO drops all the Wisdom!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut4sdy6C2ds&list=PL6-jBNNcc98vTBvNhFYfUTeH0k-Vx2VBH&index=5

Accenture Federal Services Awarded an $89,615,577 Multiple-year Contract

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Accenture Federal Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded an $89,615,577 multiple-year firm-fixed-price contract action to sustain existing infrastructures and establish new cloud common infrastructure and services for Air Force enterprise resource planning: Air Force Integrated Personnel and Pay System, Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System, and maintenance, repair and overhaul initiative.

Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Alabama; Randolph AFB, Texas; and other locations as required.

Work is expected to be completed by July 31, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 28 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,000,000; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,750,340 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Maxwell AFB – Gunter Annex, Alabama, is the contracting activity (FA8771-20-C-0014).

Accenture Federal Services LLC operates as a private consulting firm. The Firm represents government agencies in the United States. Accenture Federal Services LLC helps its clients manage change, modernize information systems, optimize key headquarters governance and processes, and create improvement strategies.