I'll see what I can do. My car situation is embarrassing at the moment. As far as sales.....I'm all ears.

On another note, I'd say there are some big opportunities for defense/national security-flavored IT business in the future.

ISR integration and management - its only getting bigger. Key to asymmetric war intel. We keep tossing more manless birds in the air and more HUMINT guys on the ground - dossier after dossier - need some smart programs to record/collect, deposit, read, and managing all that data - create warnings/notifications,etc.

Cyber - DoD is tossing A LOT of money at this problem and I'm not sure if they have any real expertise and/or direction. I think we'll see some big RFP's in the IT Cyber-offensive/defense capabilities.

 

Berk, You've pretty much gotten all the POCs I'd recommend. The thing we're doing right now is trying to hire a professional marketing/business developer for our company to grow our federal business footprint. Beyond that, having a lobbyist in your pocket isn't a bad idea...

Mike

 

I've dealt with so many bad ones - I'd be tempted to try this out myself. If these guys can do it, why can't I?

 

If you have the "in" you can. It is all about personal relationships. That is what the lobbyist is selling.

 

Relationships will only get you so far. Lets be real - It comes down to greenbacks. Good lobbyist know where to invest your money.

No reason to attend a fundraiser for a member that signed a "No Earmark" pledge and isn't on a committee of jurisdiction for your client.
Waste of cash

Step 1: Attend a fund raising event for the member
Step 2: Meet the Member - shake hands, move one. Meet the CoS and make an impression (don't spend much time here, he is going to go w what the LA says)
Step 3: Meet and get to know the LA that handles your clients area
Step 4: Wait a few days - email LA for a meeting to discuss your clients programs/agenda. The more homework you've done (have a letter ready you'd like the congressman to sign, drafted legislation, etc - makes the staff that much more likely to move forward with it. Its just easier).
Step 5: Follow up with the CoS
Step 6: Do Step 1 again.....then again.

 

I've yet to fully grasp the business development / capture management process.

I understand the processes in the building (PPBE, JROC, HQDA, COCOM [UFRs/IPL]) and the appropriations/authorization process. I'm just a bit lost where and at what point the BD/GR/CM person at say Lockheed would come into play. I guess fbo, input, fedsource give the BD person the list of RFP and they build the offers?

Any resources you'd recommend? I'd love to take some of the acquisition management courses out at Ft. Belvoir. I think this would help me out tremendously.

 

BD/Capture managers role is pretty simple, actually. They review RFIs and make a case for spending overhead budget and resources in building a proposal team, both internally and externally with partner companies. Once the decision to develop a proposal has been made, the whole process kicks off for the competition. It has as much to do with knowing the customer, their intent, and truly understanding the "real" intent of the contract as having the "right price point" in the proposal.

We've been on winning and losing teams for business proposals, but at the end of the day you sometimes wonder if it has as much to do with the proposal as it does with knowing the customer.

Mike

 

Thanks for the input Mike.