In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Colin Nchako breaks down one of the most common mistakes small businesses make in government contracting: confusing talent with expertise. Colin shares how he recently restructured his own capability statement, shortened his positioning language, and redefined his business around what the government actually buys — not what sounds impressive. The key lesson? You can add new skills to your business, but if you don't intentionally build and position expertise around them, the government won't see the value.

Colin also pulls back the curtain on why training, SOP development, and knowledge-based services are some of the most overlooked — and most profitable — opportunities in GovCon. From in-person training to e-learning and standard operating procedures, he explains how leveraging existing skills, packaging them correctly, and building credibility over time can unlock faster wins and larger contract vehicles like OASIS. This episode is a wake-up call for contractors sitting on valuable skills they haven't fully monetized yet.

Key Takeaways

• Talent isn't enough — expertise is built, positioned, and proven over time

• Training, SOPs, and knowledge services are high-margin, high-demand opportunities

• Clear positioning in your capability statement directly impacts contract size and access to major vehicles

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Most small businesses are doing government contracting completely wrong—and it's costing them months of time, thousands of dollars, and contracts they should already have. In this live recap, Eric breaks down the 5 moves that separate winners from everyone else in 2026—without the "spray and pray" approach, without waiting on RFPs, and without wasting your life refreshing SAM.gov.

This episode is a condensed bootcamp breakdown of what Eric taught during an 8-hour training—compressed into a fast, actionable playbook. You'll learn how to target the right agencies, uncover real agency pain points, use AI prompts to gain an edge, find low-competition opportunities using the Hit List Method, and tap into the expiring contracts "honeypot" so you can get positioned early—either as a prime, a sub, or part of the winning team before the recompete drops.

Key Takeaways:

• Target, don't chase. Pick 3 agencies and focus—spraying opportunities is why most contractors lose.

• Solve problems, not sell services. Agencies award contracts to businesses that speak to their pain points, not their features.

• Expiring contracts = hidden gold. Recompetes let you get in early—before the real competition shows up.

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Eric Coffie sits down with logistics leaders Demetrius Walker (Fhito Logistics LLC) and Chris Facey (TForce Worldwide, Inc) to answer one of the biggest questions minority transportation businesses ask: Where are all the trucking and freight contracts? The conversation reveals a hard truth—most logistics opportunities never hit SAM.gov because they fall under the micro-purchase threshold, meaning the real work is won through market research, relationships, and being positioned before the bid ever drops.

Eric also shares a powerful (and painful) reminder about execution in GovCon after missing out on a $200M IDIQ due to a submission error—proof that systems matter at every level. From small "hidden" trucking wins to major IDIQ contracts worth $21M+, this episode breaks down how logistics businesses can grow step-by-step by partnering with primes, responding fast, and becoming the trusted solution buyers call first.

• Most transportation contracts are relationship-driven, not publicly posted on SAM.gov

• Micro-purchase + simplified acquisition is the fastest entry point for small carriers

• Bigger wins come from teaming, responsiveness, and trust, not just chasing bids

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Watch the Youtube Live here: https://www.youtube.com/live/_KK4x1Cmz0M?si=WvUkbnxdHplTrCTV

Most people think they're "new to government contracting." They're not. They're new to how the government does business—and that's a massive difference.

In this episode, Colin Nchako breaks down how to help someone who wants to pivot (like a general contractor moving into the product game) without wasting months guessing what the Army buys. The play is simple: stop speaking in vague terms like "Army supplies" and start doing real research using USAspending and FPDS, then match yourself to the right NAICS code so you can target opportunities with precision.

Colin also explains the bigger lesson behind pivoting: you don't need to reinvent yourself—you need to identify a skill you can deliver, build credibility around it, and then use that credibility to win again. He shares examples from his own business where he added a capability (like training or SOP writing), landed awards, and used those wins to expand into more contracts. The goal isn't to learn everything at once—it's to marry the skills you already have to a new client (the government) and move with confidence.

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Ryan Atencio breaks down a critical truth most contractors overlook: the incumbent wasn't always experienced either. Before winning their first contract, many companies had no federal past performance—they simply put their name in the hat and refused to disqualify themselves early. Ryan walks through how to research recompetes properly by digging into parent awards, task orders, and spending patterns to uncover the real contract value—often far larger than what appears at first glance.

Ryan also explains why federal contracting success requires focus, systems, and dedicated effort. Most businesses fail because they try to "dabble" in government work while prioritizing private-sector revenue. Ryan emphasizes that winning in the Department of Defense space demands someone whose only job is federal capture, shaping opportunities, and responding strategically. The companies that win don't self-reject—they submit, learn, and let the government decide.

• The best contractors win because they don't deselect themselves before submitting

• Parent awards and spending data reveal the true value behind "small" task orders

• Federal contracting requires dedicated systems—successful firms don't just dabble

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Ryan Atencio breaks down one of the most important moves in federal contracting: identifying the incumbent and controlling the recompete strategy before the bid even drops. By uncovering that the current contract holder (T3I) is now considered a large business, Ryan explains how small businesses can leverage sources sought responses to push an opportunity back into a service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside, forcing the incumbent to compete through a joint venture instead of dominating solo.

The episode goes even deeper into contract intelligence, showing how to analyze a $13.8M ceiling contract and realistically project it into a $16M+ recompete due to inflation. Eric demonstrates how tools like USA Spending and AI can help contractors reverse engineer pricing, estimate hourly fully burdened rates ($115–$135/hr), and strategically undercut profit margins to "snipe" the contract away. This is a masterclass in modern capture, pricing strategy, and small business positioning in high-stakes Special Operations contracting.

• Recompetes are won early by identifying the incumbent and shaping the set-aside strategy through sources sought

• A $13.8M contract today can quickly become a $16M+ opportunity when inflation and option years are factored in

• AI + USA Spending data allows contractors to reverse engineer pricing and compete smarter, not cheaper

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Ryan Atencio shares his experience as someone who has worked both sides of the table — first as a government customer developing performance work statements, cost estimates, and source selections for tens of millions of dollars in contracts, and later as a contractor selling directly to Special Operations units after leaving the military in 2021. He shares how capturing end-user requirements and building custom "kits" can create a powerful edge that competitors can't easily match.

The conversation then goes behind the curtain into the world of Special Operations professional service contracts, including highly specialized SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape) training support. You will get a rare look at how opportunities are found live on SAM.gov, shaped through source sought responses, and "shredded" quickly using AI tools like Gemini to extract the who/what/why before competition even wakes up. This is a masterclass in modern capture strategy for serious federal contractors.

• Winning starts before the RFP — source sought responses help shape the requirement early

• Contractors who understand the "customer side" gain a major advantage in DoD procurement

• AI shredding tools can accelerate bid/no-bid decisions and opportunity analysis in minutes

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

Are you spending time chasing agencies that don't have money—or don't have a reason to buy from you? In this episode, Eric Coffie breaks down how federal spending actually works (appropriations + continuing resolutions) and why understanding where funding is flowing matters more than ever for small businesses. He explains the reality behind "fast" solicitations (2–3 week turnarounds), how Q1 spending pressure creates urgency, and why positioning before opportunities drop is the real advantage.

Eric then walks through 8 agency pain points that create immediate opportunity—especially for businesses that can speak directly to mission needs instead of using generic "we do IT / we do construction" language. You'll hear how to use the NDAA and agency research to craft agency-specific capability statements, where to look beyond SAM.gov (IDIQs/task orders), and a practical 4-week action plan to build your target list, align your offerings to real problems, and start getting responses from the right buyers.

• No funding = no new contracts. Track appropriations/CR realities so you know where to focus your limited time and budget.

• Agencies are struggling to find qualified small businesses and match capabilities to needs—this is your opening to stand out fast.

• The 8 biggest Agency pain points right now

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding

In this episode, Zach Golden breaks down what OpnGovIQ really is — and why contractors who don't understand the difference between basic AI tools and a full federal CRM pipeline are already falling behind. Zach explains how OpnGovIQ's built-in agents can handle everything from capability statements to proposal timelines, FAR-based compliance questions, and even SAM.gov guidance, making it an all-in-one advantage for federal contractors moving fast.

The conversation then shifts into one of the hottest opportunities in GovCon right now: AI companies entering the federal space. Zach shares why AI demand is exploding, why agencies "perk up" instantly when governance and security layers are mentioned, and why the real key is differentiation and building complementary teams — not chasing every lead at once. The contractors who position correctly now will dominate later.

• OpnGovIQ combines AI proposal agents + a full CRM pipeline for end-to-end federal capture

• AI GovCon isn't "too saturated" — the demand is so high agencies can't ignore it

• The winners will be firms with clear differentiators + complementary AI partnerships

If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/

Website: https://govcongiants.org/

Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding