Lecture on Government Contracting

Introduction to Government Contracting

• Speaker's background:
  • Former school teacher in Ohio
  • Transitioned into government contracting
  • Not originally from a contracting background
  • Initially worked in special education for 8 years
  • Earned a Master's Degree but sought a change for financial reasons

Discovery of Government Contracting

• Exploration of various entrepreneurial ventures:
  • Affiliate marketing, NEC marketing, Airbnb
  • Found government contracting through a YouTube video by Jason White
• Attended a seminar to learn more about contracting
• Identified personal skills suitable for government contracting such as basic computer skills and communication

First Contracts

• Utilized the "middleman strategy"
• First contract:
  • Catholic services in a federal prison in California
  • Process involved contacting Catholic churches and ministries
  • Won the contract by outsourcing services to a local chaplain
• Second contract:
  • $450,000 HVAC cleaning contract in Las Vegas

Subsequent Contracts

• Diversity in contract types:
  • Landscaping in Washington
  • Chimney cleaning at the Grand Canyon
  • Dry cleaning services
  • Building aquariums for turtles
• Emphasizes not restricting to a niche, open to various contracting opportunities

Bidding Process and Strategy

• Submits proposals daily
• Focus on middleman strategy without direct involvement in the work
• No personal employees; manages everything independently
• Pricing strategy:
  • Aggressively prices proposals not to win every bid but to ensure profitability in fewer wins

Challenges and Solutions

• Overcoming challenges in finding subcontractors:
  • Utilizes Facebook Marketplace for finding service providers
• Funding contracts:
  • Start with service contracts to avoid upfront product costs
  • Emphasizes resourcefulness, especially in pricing

Recommendations for Success

• Avoid laziness and invest in understanding contract details
• Importance of mentorship and guidance in contracting:
  • Invest in education and mentors to accelerate success
• Submission as a key to success: "Submit, submit, submit"

Areas of Interest and Avoidance

• Avoids real estate and large-scale construction contracts due to complexity
• Interested in various unique contracts like sheep shearing

Final Thoughts

• Importance of focusing on what you can control
• Value of community and mentorship in government contracting
• Continuous learning and application as keys to success