Growing Cross-Country-Introducing GCA Northwest

The one consistent reason businesses join the Government Contractors Association is to grow their businesses. To date, GCA has helped its members win more than $900M in government contracts and those are just the wins we know about. GCA has created an ecosystem with service providers and business professionals to help contractors win government contracts.

GCA’s mission is to educate, facilitate and to advocate for SMBs in government contracting. Towards that end, GCA is pleased to announce the launch of its new GCA Northwest Chapter to be located in Washington State. Contractors in and around Tacoma WA are invited to come and meet the GCA NW chapter leaders Kenn Rivers and Dan xxxxxon February 22, 2020, at xxxxxxxxxxxx. The GCA NW Chapter will extend GCA’s mission to the Pacific Northwest providing education and services to help businesses grow in the government space.

GCA is looking forward to welcoming new GCA NW Chapter members to the family. Come and take advantage of all of GCA’s tools, education and resources. Kenn and Dan are very experienced in the government space and are GCA trained Certified Capture Managers. GCA is confident that they will serve contractors in the Pacific Northwest well.

Earlier this week, a colleague of mine ordered inspirational branded shirts with a variety of messages. The lady who made the shirts intentionally designed it where only the male shirts had the words CEO, Boss, Investor, Tech Savvy, I.T., A.I., etc. When my colleague asked the designer why she didn’t design those shirts for women, too, she couldn’t give her an answer. It never crossed her mind to think of a woman as a leader in business.

Hearing this really shocked me. I didn’t grow up with women in my family running businesses, but I always knew that pride and ownership in developing your own was essential. After being mentally drained in corporate America for a decade, I decided it was time to become one of the 11.6 million woman-owned firms in America. According to www.census.gov, women-owned firms account for 39% of all privately held firms in the United States. Woman-owned firms employ over 9 million employees in the U.S. which resulted in $1.7 trillion added to the economy. These numbers may sound great, but the reality is most woman-owned firms make less than $100,000 annually. In addition to low annual revenue, lady bosses have to overcome many other challenges. For instance, a male counterpart is more likely to raise over $100,000 in capital for his venture. StartupNation.com reports that women also lack a strong support system and women mentors who can advise them in their endeavors.

One thing I know we do well is connect and create. We just need a place to make that magic happen…a safe zone to discuss these matters and learn how to grow. A place to show all women and men that we can be bosses too. That is why the Government Contractors Association in partnership with my company, A Signature Flair Events (www.asignatureflair.com) will host the WOMEN WHO WIN conference on March 19, 2020 from 9am – 1pm. Join us as we empower and educate through stories of success and lessons from failure. We will highlight successful women CEOs who will share their stories of triumphs & trials in creating their enterprises. These women will share information on certifications, programs they joined, collaborations they formed, lessons they have learned, and so much more.

Women work hard and play even harder. Plan to join us in the Ladies Lounge where women can network, sip on mimosas while enjoying a massage, and shop in the Marketplace. For more details, visit www.WomenWhoWinConference.com.

Author: Pamela Harris

The goal of every government contractor is to win contracts. However, we all have varying degrees of success when it comes to contract awards. Often times what separates BIG companies from small businesses is the access BIG companies have to tools and resources that allow them to better navigate the complexities of the government market. These tools and resources can be very expensive and for companies on a tight budget, it’s just not feasible. Take DCAA compliance, to implement DCAA compliant accounting software, an investment of over $50,000 may be required. In today’s market, a robust bid tracking and CRM tool can cost around $24,000 per year. How many small businesses do you know that can afford this?

You as a small business owner may want and need access to these tools but with the high costs they may be out of reach. You then end up settling for a cheaper entry level software that does not do much at all. There is no integration of your bid management, capture management, proposal management or your compliance management processes. There is no AI built-in to make recommendations on potential teaming partners and contract opportunities that may fit your company’s profile and no machine learning to automate your searches. If only you were a genie, you could build out a platform to make it easier for you.

A NEW PATH FORWARD

If you could build your own software to help win more government contracts…

- What would it look like?

- What tools would be nice to have?

- Do you need a Bid Tracking tool?

- Do you want a CRM that integrates with the Bid Tracking tool?

- Would you like a Teaming Portal to connect with potential teaming partners?

- Would you like to manage your capture management process on one portal?

- Would you like a tool to manage your proposal templates and proposal process

- Would you like an integrated accounting system that is DCAA compliant?

- What features do you need for contract management?

- How much do you think is a reasonable cost on a monthly basis?

GovGenie™ is in the early stages of building an affordable solution to make it easier for government contractors to succeed in the government market. It will be a full life-cycle government contracting platform. First, we are developing a bid matching and SmartCRM platform to make it easier for you to source contracting opportunities. After that, we’ll build out a social community to help you find teaming partners. We’ve got a road map to integrate many more solutions… Let us know what you want us to build next.

BUILT FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS BY GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS

The founding team members of GovGenie™ are all government contractors. We have been in the trenches and we are also frustrated with the expensive software and the lack of integration between all the tools currently on the market. As government contractors we decided to build GovGenie™ just for us to use but then we thought…we are not the only contractors that have these challenges so why not reach out to other government contractors to see what you have on your wish list.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

To ensure that we build the best software for this industry, we need your help. We are looking for beta-users. As a beta user, you will have the opportunity to provide input on the challenges you face with winning government contracts and share with the GovGenie™ team what you need to overcome these challenges.

If you had your wish, what functions and features would you want GovGenie™ to have to make it easier for you to win government contracts? The best part of being a beta user is…the GovGenie™ software development team is here to grant your wish.

Here are some of the benefits you get for being an early beta user?

- Access to potentially the most powerful AI bid sourcing software

- Early access to the social teaming portal

- Early access to the SmartCRM

- Sneak peek into unreleased features

- Full access to the GovGenie™ Secret Facebook Group

- Tell us what you want, we’ll do our best to include it in the buildout

- Founding Member status of the platform

- Free usage of the GovGenie™ platform until launch

- Special Founding Member discounted price to GovGenie™ after launch

- Plus more…

BECOME A BETA USER (Limited Slots Available)

There is a limited number of open slots for GovGenie™ beta users. If you want access as a beta user we invite you to join the conversation in our Secret GovGenie™ Facebook Group. Let us know what you need and what we should consider building out. As soon as we’re ready for more beta users, we’ll let you know in the Secret Group. Once you're in, we will notify you when the next group of beta users are being accepted. 

Join the Secret Facebook Group to get beta user invitations. 

(NOTE: you'll need to sign into Facebook)

Join here:   

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1084206461927916/ 

If you are like me, then sometimes, you need a swift kick in the butt to get moving again. In times like that, it always helps to have a “straight, no chaser” type of friend around that is ready with the boot. Last week I was having a bit of a pity party and had let fear get the best of me. When I let myself get to that point, I can stagnate in my business and begin to create what I fear most… LACK.

Lack of new clients, lack of revenue, lack of momentum. I’ve written before about how fear can trap you in your comfort zone; but it can also be quicksand that will suck you further in the more you writhe around in it. The thing about fear is that when you spend any length of time dwelling in its presence, you literally, bring to bear what you fear the most. So how does one conquer fear? With Faith!

Faith is the only way to beat fear because it is the only thing that allows you to press through the uncertainty. And isn’t that the basis of fear. Uncertainty. If you are afraid of the dark isn’t it because you don’t know what’s hiding in it? If you are afraid to make a big move (in business, or life) isn’t it because you are unsure of the result? The uncertainty is what causes the fear and panic. If you KNEW everything would be perfect, you’d have no fear or angst. Well if you have faith, then you have that knowing.

I have to remind myself of this lesson more often than I care to admit. When I get fearful and panic stricken, I have to remember all of the times I’ve let go of the fear, walked right to the edge of the cliff…and kept walking. Miraculously I was carried to the other side (this is figuratively of course; please don’t try literally walking off of cliffs, lol). My business has been the biggest faith walk of my life, and the faith that I have built during this journey is what helps me deal with a plethora of personal challenges.

How does all of this apply to you? Well, what have you been putting off because of fear? Be honest with yourself. You may use the typical excuses like you don’t have the time, or the resources; but deep down, it has been the uncertainty that has kept you from doing what you need to do. I challenge you to pick one big thing that you have been putting off and do the following:

1. Face the fear. By naming the uncertainty surrounding what you fear, you can come to terms with it.

2. Find your faith. By understanding that you have no control of the outcomes - only of your actions - you can find confidence to do your best. Have faith that your best will be good enough.

3. Walk through it. Just do whatever it is you know to do next. By doing the next right thing, you continue progressing toward the goal. Your continued action is what guarantees success.

About The Author

Myra Cisse is the owner of Certified Federal Contractors.  She worked as a banker for 20+ years and spent the last 6 years of her banking career assisting business owners and closing millions of dollars of SBA loans.  She spent 5 years with GCA providing much needed government contracting education to business owners and is now applying that knowledge to grow her government contracting business. 

That GCA’s 50% off Membership Special for 2019 is quickly coming to an end. This special is open to EVERYONE (existing members can extend their membership) at this rate & new ones can reap the benefits.

What does a GCA membership entail?

 Access to weekly training classes that teaches you steps to get to contracts

 Access to daily bids sent to your inbox

 Discounted tickets to Small Business Connection Series events

 Access to Gov Vault which contains 100s of hours of training

 Access to coworking space at Origin (PLUS discounted rates to use event space)

 And so much more

The Government Contractors Association was created to educate business owners like you on how to win contracts. Companies who have seen the most success from GCA’s teachings have followed the Success Formula which is P+P+P+P = P. That formula has equated to over $900,000,000 in contracts. Are you winning your fair share in contracts?

If it were easy to get a contract, then every entrepreneur would have one. Don’t waste another year wondering what action you should take to increase revenue. Click now to sign up for the membership special rate at $249.00. This special ends at midnight on December 31, 2019.

See you in 2020!

I love it when chill is in the air and frost starts to form on the windshield. I love it when the leaves turn bright yellow and red. I especially love it when snowflakes start for fall. All these things signal my favorite time of the year, Christmas. There’s something special about this holiday. Maybe, it’s the family getting together. Maybe, it’s the festive parties or the great food. Maybe, we enjoy having a little time of R&R or time for spiritual reflection. For me, it’s all of that but I really cherish the gift wrapping and opening up presents. I love watching the kids tear the wrapping to reveal the surprise inside. I can see the one thought running through their minds; will I get what I want for Christmas.

I’m not sure what your favorite thing is during this time of the year, but as an entrepreneur and a government contractor, wouldn’t it be nice to open up an email with an AWARD notice from that agency that you’ve submitted your proposal to last month.

So, for this holiday season, I’m declaring that all I want for Christmas is a government contract and I wish that to all of you as well. I’m not sure what you want for Christmas, but a government contract will solve a lot of other needs. You’re ONE contract away from having an amazing 2020. You’re one contract away from paying off some bills. You’re one contract away from affording a new hire. You’re one contract away from being able to finally go on that vacation. One contract can go a long way.

GCA started the 2019 season with a goal to start pursuing some government contracts. It was so amazing to open up an email saying that we’ve won a contract. That is such a refreshing feeling. Some of you have experienced that… a few of you are still waiting to get your first contract.

Now that 2020 is here, what kind of emails do you want to open up this year. Will it be more spam or an award notice? Will it be millions in government contracts? If you want it to be contracts, what will you do differently to prepare yourself for it.

There are a few things which GCA can help you with. Firstly, we announced recently that Myra will be leaving her full-time role at GCA to build a government contracting company. We decided to do this so GCA can continue to be a training organization to help all our members and let her company be the contracting partner to GCA. Her company is called Certification Consultants, DBA: Certified Federal Contractors. She will be pursuing contracts and will be seeking teaming partners who bring solid capabilities to the collaboration. Her company will be able to do many of the heavy lifting which have often held back small companies. She will handle the opportunity sourcing, capture planning, pricing strategy, proposal writing and contract management. If you team with her company, your main task is to bring your capabilities to the table and deliver the product or service upon contract award. Myra will still be volunteering at GCA, but her focus will be working with companies to team on projects.

Secondly, GCA will be starting our Capture Management Training. These classes are held every Tuesday night, live at our office and online for those who wish to join us virtually. We will go through 12 lessons which will prepare you to become a serious rain-maker for your company. You will learn what it means to be a capture manager and how you can set yourself apart as an industry professional. Ultimately, you will learn the 5-P’s Methodology that has helped our members and clients win over $900 million on contracts.

We cover a new topic each session. We will guide you through our 12 Steps to Winning Government Contracts.

1) ASSESSMENT: Do you have resources? finances, credit, hr/strong staff, talents, mobilization capital

2) STRATEGY: Do you have a strategic plan? short/long term, jv, teaming, mentor protégé, sub, prime

3) EDUCATION: Do you speak governese? Understand contracting language, regulations, policies, standards, etc

4) REGISTRATION: How to get registered for opportunities. What certifications will you need, etc.

5) IMAGE: How's your brand? strong, recognizable, broad, reputation, past performance

6) MARKETING: Capability statement, biz card, website, marketing collateral, brand that speaks to gov't buyers?

7) RELATIONSHIP: Do you have the proper types of relationships in the gov't market. Triangle of relationships

8) OPPORTUNITY: Do you know where to find opptys, fbo, bid match, id opps, prospecting, etc?

9) PROPOSAL: Can you write proposals? Can you learn or hire one? technical experts, estimators

10) PERFORMANCE: Can you deliver and perform or do you need subs?

11) COMPLIANCE: Are you DCAA compliant? acctng system, trained personnel, QA program, insurance, bonding?

12) CLOSURE: Successful completion of project? Proper close out? Paid yet? ACO happy?

To register for the capture management classes, use this link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8066905010268469517

So, on this final week of 2019, I want to say Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May 2020 bring you lots of award notices.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Abraham Xiong is the Founder of the Government Contractors Association. He has an insatiable love for

the B2G market. Over the last decade, he has taught thousands of entrepreneurs to implement the best

practices learned from years of practical application and countless hours of research. For his work with

the small business community, Mr. Xiong received President Obama’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the

Global Humanitarian Award and the State of Georgia afforded him as a Goodwill Ambassador.

Click Here to Learn More About His Methodologies: www.GovUniversity.org

This past week GCA celebrated the holidays by recounting the successes of 2019 and having a feast with GCA members and friends. It was great to see our friends from the Atlanta Black Chamber, Women in Defense and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Food was in abundance and it seemed like Thanksgiving dinner all over again. There was turkey, ham, greens and lots of desserts (not the place to be if you were trying to cut back). As for me, I would love another helping of that dressing.

The best part was getting to socialize and deepen relationships with our members. There were some talented members thrilling the party as they sung karaoke, and I think we discovered something new about our membership. GCA members- are cutthroat when it comes to playing spades. 

Many people who signed up talked the talk, but there were two members who walked the walk! We want to congratulate Michelle & Reginald for winning the Spades tournament at our 2019 GCA Holiday Mixer! Enjoy that success while it lasts because we're all coming after you!

There were prizes for the survivors… uh.. winners. We may even have to schedule another spades tournament soon. Let us know if you are interested!

(Michelle Bonam of Earthbound Construction, LLC & Reginald Ferrell of Alpha Brain Consulting  - 2019 GCA Holiday Mixer Spades Champs!) 

A little time was given to recognize new members as well as members who won contracts (5 winners this past month). A solid end of the year finish. GCA also announced some key scheduling and organizational changes. As always, you can monitor the GCA calendar at www.govevent.com but all should note that in 2020, GCA will begin conducting its Capture Management Training on Tuesday evenings at 6:00pm. This training will be delivered in conjunction with the Capture Management Institute and will replace GCA’s Wednesday Workshops.

Lastly, GCA’s Georgia Chapter President, Myra Cisse, is stepping down as she explains in the following video: (Click the image to be directed to the video link)

Richard Brooks - CFO

As the year comes to an end, will it be the end of your business or just the beginning? For one of our own here at GCA, the year will end in one chapter and beginning 2020 in a new one. For the past 2 years, Myra Cisse has done a phenomenal job serving as the President of GCA for the GA Chapter. Come the new year, she will be resigning her role at GCA and turning her focus to her business, Certification Consultants DBA Certified Federal Contractors. 

We would like to recognize, respect, and appreciate all the valuable skills, knowledge, and all the positive qualities that Myra has instilled onto us and to thank her for all her time and efforts in shaping what we do here at GCA. 

She will be remembered for the great things that she has done not only for this company but for all of the staff and members as well. Her many contributions to our success are immeasurable. She has contributed immensely to the company's success in so many ways. It is no gain saying that it will be difficult for anyone to surpass the good examples that she is leaving behind. Thank you for all that you have done Myra! 

A message from Myra Cisse, President of GCA GA Chapter: 

" It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter announcing my resignation as President of GCA GA Chapter. I, like many of you, came to GCA years ago because of Abraham Xiong and his vision. I had my company – Certification Consultants – and I was helping businesses to get certifications, but I knew it was only part of what they truly wanted. GCA allowed me to help my clients – and all the members – to learn how to win contracts, how to succeed in the government market, how to become successful government contractors. It has been a truly rewarding experience.

Certification Consultants DBA Certified Federal Contractors is now going to take the information that GCA has been teaching to others and apply it to win contracts for ourselves. As such, I can no longer serve as President for GCA as I will be focused on capture management for my business.

You will not, however, be getting rid of me entirely. I still have an office here at GCA so you will see me regularly. In addition, I will still be offering my services at the certification bootcamps and during periodic training sessions. As I pursue contracts that align with various capabilities outside my scope, I also hope to be able to team and/or partner with GCA members to perform those contracts.

I wish you all the best of luck in 2020." 

We wish you good luck and full success in future endeavors Myra!

As the membership coordinator I get the chance to witness the stories of many companies that come through the doors of GCA.  No matter the size, the goal for each is all the same….how to expand their current business.  Many startups to existing businesses know how to do what they specialize in, but where can a business owner go if they want to expand their knowledge in general business & government contracting, build key relationships, and have access to support in key areas of business?  The answer is GCA!

Before I committed to supporting members of GCA, I did my own research to make sure the "proof in the pudding" was genuine.  I discovered business owners that I knew personally who grew their brand based off the knowledge they acquired at events from GCA.  I am sure you are  aware of the local and national organizations that give guidance, but what made a significant difference to me is how GCA provides business support, education, & advice in a family-oriented atmosphere.  Those who remain committed and ran the race to the end have gone on to win millions in contracts and haven’t looked back. 

So yes, the "pudding" works!

Members of GCA get to partake in weekly deep dive sessions, attend association mixers to network, access to a bid platform that send bids out daily, access to a co-working space that has conference rooms, offices, & event space, and more.  The best highlights of GCA can be experienced at the Small Business Connection Series (SBCS) where every quarter a business/government event is held to help attendees connect with agencies, primes, small business owners, contracting officers, small business liaisons, and more!  If you are located outside of the Atlanta, GA area, you too can benefit from these offerings as well.  You see, once you have been taught the path to go, no one can take that knowledge from you!

Membership at GCA in the past years has always been the annual investment of $499 for all benefits listed and a few more. That investment is priceless when it can lead you to one contract that can change your life.  It is actually a no brainer.  But for those of you who need a little more convincing to take action, GCA is offering membership for $249 for the next 30 days.  Existing members can proactively renew at this rate (your membership will be extended into 2021 based on renewal date) and new members can benefit from the once in a lifetime special.  Go ahead and bless your business today before 2020 is here!  

 

To join go to www.govcontractors.org/join.  See you at the top!

Pamela A. Harris, CFCP 

Membership/Events Coordinator

Government Contracting is a seductive and lovely lady. She is a Goddess, mysterious and sexy, intoxicating and sobering, full of richness and yet so far from reach. I first met her in late 2007 through an introduction by a retired Army Lt. Colonel.  At first glance, I was mesmerized. She had stolen my attention and I was drunk in love. My heart skipped at the sight of her. She was beautiful and gorgeous. Her perfume smelled like money, to the tune of nearly $500 billion each year. 

The more I got to know her, the more intrigued I became. She was complex and witty with great depth, filled with layers of regulations and legalize to keep me interested. It was easy for me to give my whole heart to her.

As our romanced developed I saw the many lovers she's had. She had captivated many before me and some found eternal bliss with her. Their love blossomed and their companies grew to multi-millions in sales. Others who were swept by her got lost along the way in the contracting maze. They under-estimated her complexities and never appreciated or became fond of how deep she really is. They were only attracted to her outer beauty and richness. They are the many that wanted a relationship with her but was left stranded, broken and destitute. I was determined not to be one of them. 

So, I set out to learn more about this mysterious lady named ‘government contracting’ and asked everyone who knew her well, how I can win her heart. I savored over thousands of websites and read hundreds of articles about her. I studied her roots and got to know her family. I traveled to see her in DC and around the country. The more I got to know her, the more intimate we became. The work and time I invested into our relationship didn't seem hard, it was easy for me to give myself to her.

It is in this discovery journey that led me to become the founder of the Government Contractors Association. In the course of my relationship with this Goddess of Government Contracting, I have accessed more than $900 million in contract wins for our members, clients, and my organizations.

Now it's your turn... that is why I set up the Government Contractors Association, so others like you can come and get to know her and experience how good she can be.

Government Contractors Association is an organization, made up of people who love to share the wonders of the contracting market. We love to tell the story of the beauty of this industry and spread the opportunities of its richness. It is full of resources, anecdotes, tips and strategies. This association is your introduction to this Goddess of Government Contracting. It is your gateway to the government contracting world. 

My hope is that maybe you too will fall madly in love with her.

Get to know this Goddess of Government Contracting by joining the Government Contractors Association.

 

www.govassociation.org/join

ABOUT THE ARTICLE AUTHOR:
Abraham Xiong is the Founder of the Government Contractors Association. He has an insatiable love for the B2G market. Over the last decade, he has taught thousands of entrepreneurs to implement the best practices learned from years of practical application and countless hours of research. For his work with the small business community, Mr. Xiong received President Obama’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Global Humanitarian Award and the State of Georgia afforded him as a Goodwill Ambassador.

Click Here to Learn More About His Methodologies: www.GovCademy.com