Julie Bush

I know how often small businesses get boxed out by the “past performance” hurdle, even when they’ve proven themselves commercially. The 2026 NDAA is a real step toward leveling the playing field in DoD contracting, and this breakdown explains what’s changing and how to position yourself to benefit. #DoD #GovCon #FederalContracting

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One of the worst-kept secrets on Capitol Hill: there are countless congressional offices doing extraordinary work every day—and most people never hear about them. These are the “Workhorses.” One of the most meaningful parts of my job each year during Democracy Awards season is reviewing applications and talking with offices that are setting the standard for constituent service, office management, and innovation. The Democracy Awards shine a spotlight on this work—recognizing the teams that keep Congress running effectively behind the scenes. If you’re able, consider supporting this effort to elevate and celebrate the Workhorses. This is how we improve Congress. Learn more or get involved: membership@congressfoundation.org

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This new analysis of the Trump Admin's hiring memos is worth reading. Some of the changes are very good -- making it easier to hire and setting faster decision timelines, making performance assessments more trustworthy and meaningful, accepting normal resumes and simplifying SES applications, and removing unnecessary degree requirements. Some of this builds on prior administrations' efforts. As the authors point out, other changes are corrosive and will deepen distrust in government: requiring essay questions that amount to a partisan test of loyalty to the current president, requiring political appointees to interview and approve candidates, and forcing SES careers to watch 80 hours of ideological training videos on Trump's executive orders. But my main point is the good stuff is good. Those elements should be on the agenda for any administration that is serious about making government better at delivering for the American people.

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I did not have the chance to attend, as I was in the middle of delivering real-world training to the acquisition workforce, but Shauna Weatherly offers a great synopsis. I've spent decades implementing acquisition policy at the ground level, so let me offer some perspective on what's actually needed for RFO success. The workforce training gap is the most critical issue here, and I'm not seeing it adequately addressed. Pointing COs and KOs to the Practitioner's Albums and telling them to self-train isn't a strategy, it's an abdication of responsibility. These are complex regulatory changes affecting billions in contract actions, and we're treating professional development like it's optional homework. The suggestion that public recognition will motivate implementation misses what's happening in the federal workspace right now. Many acquisition professionals are operating with genuine concerns about job security. They need structured training, clear implementation guidance, and adequate time to integrate these changes—not gold stars and attaboys. The implication made that senior acquisition professionals and COs/KOs will resist using RFO flexibilities is not necessarily true. We've been innovating within the cracks of the existing FAR for years, often despite policy barriers rather than because of policy support. The workforce isn't the obstacle to modernization—inadequate investment in that workforce is. Further, what incentive do they have to "modernize" when accountability only hurts you if you take risks, which is what is being pushed through the RFO? What should actually happen? Agencies need comprehensive training programs, not self-service documents. The acquisition workforce needs protected time for learning, not another unfunded mandate. And implementation timelines need to account for the reality that we're asking a decimated workforce to absorb massive change while maintaining operational tempo. The people drafting policy in Washington aren't the ones who will make RFO work. It's the contracting officers at the base level, working with inadequate systems and shrinking teams, who will figure out how to turn these deviations into mission success. Perhaps we should invest in supporting them effectively rather than assuming motivation is the missing ingredient. GSA and OFPP want substantive comments from industry? Start by genuinely partnering with the acquisition workforce, who will actually implement this. Because right now, I see a dangerous disconnect between policy development and operational reality. The beatings will continue until morale improves 🫠 What are others seeing in terms of actual RFO training support at your agencies? Are you getting structured programs or just links to documents? #FederalAcquisition #RFOImplementation #AcquisitionWorkforce #ProcurementModernization #ContractingOfficers #GovCon

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📊 Federal Contracting in 2025: A $750B+ Opportunity — But With Strategic Challenges Ahead 🇺🇸 At Liberty Eagle Consulting, we help mission-driven businesses decode the federal marketplace — turning complexity into clarity and missed opportunities into winning bids. Here’s what the latest data tells us about the federal contracting landscape: 🔹 Massive Total Spend – The U.S. federal government continues to be the world’s largest buyer of goods & services. In FY 2024 roughly $773.7 billion in contracts were awarded to more than 108,000 companies across industries like defense, IT, healthcare, facilities, and construction. 🔹 Small Business Momentum – Small businesses captured $176.1 billion in contract awards in FY24 — an increase of nearly $4B over FY23 — working with close to 78,700 companies. 🔹 Set-Aside Dollars Still Significant – Targeted set-aside programs continue to open doors: • 8(a) business development awards • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) pools • Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) set-asides • HUBZone contracts These collectively produce tens of billions in opportunities annually. 🔹 Record Growth for Small Businesses – The Biden Administration reported $178.6B in federal procurement opportunities to small businesses, a historic high, with multiple agencies earning top grades for meeting or exceeding small business goals. 🔹 A Competitive, Evolving Ecosystem – While total contract dollars are high, Q1 FY26 data shows variability, with contract obligations around $58.6B for the quarter — and small business set-asides around 4.0% of that total — signaling both opportunity and competition ahead. 💡 What this means for you: ✔ Federal contracting remains a cornerstone revenue channel for companies of all sizes. ✔ Small and diverse businesses are capturing record dollars, but strategic positioning and compliance are essential to win. ✔ The market is dynamic — set-aside goals, agency priorities, and procurement vehicles like GWACs and IDIQs continue to evolve. At Liberty Eagle Consulting, we help you: 🔹 Identify the highest-value opportunities 🔹 Navigate SAM.gov, FPDS, and agency acquisition pipelines 🔹 Build compliant, compelling proposals 🔹 Position your business to scale through past performance and strategic partnerships 📌 Federal spending isn’t slowing down — it’s recalibrating. Your success depends on being prepared, proactive, and informed. Let’s talk about your government contracting strategy and how you can capture your share of the $750B+ federal marketplace. 🇺🇸 #GovernmentContracting #FederalProcurement #SmallBusiness #SetAsides #GovCon #LibertyEagleConsulting

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'... the 11 legacy systems most in need of modernization are maintained by 10 federal agencies. 'Eight of the 11 systems use outdated languages, four have unsupported hardware or software, and seven are operating with known cybersecurity vulnerabilities ... both of the Department of the Treasury's selected systems run on ... COBOL ... and Assembly Language Code ... the Environmental Protection Agency's system contains obsolete hardware that is not supported by manufacturers and has known cybersecurity vulnerabilities that cannot be remediated without modernization. 'Of the nine systems with [modernisation] plans, three included all three elements of a plan ... and six did not include all elements of a plan ... The two systems without plans belonged to Defense and Energy. 'The incomplete modernization plans are especially concerning for seven of the systems because they reportedly have modernizations already underway'. How good is tech debt. https://lnkd.in/gXpTdCwm

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Really proud of the work Maryland Department of Labor is doing to align training with real demand and ensure these investments translate into measurable outcomes. Maryland has two major grant opportunities now open to help prepare workers for AI and emerging technology economies: (1) Maryland Lighthouse Industries & AI Internship Program: supporting employer-based internships and real-world experience in high-growth sectors. https://lnkd.in/eHTrjFak (2) Maryland Lighthouse Industries Upskilling & Reskilling Program: strengthening emerging technology and transferable skills for Marylanders pursuing careers in our lighthouse industries. https://lnkd.in/e-6pqEEX Congratulations to the Cyber Clinic grantees announced today: Center for Critical Infrastructure Security (CCIS), Howard Community College, and TCecure, LLC. Your work is helping build the connective tissue between learning and hiring, which is where real resilience comes from. For me, this is what it looks like to lean in as a state: make smart investments, build pathways, and make sure opportunity can move with change.

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Proud to share the release of our latest research: “Federal Government Roadmap to Accelerate AI Strategy” — a comprehensive guide designed to help federal CIOs and technology leaders define, initiate, and scale AI strategies aligned with mission-critical goals. 🔍 This roadmap provides: ✅ A framework to define your agency’s AI vision ✅ Guidance on aligning AI with national priorities like security, efficiency, and citizen experience ✅ Insights into AI maturity, pace, and ambition across federal agencies ✅ Real-world use cases and success stories from across the government ✅ Tools to build stakeholder trust, ensure ethical AI use, and measure impact Let’s shape a future where AI enhances public service, strengthens national security, and drives innovation for all. To access (subscription required): https://lnkd.in/ePEw74Eq Not a client? For access to free and compelling insights: https://lnkd.in/eJpKZik6 📥 DM me if you'd like to learn more or collaborate on AI strategy development. My colleagues, Michael C. Brown and Rishi Sood contributed to this effort and want to extend a big thank you for all of the support they provided. #AI #FederalGovernment #GartnerIT

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Brian MacCarthy, SVP of Booz Allen Hamilton Ventures, joins the “Working with the Army” panel at the Army Demand Signal Forum. He’ll share how Booz Allen Ventures is shaping markets by connecting emerging tech companies with mission needs.

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#TuneInTuesday From Prototype to Program of Record: What It Really Takes to Transition in GovCon Most GovCon innovation doesn’t fail because the tech is bad. It fails because it never makes it out of R&D. In this new episode of GovCon Unscripted, Fuse Integration CEO Sumner Lee breaks down what actually separates prototypes from programs of record from surviving the SBIR “valley of death” to earning trust from warfighters and program offices. This episode is for GovCon leaders who want to understand: - Why user access matters more than perfect specs - How SBIR can work when used intentionally - What operational relevance really looks like in the field 🎧 Listen now on: 🔹 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gk7ETW2i 🔹 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g6QBeyqz Like and follow us: 🔹 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gNQJcg84 🔹 Facebook: https://lnkd.in/ghWSzWwA 🔹 LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/dm2YCdbi Join our #govcon #community: https://lnkd.in/g2cTncsd New to GovCon? Here’s a guide for you: https://lnkd.in/gZnnhxaJ 21 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your GovCon BD Engine: https://lnkd.in/gnF7w2pe #govcon #sbir #defensetech #federalcontracting #programofrecord #warfighter #dodinnovation Sumner Lee Joyce Bosc Michelle Gardner-Ince, Colonel USAF, Retired Luke Shabro Marsha Lindquist Lawrence Pokroy David S. Renee Glendenning Greg Glendenning Gene Moran, Ph.D. Katie Bigelow Kevin Plexico Brian Pultro Tan Wilson Jena Jones Giles W. Robert Fehlen Al Vega Natasha Velez, CECM, CF APMP Art Trevethan Kris Brinker Tom Barrow Katie Helwig Alexa Tsui Andy Semotiuk Callye Keen Noura Bashshur Christine Hopkins Stacey Piper David D. Doerrier Timothy Balz Barry Furey Aubrey Gainfort Graham Plaster Sharon Heaton Chris Bennett Dana Bonsell

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Wow. Maryland, hats off. From the One Big Beautiful Bill, to Negotiated Rulemaking, to state governor delegation, and now: the draft state policy implementing the new federal regulations. I’ve been reading a ton of state-level documents (following my role at NegReg) on behalf of a client, and Maryland’s Program Determination Policy is really quite remarkable. Credit Rachael Stephens Parker I know at first glance it just looks like a really clean and highly professional paper, but this is going to meaningfully change a lot of lives—namely low-income students seeking to break into new or existing in-demand careers using short-term credentials. Can’t wait to see these programs implemented and, just as importantly, how each state is going to approach this new distribution of funding uniquely.

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🎯 Government Contracting Strategy: It’s About Positioning, Not Just Proposals Most businesses think success in federal contracting comes from writing great proposals. In reality — it’s about strategic positioning long before the RFP drops. Here’s what winning firms do differently 👇 🔹 1️⃣ Build the Right Foundation Register in SAM.gov and align your NAICS codes Create a capability statement that speaks to agency missions Focus on past performance through local or subcontracted work 🔹 2️⃣ Get on the Right Contract Vehicles These are the “approved highways” where real federal buying happens: GSA Schedule (MAS) — for recurring products & services IDIQ / GWAC — multi-agency umbrella contracts like Alliant 3 or CIO-SP4 BPAs — for repetitive needs like security or maintenance If you’re not on a vehicle, you’re missing the fastest route to federal sales. 🔹 3️⃣ Partner Before You Compete Join forces with prime contractors or teaming partners already on these vehicles. Learn the flow, earn performance history, and step in when the next on-ramp opens. 💡 Strategy tip: Don’t chase every RFP. Chase the position that puts you in front of the buyer — inside the vehicle they already use. #GovCon #GovernmentContracting #GSA #IDIQ #BPA #GWAC #FederalProcurement #SmallBusiness #ContractStrategy #SAMgov

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There's a lot of uncertainty as Republicans seek to pass Reconciliation to finish out FY26 DHS appropriations while the appropriations committee kicks off FY27. To learn about the latest, read our latest The Topline.

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Join the Maryland Department of Commerce and Shirley Collier, President of Scale2Market focused on navigating 2026 DOW procurement shifts and new NDAA innovation programs. This program provides GovCon leaders with actionable insights into DFARS updates and the strategic positioning needed to win high-value contracts in the evolving federal marketplace.

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The release of the new AI Action Plan is an important step in setting the stage for the next wave of responsible artificial intelligence development. We look forward to continuing to work with policy makers and our customers to foster AI innovation to support mission-critical operations that enable the Administration’s national priorities.   As we continue to work towards AI acceleration, infrastructure, and diplomacy, here’s how SAIC is at the forefront:   AI Acceleration: Through our dual-use commercial technologies, SAIC helps accelerate AI-driven solutions to address critical mission challenges, from enhanced operational readiness to predictive analytics for defense, civilian and national security.   AI Infrastructure: As the largest cloud services provider to the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and other government agencies, SAIC delivers secure, scalable AI infrastructures, with capabilities in multi-level security, distributed cloud at the edge, and hybrid commercial hardware solutions. These technologies ensure our customers data and operations remain resilient and efficient, no matter the environment.   AI Diplomacy: SAIC is committed to ethical AI practices, fostering partnerships focused on transparency, explainability, and the responsible use of AI, ensuring that technologies serve both mission needs and public trust.   Learn more about how SAIC is integrating cutting-edge AI technologies to solve our customers' most complex challenges:   https://lnkd.in/g_BWKhbd

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D-Wave is excited to join the Global Industry Grand Challenge as a platform provider for Connected DMV. We are excited to see all the submissions from around the globe on this opportunity. The Global Industry Challenge aligns with our long-standing focus on practical quantum applications and provide innovators the opportunity to test ideas against real problems using real quantum systems. techUK QED-C® UKQuantum Quantum Industry Canada • Industrie Quantique Canada Florida Atlantic University Matthew Cimaglia QuantumCT Q-Beam Technologies Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, Inc. Palm Beach State College

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Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, issued the following statement regarding the White House’s National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence. “We applaud President Trump for providing a vision for a single national AI framework to prevent a 50-state patchwork and provide clarity to entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes after years of regulatory confusion at the state and local levels. We look forward to working with the administration and members on both sides of aisle in Congress to ensure U.S. AI leadership and deployment.” https://lnkd.in/e6fg2KMs

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SCOOP: Economic development leaders in Arlington and Alexandria want to launch a new initiative to expand funding and business training for defense and national security startups, aiming to solidify the growing tech outpost near the Pentagon and Amazon’s HQ2. #startup #startups #technology #tech #innovation #dc #dmv #washingtondc #business #businessarticle #businessnews #arlington https://lnkd.in/eR7Tv6s8

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The VA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program has launched a new online resource to communicate with industry. See the below post/link for details and how to register for email alerts, etc.! #GovCon #IndustryPartners #GovernmentContracting #FederalProcurement #PublicSectorProcurement

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