It’s a Whole New Ballgame: Thriving as a Federal Contractor Under the Current Administration – August 4
By: Barry Landew, Senior Advisor
The current Administration has thrown a high-stakes pitch, but it’s also a once-in-a-generation chance for federal contractors to step up to the plate. With a focus on eliminating fraud and driving efficiency, the GovCon playing field is being reshaped. This isn’t a spring training scrimmage—it’s the regular season, and every at-bat counts.
Like any major league shake-up, the new Administration’s approach is messy and imperfect. However, the game has changed. Smart teams will proactively adjust their lineup and sharpen their playbook. Those who wait for this new Administration to ‘blow over’ are playing small ball in a home-run era. True winners will be those who adapt their strategy and swing for the fences.
What Does Baseball Have to Do with GovCon? Everything.
So, you might ask: what exactly does GovCon’s business development (BD) have in common with baseball? The answer is: everything.
Just as a baseball team rotates pitchers and adapts matchups to play to its strengths, GovCon’s BD and capture teams must be strategically built around each unique opportunity. Your heavy hitters for cyber security, for example, may not get on base in logistics or sustainment. Success demands you know the field, thoroughly scout the competition, and build a batting order that matches your customer’s needs today—not based on last season’s roster.
The new Administration’s obsession with efficiency should compel companies to develop solutions that are better, faster, and cheaper. Government customers are seeking game-changing, walk-off solutions, not bunts. Forget the old paradigm of lifting and shifting outdated systems. Instead, re-engineer the entire process before you even consider moving it to the cloud. Automating a flawed process is, frankly, like perfecting a batting stance with a broken bat—utterly pointless.
Beyond Past Performance: Innovation and ROI
Past performance might secure your spot in the batter’s box, but it certainly won’t guarantee a hit. Agencies now want fresh thinking, real innovation, and undeniable proof that you can drive in runs now. Bring a comprehensive innovation playbook. Clearly demonstrate your Return on Investment (ROI). And make sure your pricing genuinely reflects the value you promise—because your savvy competitors are already doing so.
Just like high-seed teams facing playoff upsets, even top-tier contractors can still get knocked out early. Look no further than the postseason upsets in this year’s league. While every team can cherry-pick stats to look good on paper, that alone won’t win the game. Real, sustainable wins come from sharp vision, situational awareness, and timely execution.
Building Your Winning Lineup: Teams and Talent
Set your BD roster like a shrewd manager sets a lineup: placing role players in their ideal positions, leveraging specialists where they truly shine, and empowering coaches who understand how to build team chemistry. Resist the temptation to rely on lone sluggers who only connect with fastballs. Great teams achieve victory through depth, versatility, and relentless hustle. If a key player is missing, bring in a utility consultant to fill a specific gap—but never build your entire game plan around them.
Long gone are the days of cumbersome, paper-driven processes. GovCon is rapidly shifting towards faster, more agile solutions. Development teams, therefore, need to be structured like smart farm systems—small, fast, and scalable. Obsess over the fundamentals. Just as great baseball teams win by dominating the small stuff—pitch selection, base running, fielding mechanics—the same principle applies directly to BD.
Strive for perfect balance between robust internal processes and critical game speed. Your reviews should sharpen the swing, not needlessly slow the at-bat. Empower your stars to execute with autonomy. The most effective managers instinctively know when to let their big hitters swing for the fences and when to strategically lean on small ball to get the crucial run in.
Culture, Leadership, and Continuous Improvement
True success stems from teams who not only know the playbook inside and out but also possess the intuition to read the field. While BD frameworks like Shipley provide the essential rulebook, great players instinctively know when to bunt, when to steal, and when to go yard. Culture profoundly matters. Teams that truly gel consistently outperform those filled with lone wolves merely swinging for their own stat lines.
The most effective BD leaders emulate clubhouse captains. They model ideal behavior, generate positive energy, and actively elevate everyone around them. Talent is crucial, but so is chemistry. Be prepared to make the tough roster decisions. Strategically fill the gaps. Never go into a must-win game with a thin bench.
This new Administration has undeniably created a powerful opportunity to infuse boldness, innovation, and better play onto the GovCon field. But this transformation won’t happen by accident. Winning teams relentlessly scout talent, aren’t afraid to make mid-season trades, and constantly play for October. For federal contractors, that translates to critically assessing your current lineup, making the necessary tough calls, and aggressively recruiting the heavy hitters who can deliver.
And like any winning team, rigorous measurement matters. Use key metrics to meticulously track performance, precisely identify gaps, and proactively adjust your approach. Great teams don’t just play fast—they play smart. They anticipate shifts, swiftly adapt to new challenges, and always stay ahead of the pitch count.
Play Smart, Play Fast, Play to Win
The bottom line is clear: In this dynamic new GovCon league, profoundly shaped by the current Administration, the slow and steady will simply not survive the season. Play smart. Play fast. Play to win.
