The Northbridge Group LLC

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) Acting Director Named The Department of State announces Rich Vinnacombe as the Acting OSDBU Director following the 3/31/25 retirement of George Price. You can reach OSDBU at smallbusiness@state.gov. #Leadership #OSDBU #SmallBusiness

It’s tough to see so many small businesses already fighting to survive now facing even greater challenges. With the closure of many SBA facilities and the scaling back—or even elimination—of programs like the Emerging Leaders THRIVE program (which I proudly graduated from), the support system we’ve relied on is shrinking fast. But here’s the truth: it’s sink or swim—and I say, swim. No one is coming to save you, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. >Now is the time to bet on YOU. >Educate yourself. >Get creative. >Leverage every resource at your fingertips—from YouTube “University” to course creators like myself (yes, shameless plug!). Keep supporting the SBA—they still need us—but make sure you’re also building your own toolbox. I’ve linked my YouTube channel and course info in the comments to help you get started.

‼️ Two new procurement EOs just signed with implications for #SmallBiz and Mid-Tier firms. The #FAR simplification order directs the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to streamline the FAR to only include provisions "required by statute or essential to sound procurement" within 180 days and sets a 4-year sunset on non-statutory FAR provisions unless renewed. The #COTS Order mandates agencies prioritize commercially available products/services over custom solutions. Agencies must justify custom solutions with waiver requests within 60 days. ✅ Opportunities: ① Simplified Procurement Rules: Streamlining FAR provisions could reduce compliance barriers, benefiting smaller contractors without extensive resources. ② Commercial Solutions Priority: Stronger positioning for contractors offering proven commercial products, aligning federal buying practices closer to commercial norms. ③ Accelerated Decisions: 60-day waiver requirement could expedite procurements, favoring agile small/mid-sized firms. ⚠️ Risks: ① Contract Consolidation: Increasing centralization under GSA could result in fewer, larger contracts, intensifying competition for prime awards. ② Implementation Uncertainty: Ambiguity regarding "essential provisions" interpretation might lead to temporary confusion or delays. ③ IDIQ Scrutiny: Existing vehicles could face increased scrutiny or consolidation under GSA initiatives. 🔑 Proactive Steps: ① Audit Commercial Offerings: Clearly document how your solutions meet federal requirements with minimal customization. ② Optimize or Pursue a GSA Schedule: Position your business competitively as procurement centralizes. ③ Forge Strategic Partnerships: Prepare for larger consolidated procurements through complementary teaming strategies. ④ Engage Early: Educate contracting officers and program managers about your commercial solutions' benefits. ⑤ Highlight Past Performance: Clearly demonstrate where your solutions have outperformed custom-built alternatives in cost, speed, or effectiveness. Change brings opportunity—smaller, agile firms can benefit by proactively adapting. How is your business responding? Red Team Consulting #GovCon #DefenseContracting #HealthIT #ProcurementReform https://lnkd.in/ewB3ZJPx https://lnkd.in/eBeZt6BB

Getting to $5M as a government contractor can often come from existing relationships and quick wins. But going from $5M up requires a process to push into new customers and more competitive opportunities. In this training, you'll learn: • Why it is vital you do one thing better than anyone else • What you should have in your sales pipeline • Capture is the key to success in reaching your next goal ___________________________________ 🔥 Join 24,056 others and subscribe to our GovCon newsletter | https://lnkd.in/es6qfwgk 👀 Follow me (Neil McDonnell) on LinkedIn™ and hit the 🔔 on my profile to see more government contracting content like 38,877 other people do.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will be recompeting its RAPID IT contract, with a single BPA. RFP is set to be posted next month, so keep an eye out. #dhs #opp #opportunity #govcon #federalcontracting https://lnkd.in/eBwG4wnQ

Energy is THE sector that enables every other sector. Can you support DOE's $50B budget priorities and strategic goals? Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Chris Wright, shared recently... "Energy is the enabler of everything that we do. Everything. Energy is not a sector of the economy; it is THE sector that enables every other sector. Energy is Life." In this newsletter article, I walk through Step-by-Step, what you need to do to register in DOE's supplier portal. The need small business government contractors to support their mission. Thanks to Charles Smith, Director of Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization | U.S. Department of Energy for making it easier for industry to reach DOE buyers. 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓 🔄 so others can benefit as well. __________________________________ 🔥 Join 23,373 others and subscribe to our GovCon newsletter | https://lnkd.in/es6qfwgk 👀 Follow me (Neil McDonnell) on LinkedIn and hit the 🔔 on my profile to see more government contracting content like 38,145 other people do.

Do not try to land a prime contract with federal buyers if you provide services. The fastest way to federal revenue is subcontracting with a firm that already is being awarded contracts. Learn from them and get your eating money first. In this training, you'll learn: • Differences between subcontracting versus prime contracting • Top myths about subcontracting • How to get a subcontract in your target agency ___________________________________ 🔥 Join 24,056 others and subscribe to our GovCon newsletter | https://lnkd.in/es6qfwgk 👀 Follow me (Neil McDonnell) on LinkedIn™ and hit the 🔔 on my profile to see more government contracting content like 38,877 other people do.

Finally, an executive order that benefits non-traditional defense contractors!! The #EO released Wednesday, 4/9/25 "Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base" looks to be a game-changer for the defense contracting industry. This #ExecOrder covers so many challenges that have plagued the defense industry for decades, from reforming the defense acquisition process and addressing the requirements development process to supporting the DoD workforce tasked with implementing these changes. This EO is a standout amongst the flood of others released this year. Optimism should be high in the non-traditional industrial base.... Check out this article to see why! Mark Amtower Stacey Piper Katie Helwig Stephanie Alexander Stephanie Hutch Will Fortier Anna Urman Aubrey Lavitoria, MBA, MAOM Lauren Beward, M.S. Lisa Shea Mundt David Neal Michelle Gardner-Ince, Colonel USAF, Retired Graham Plaster Denise Ryser Nicole Tripodi, CF APMP Alexa Tsui Tan Wilson Teresa Moon Diana Teel Leslie Faircloth Judy Bradt Kim Bode David Walz Deb Diller, MS Richard C. Howard, Lt Col (Ret) Christina Mee, PMP Hannah Altman Gregory Foscato Fiona McKay, MA MSc PCC Fernando Machado, CISSP, CISM, CCA, CCP Howard Thompson Trish Martinelli Jim Masonbrink Dave Angeletti Michelle Burnett-Judy Michelle Currier, CPCM, CFCM Jack Ryan Mike Snyder Christopher Kennamer Christopher Parente

Only the OSDBU executive director remains to advocate for small businesses at the Department of Health and Human Services, which obligated $39 billion in contracts last year. https://lnkd.in/eJie42Be

Big 4 layoffs rev up with Deloitte -- no counts yet-- BUT Deloitte’s U.S. workforce totaled nearly 173,000 at the end of 2024. On March 31, consulting firms faced their day of reckoning as DOGE’s $65B purge hits 10 companies with force... and the estimated $65B for 2025 is a loss that could be make or break. The 10 consulting firms on the list are Deloitte, Accenture Federal Services, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics, Leidos, Guidehouse, HII Mission Technologies, Science Applications International, CGI Federal, and IBM. Deloitte was hit hardest - even though they don't have the biggest contract awards. They have the most to lose in absolute terms with their $3.3B federal contract. The whole federal contract pull is a big blow after Jason Salzetti was appointed as Chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting, effective January 27, 2025 and then Deloitte’s U.S. management consulting business experienced a significant slowdown, with growth declining from 17.8% in 2023 to less than 1% in 2024. If you saw my Accenture projections- you know this is going to get really ugly. https://lnkd.in/g7ThD-26