As the new fiscal year kicks off, federal contracting firms need to be proactive to stay ahead of the competition. Much like a football season, the first quarter is critical for setting the tone for success. If you fail to plan, you risk falling behind your competitors, who are already lining up their strategy, doing the basic "blocking and tackling" that gives them a competitive edge. In this article, we will outline the key strategies you should be executing right now to position yourself for major wins throughout FY25. We’ll also highlight the lessons learned and successes from nDemand Consulting Services Inc., showcasing how effective preparation and strategy can lead to significant federal contracting victories.
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Oscar L. Frazier Global Consultant | Owner of nDemand Consulting Services Inc. A GUIDE & PLAYBOOK TO FEDERAL CONTRACTING SUCCESS BY: MBA, PMP, LSSBB, Certified SAFe® 5 Agilist
nDemandConsulting.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter from the CEO
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Playbook for FY25: Blocking and Tackling in Federal Contracting
/5
Advanced Playbook
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Success Stories: FY24 Review
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Conclusion: Your First Quarter Game Plan
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nDemandConsulting.com
LETTER FROM THE CEO
Dear Federal Contracting Professionals,
As we embark on a new fiscal year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the competitive nature of federal contracting and the strategies that have consistently proven to be game-changers. Much like a football team’s preparation before the season opener, success in federal contracting doesn’t happen by chance. It requires a well-planned strategy, diligent execution, and a willingness to adapt and respond to opportunities. At nDemand Consulting Services Inc., we’ve seen firsthand how powerful early engagement and strategic planning can be. In FY24 alone, we helped countless businesses position themselves for success through our federal contracting readiness programs. From our highly successful 12-week NMSDC cohort with KDM & Associates, to the targeted support we provided to MSIs and HBCUs via our collaboration with VentureWell, we’ve proven that winning in this space starts with preparation. I encourage you to use this article as your playbook—review the strategies, apply them diligently, and reach out to us if you need personalized guidance. The first quarter of the federal fiscal year is your time to get ahead, and with the right plays, we can all score big.
Let’s make FY25 your best season yet.
Warm regards, Oscar Frazier ofrazier@ndemandconsulting.com Oscar Frazier
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ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: OSCAR L. FRAZIER
Congressional Justifications & FY25 Forecast Reviews: The first step in your game plan should be to thoroughly review congressional justifications for targeted agencies. These documents provide a clear roadmap of an agency’s budget priorities and spending plans. By understanding how much funding is allocated to your area of expertise, you can position yourself to take advantage of upcoming opportunities. Key Play: Dive into the FY25 budget justifications for your target agencies and identify alignment with your firm's capabilities. Tactical Move: Review the FY25 forecast for each agency, focusing on long-term and short-term opportunities that match your firm’s NAICS codes. Analyze FY24 Scorecards: To get a better understanding of agency performance and where they struggled, review the FY24 scorecards of your targeted agencies. Focus on those that failed to meet set-aside goals, such as SDVOSB, WOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, and other designations. This is where you can swoop in and position your firm as a valuable partner. Key Play: Identify which agencies underperformed on set-aside awards and use this information to target outreach to agency specialists responsible for these goals. PLAYBOOK FOR FY25: BLOCKING AND TACKLING IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING FORECASTS | SCORECARDS | SPEND ALIGNMENT | PIPELINE | LEVERAGING SET-ASIDES
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: OSCAR L. FRAZIER
PLAYBOOK FOR FY25: BLOCKING AND TACKLING IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING
FORECASTS | SCORECARDS | SPEND ALIGNMENT | PIPELINE | LEVERAGING SET-ASIDES
USAspending.gov: Align Spend with Your NAICS Codes: Understanding where agencies spent their FY24 funds is crucial for predicting where they may allocate their FY25 budgets. Use USAspending.gov to analyze agency spending patterns and ensure that their needs align with your firm's capabilities. Key Play: Match your firm’s NAICS codes with the spending trends from FY24, and use this data to target relevant opportunities for FY25. Tactical Move: Develop a short-range and long-range pipeline based on the forecasted opportunities and the contacts identified in the forecast list. Build Your Pipeline: Outreach and Relationship Building: Once you've reviewed the forecasts, it's time to make your move. Begin outreach to the small business specialists, contracting officers, and key contacts listed in the forecasts. The relationships you build during this early stage will be pivotal as opportunities begin to mature throughout the fiscal year. Key Play: Engage early and often. Introduce your firm, highlight your unique value proposition, and build relationships that will set you apart. Tactical Move: Leverage contacts to schedule capability briefings, ensuring that you’re top of mind when opportunities go live. Focus on Set-Asides: A Key Opportunity for Growth: If your firm holds designations like SDVOSB, WOSB, 8(a), or HUBZone, now is the time to make sure agencies know it. With agencies eager to hit their set-aside goals, your firm could be a solution to their problems. Key Play: Ensure your certifications are up to date and leverage them in your outreach to agencies, focusing on their set-aside targets.
ADVANCED PLAYBOOK: STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS IN FY25 Here’s what the next few weeks should look like for you: Execute Your Game Plan: 1.
Identify 3-5 key agencies to target. Review their FY25 forecasts and schedule capability briefings. Reach out to contracting specialists and small business advocates. Long-Range and Short-Range Pipeline Development: 2. Use your analysis to build both short- term and long-term pipelines. Prioritize opportunities based on forecast timelines and funding availability. Position Your Firm as a Go-To for Set- Asides: 3. Reiterate your firm's certifications and qualifications during outreach. Target agencies that struggled with set- aside goals in FY24 (via scorecard).
Success Stories: How nDemand Consulting Services Inc. Drove Success in FY24
01 The NMSDC 12-Week Cohort
nDemand Consulting Services Inc., as sub-contractor to KDM & Associates, led a transformative 12-week program that helped 300+ minority-owned businesses navigate the federal contracting space. Through one-on-one sessions and customized coaching, many cohort members secured their first federal contracts, representing $7.9 million in awarded contracts . WOSB Certifications: 12 certifications submitted or approved SAM Registrations: 10 completed 8(a) Certifications: 2 achieved 02 MSI & HBCU Professor Training VentureWell Department of Energy MSI Federal Contracting Readiness: Through our work with KDM & Associates, VentureWell and HBCUs/MSIs, we helped institutions become federal contracting-ready by training professors and department leaders on federal contracting best practices. This collaboration resulted in increased preparedness and competitiveness in obtaining contracts within the Department of Energy and beyond.
03 MBDA FPC Tiger Team
Our strategic leadership and ideation with Keith Moore, owner of KDM & Associates, led to the formation of the Minority Business Development Agency MBDA Federal Procurement Center’s (FPC) Tiger Team, a specialized group dedicated to supporting minority- owned businesses in securing federal contracts. The team’s impact is being felt nationwide as businesses experience growth through targeted support, advocacy, and guidance.
Success Stories: How nDemand Consulting Services Inc. Drove Success in FY24 (cont’d)
04 AgTech NonProfit Advocacy
nDemand Consulting Services Inc. successfully facilitated the collaboration between P&J Vet Staffing Services, Ponix Farms, PJW Enterprises, and Magic7 to address food insecurity in the historic Westside of Montgomery. By aligning the strengths of each organization—P&J's expertise in veteran employment, Ponix's innovative agricultural technology, PJW's operational leadership, and Magic7's land contribution—nDemand created a synergistic partnership aimed at deploying sustainable, controlled-environment farming systems to provide fresh, healthy food to underserved communities. This partnership fosters both local food production and economic empowerment. 05 Advancing Science & Research nDemand Consulting Services Inc. has written numerous SBIR proposals and investor pitches for companies like Johnson R&D (owned by Dr. Lonnie Johnson - inventor of the Super Soaker), focusing on innovative energy storage solutions, such as advanced lithium fuel cells. Also crafted proposals that integrate deep scientific research with practical applications across industries, including energy, agriculture, and federal contracting. 06 High-Quality Cocoa in Ghana nDemand Consulting Services Inc is providing strategic consulting and expertise to African Roots Development Company and PLOT Enterprises, guiding them in expanding their market reach and operational efficiencies. Through tailored business development, branding, and technical writing services, nDemand is helping both companies navigate global markets, strengthen partnerships, and leverage sustainable practices in the cocoa industry.
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