Jason Houghton, PMP, SHRM-SCP

Government Contracting #govcon seems to be a labyrinth 😕to many outsiders and newer folks coming into the space. I once created an Access database🧮 at a previous employer many years ago to highlight the importance of good data management and common unique identifiers... As the company tended to have some byzantine processes and nomenclature that I was trying to flesh out and focus 🔍on measuring the things that matter. So I've seen quite a bit of diverse contracts from over $100M 💰annual jobs to ones under $100K. I believe the process is essentially the same to ensure a smooth transition from pre-award to 🥇post-award. It starts with being able to accurately code 🔣your contract into your system of record. Do your #proposal 📚and #pricing 💵documents match the contract award 📝documents? Check that before you 🖋sign! Had an experience recently where there was some ambiguity 😵with a contract modification document in what it was doing as it relates to the changes we proposed. Some contracts get complex when you get to a dozen mods or so with many CLINs, SLINs, and 🗜ARCNs... IYKYK We both had differing interpretations🗣 as we worked through the document. There was a 💪🏼challenge with all the moving parts and new CLINs added and old ones removed and it turns out that we both had the same initial confusion that it wasn't done correctly... However, when we dug ⛏deeper into the changes in Section B (contract values) and Section G (funding values) we determined that this customer was doing It's important to have a uniform 🥋methodology on how you read and review your contract documents before you sign it and book the funding and contract values in your accounting system. Set your books up right the first time, or you'll pay💸 for it over-and-over again each month. And get the right people 🤼 and departments involved! Make it a great week 👊🏼

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What😕does Price to Win (PTW) mean? #PTW helps #govcon companies win🏆contracts and focus on opportunities where their probability of win (Pwin%) is highest! PTW is an early and iterative ⚙process where a company studies customers, competitors, industry tendencies, and competitive best practices. PTW captures #competitiveintelligence and leverages customer intimacy insights from capture activities with a wide array of tactics and strategies that are constantly evolving to develop #pricing options ⚖that maximize your #proposal success! PTW helps determine what the customer truly values and understands their willingness to pay 💵a premium for certain capabilities and where they will likely make tradeoffs in the name of “best value” for a specific offering. PTW clients learn 💡which opportunities to focus on, which ones to disregard, and how to maximize their resources and 💰profits. What PTW 🟢is: All things being equal, PTW means being $.01 less expensive than your competitor where quality (technically acceptable) is not a deciding factor and is evaluated equally in the eyes 👀of the customer. This is certainly true with lowest-price, technical acceptable (LTPA) procurements but also in best-value technical tradeoff (BVTO) ones when offerors are evaluated📃on equal technical footing during source selection. Where a company offers a superior product or service, determine that appropriate 💸premium where the customer is willing to make a higher investment to ensure mission success. What PTW 🟥isn’t: PTW does NOT mean being the lowest price 📉offer in all situations. No one has a crystal ball🔮 and PTW cannot predict how all competitors will respond to a given opportunity. Yet it will narrow down opportunities to a competitive range 🎯 and help an offeror determine a precise pricing target that maximizes their Pwin% and expected profits by focusing on the perceived 🔭value of their capabilities and not solely on price. PTW ✔summary: A PTW 📝process will assist companies to make a bid / no bid decision earlier in the process. This process helps determine the opportunities that maximize return on investment (ROI), are worthy of pursuit, and which ones to discard from their pipeline. PTW blends art 🎨and science 🔬 disciplines to find the right balance to effectively leverage resources and maximize return on investment, providing a strategic advantage to companies who engage in PTW activities. PTW enables companies to focus on the opportunities where their Pwin% is greatest and that will grow 🌱a profitable and sustainable 📈business. Contact me📧 at [email protected] or Strategic Growth Advisors for help on your next bid!

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As a hiring manager for the Wiesbaden segment of Booz Allen Hamilton's ET2RC contract, I've gained valuable insights on resumes and interviews that I'd like to share. This maybe pretty simple to some but to a career Army nerd, who has only interviewed for one job in their life, new information. Please note that these are my personal thoughts and experiences and are not endorsed by Booz Allen Hamilton. Applicants: One crucial tip I've learned, in my opinion, is to focus your resume to the position you are applying for. Surprisingly, 60-70% of resumes I review miss this vital point. Make it easy for the hiring manager to see that you have experience and are qualified for the job you are pursuing. For contract or civilian roles, avoid lengthy resumes. A concise and relevant document is more effective than a 20-page resume that maybe more tailored towards a government “GS” position. The hiring processes are different. Remember, presentation matters. Check for spelling, spacing, and punctuation errors to ensure your resume looks professional. When preparing for an interview, create a script with opening statements and responses to potential questions. During the interview, be concise, thoughtful, and proactive in your answers to showcase your qualifications effectively. Research the position you are applying for. Even if you lack direct experience, demonstrating your understanding of the role, the organization, and tasks during the interview can make a significant impact in your favor with the hiring panel. Hiring Managers: Have your directors review your job posting prior to submitting them for publication. This will help to ensure that the position, the posting, and applicants are generally qualified for the position. Be wary of job posting that are too detailed! Especially, in low density or niche career fields. You may very well exclude potential candidates. Help your recruiters by reviewing all the applicants resumes not just the ones they send to you. As the hiring manager, you know more about the organization and the position so you may be able to identify some key statements in the resume that a recruiter will not. Additionally, screening the resumes allows you, as the hiring manager, to identify skills that may make the individual qualified for a job that they didn’t apply for. Be active on LinkedIn. Respond to inquiries about the position promptly and if you receive a referral respond in a timely manner.

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Read Guidehouse Defense and Security's new article, Managing Change Fatigue in the Federal Workforce, outlining our team's recommendations for agencies looking to produce better outcomes in the face of complex workforce challenges: https://lnkd.in/eZ5rEVxh.

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💥 End of Fiscal Year is here—time to celebrate those last-minute sprints, long hours, and endless emails! 🕒 If you’re in #govcon or work with government agencies, you know this is our #SuperBowl. The pressure is real. The deadlines are looming.....The chaos of September can either be a breakdown or a breakthrough. So, what’s the secret to thriving and not just surviving? - It’s all about planning your strategy for next year—now. Yes, while the ink is still drying on this year’s contracts. Take stock of what worked, what didn’t, and where you can streamline. The biggest pitfall? - Assuming next year’s success will come by doing the same thing. It won’t! Align your pipeline early, keep relationships warm year-round, and never underestimate the power of building a culture that thrives under pressure. How are you setting yourself up for a smoother, more successful FY25? d8 Group Leidos ICF IBM USDA U.S. Department of Transportation Siemens ITCON Services RIVA Solutions, Inc. NuAxis Innovations General Dynamics Information Technology Accenture Unanet IntelliDyne, LLC Optum

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I love this! Newsweek has named Booz Allen Hamilton one of the most responsible companies in America. In the face of issues like climate change and wage inequality, consumers care about the impact of the businesses they interact with, and companies are responding. Today, most global companies disclose Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) information—in fact, more than 90 percent of S&P 500 companies published ESG reports. With this, Newsweek and Statista are once again partnering to recognize America's Most Responsible Companies 2025. In its sixth year, this list acknowledges 600 U.S.-based companies for their commitment to making a positive global impact. #BoozAllen is proud of the positive impact we have moving missions forward with a guiding purpose of empowering people to change the world. It’s rewarding when industry peers, media organizations, and others recognize how we’re making a difference for our clients, our people, our communities, and our world. #Culture #Empowerment #Leadership #Community #Technology #Innovation Learn about our other awards and recognitions: https://lnkd.in/ek5WsQeu

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Story time 🤣 When I worked at Booz Allen Hamilton they had an initiative to get defense consultants Security+ certified and provided free exam vouchers 🙏 (thanks again Booz). Me being who I am, heck, if its free why not? At the time, my then manager didn't quite understand why I wanted to take the exam if I wasn't doing Cybersecurity and pretty much discouraged me from going down the route. Even tho I am a data person, I thought there were concepts of security that could be applied to data, so I moved forward regardless. Well, long story short I tried to cut corners and didn't prepare myself adequately for the exam 😶 As soon as I saw the performance based question instructing me to configure an enterprise network I pretty much knew it was a wrap. Long story short, I failed and kind of chucked it up as a sunk cost never to be revisited again. This year I decided to become certified in cloud technology with a speciality in data engineering and wanted to revisit this foundationally. Why? One of my goals this year is to finish what I've left unfinished. I wanted to prove to myself that with effort and commitment I can accomplish anything. Friday, I'm retaking an advanced data engineering certification exam I've failed 3x with this energy and motivation to succeed. I hope this inspires someone to keep going :) Its never too late and you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. #CompTIA #Security+ #DataEngineer #Consulting #Accenture

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Who doesn’t love some good news? Booz Allen Hamilton has been recognized as the leading provider of cybersecurity to the federal government, according to the leading provider of market intelligence, GovWin from Deltek in their comprehensive Federal Cybersecurity Market, 2024-2028 report. This news follows our recent announcement of new insights into the size and scope of our cyber business. Building on more than 30 years of technology, tradecraft, and adversarial insights, our broad and deep cyber portfolio puts us at the center of nearly all major cyber missions across public and private sectors. Today, our company has almost 10,000 cyber professionals delivering on nearly 300 active cyber projects ranging from small, innovative task orders to marquee mission-focused programs. How is this possible? People. Our commitment to our people and technology is centered around developing the technical expertise of our employees. People want to work here, grow, and learn. We focus on building a culture that empowers employees and fosters internal growth for future leaders. #People #Culture #Cyber #Cybersecurity #CyberRisk #CyberThreat #CyberIntelligence #Innovation #Technology #AI #ML #ZeroTrust #QuantumComputing #BoozAllen Booz Allen Recognized as the Leading Provider of Cybersecurity to the Federal Government | Business Wire

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Are You Prepared for Emerging AI Threats? Artificial Intelligence powers federal missions, but it also opens doors to sophisticated threats. Booz Allen's "Securing AI" report reveals the risks that enterprise AI faces—and how federal agencies can build resilience in 2025 and beyond. This is a must-read for leaders navigating the intersection of AI innovation and national security, and I am delighted to coauthor it. From technical safeguards to strategic countermeasures, explore what it takes to protect federal AI systems in an era of accelerating change. Discover our latest insights: https://lnkd.in/exeaBpUq #SecuringAI #FederalAI #AISecurity #AIResilience #BoozAllenAI

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Looking to win more federal contracts? Success in the #GovCon space is all about focusing on the right agencies, building strong relationships, and consistently delivering value. It’s not just about having a great product or service; it’s about knowing how to navigate the complex federal buying process and standing out from the competition. Ready to elevate your federal business strategy? Schedule a consultation with us today! Let’s discuss how you can apply proven best practices to enhance your approach, build meaningful connections, and secure more contracts. https://zurl.co/n0gZ #WinMoreFederalContracts #BuildStrongRelationships #FederalContracting #FederalBusinessStrategy #HowToConsistentlyDeliverValue #Connect #SummitInsight

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