Originally published September 26, 2022

Go-To-Guy”s Note: This piece came to mind as a result of recent post by my friend Steven Koprince. It was a review of a sustained protest where the awardee was essentially called out by a challenger, and the Government, for attempting to fulfill a federal contract using the “middleman strategy.” Thankfully, that didn’t happen. This time.

Those proselytizing “easy” approaches to achieving fantastic results in Federal Contracting, tend to suffer from a fear or dislike of the truth. Why? Because the methods they employ are mostly devoid of anything that would withstand scrutiny by actual practitioners. The ‘knowledge’ offered by these sellers delivers them far more benefit than it does those who opt for these shortcuts to nowhere.

Let’s dissect the word shortcut. One definition cites it as “a shorter alternative route.” That makes sense. Going further, a route is a way or course taken from the starting point to a destination. So, if a shortcut is an alternate way of getting to a place, it seems logical that the person sharing the shortcut has already visited that place, or knows someone who used the shortcut to get to that place. Please tell me you see where this is going.

What this means to me is that anyone offering a shortcut to success in Federal Contracting, MUST have made the journey themselves, right? Wouldn’t it seem logical that shortcuts would be identified by those already working in and knowledgeable of the environment? This also means they would have insight to LOOK for a alternative route that would give them an advantage over anyone taking the established route(s). That’s what I’ve been doing as part of The American Small Business Coalition team for nearly twenty years.

So when someone points out the next govcon guru who’s built a better federal contracting ‘mousetrap,’ pardon me for not being interested in taking a big swig of their Kool-Aid. Especially when their background shows little or no practical experience in finding and winning federal contracts and subcontracts. Then there is the shortcut itself.

This isn’t to say someone new cannot find a better way, but again, this is tied to them possessing or developing knowledge of how to get it done. If you take a close look at a majority of those making these “GovCon Made Easy” pitches, see if anything about them says “I spent time developing a solid understanding of how things work and decided to create a new way that is better and easier!” You won’t find it, if they are being truthful.

Another way to look at shortcuts is by applying the word “skip.” Taking a shortcut means skipping things. In the world of processes, like the Business Development Life Cycle, skipping steps can and often does lead to lower quality results, higher costs, greater level of effort and potential reputational harm caused by a “let’s see what sticks” approach.

What about these shortcuts? If the results of these shortcuts were producing the fantastic results claimed, there is no way the folks offering “GovCon Made Easy” would be able to withstand the onslaught of eager clients. Additionally, their customers would literally rule Government Contracting, and that’s not the case.  Not in 1988 when I entered federal contracting, not in 2004 when Maggie and I launched The American Small Business Coalition, and not today.

It’s like the CCR/SAM Registration companies who purchased ads on Google to impersonate federal agency websites to make thousands of companies believe payment was required to register on government systems. Their goal, very simply, is making you believe:

• -They can do things or help you do things better and faster
• -You cannot do these things on your own
• -It is far too difficult to follow the path prescribed by officials and experts

They flash half-truths and count on the fact you’ll not check, or have the knowledge to check up on them. Why do you think GSA ultimately had to post guidance on SAM.gov saying “Official U.S. Government Website – 100% Free” on the homepage?

Far too many of the “GovCon Made Easy” folks you will hear from on Clubhouse, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn, are not knowledgeable in achieving traction or victory in federal contracting. Many of those I have seen for myself, have never walked the path associated with achieving growth in GovCon.

The question to ask before investing in a bright shiny offer that shows up in your inbox or your social media feed is, how can this person or company help you take an alternative route to success in federal contracting, if they have never made the journey?

Peace, Health, and Success,

Go-To-Guy Timberlake