GovClose | Start Winning Government Contracts Podcast

GSA just changed the game. On May 28th, a letter went out to major value-added resellers—and it wasn’t good news for the middlemen.

The government is moving toward direct deals with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and that means major changes are coming for federal sales.Train with UsLearn how to shape deals, work directly with federal agencies, and master category-driven acquisition.👉 https://www.govclose.comIn this video, I break down:⏱ Timestamps00:00 – GSA’s New Strategy: Middlemen Under Fire01:00 – What is a VAR (Value-Added Reseller) vs. a Pretender?02:30 – GSA’s Push for Direct OEM Relationships04:00 – The Irony: Is GSA the Biggest Middleman?05:00 – What GSA Is (and Isn’t) Doing with Centralized Procurement06:30 – Implications for Sales Executives, Consultants, and OEMs08:00 – What You Should Be Doing Right NowKey Takeaways:GSA wants to cap markups and increase pricing transparency.Resellers must redefine their value—or risk becoming obsolete.Pretenders and matchmaking models? They don’t belong here.Mission-critical buys? Likely still handled by DoD internally.Consultants who know how to shape deals early are in high demand.Subscribe to the GovCon Newsletter!I unpack these shifts and more every week in my GovClose newsletter on LinkedIn.🔗 Follow me and subscribe: www.linkedin.com/in/govcloseWatch NextInterview with GSA’s Kevin Kivlin – What GSA Is Really Planning: https://youtu.be/033sUCzGgq8#GSA #governmentcontracting2025

Want to know how real small businesses actually win government contracts?
In this live session, I’ll reverse engineer the exact moves one federal contractor made to break into the market—and how you can apply the same strategy.
We’re not just talking theory. You’ll see:
How to find and study real contract award data
The key actions that led to their first wins
What they did differently that made all the difference
If you’re serious about building a GovCon strategy that works, this is the blueprint you’ve been looking for.

Get My Free Training On How to start a GovCon Consulting Business: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification JOIN the GovClose Community RING the bell 🔔 on my LinkedIn profile for real-world GovCon insights 👉(https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/)WATCH NEXT:• How David Built a $4K/Month Gov Consulting Business in 60 Days https://youtu.be/VnHTXcb01Qw

• Federal Workers Sinning In Government Contracting: https://youtu.be/6ISSp26IyWs

• How to write a proposal: https://youtu.be/GbFFYPXKnm4#secdef#governmentcontracts

Establishing a #linkedin profile that builds credibility and trust in the government contracting community os essential!!

Former DoD Program Manager Rick Howard reveals his 3-step LinkedIn system used by 175+ GovClose students to build trust, attract federal buyers, and grow revenue—without spamming anyone.Learn more at: https://www.govclose.comFree Training & Certification Info:

https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification

Free Book: https://www.dodcontract.com/

⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Why Most LinkedIn Strategies Fail in GovCon

01:00 – 3 Revenue Paths: Contracting, Jobs, Consulting

02:00 – The Most Important Thing Government & Companies Check First

03:00 – The "Credibility Layer" – Fix This Before Outreach

06:00 – Your Banner, Profile Photo & 500+ Rule

08:00 – The Fatal Mistake That Kills Trust Instantly

10:00 – Your About Section: It’s Not About You

13:00 – Certifications, Education & Social Proof

14:00 – LinkedIn Recommendations That Actually Convert

18:00 – Influence: How to Make People Want to Respond

21:00 – The Most Important Line on Your Profile

24:00 – Positioning Yourself as an Expert (Even Without Past Performance

28:00 – Government Buyers Will Search You – Are You Discoverable?

30:00 – Outreach: How to Build Relationships BEFORE the RFP

36:00 – How to Post & Get Found for What You Actually Sell

37:00 – How to Get Hired, Get Clients, or Get Contracts With This Strategy

JOIN the GovClose Community RING the bell 🔔 on my LinkedIn profile for real-world GovCon insights 👉(https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/)

How to Win Government Contracts: Federal Sales Blueprint That Even a 10-Year-Old Can Master (My Kid Did!)"This is the blueprint for winning government contracts" - Former Air Force Lt Col Richard Howard breaks down the exact 4-step federal sales process he used to manage $82 BILLION in contracts. So simple, he taught his own 10-year-old (and his 6-year-old knows the secret too).Stop responding to RFPs blind. Learn to reverse engineer the process, influence opportunities BEFORE they go public, and build relationships that put you first in line when contracts drop.💰 $82B in managed contracts | 700+ CEOs trained | Former government procurement officer🔥 GET STARTED NOW:→ Free "Become A Government Contract Consultant" training : https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification→ Free Government Contracting Book: https://www.dodcontract.com/→ Subscribe for weekly GovCon strategies: https://www.youtube.com/@govclose/?sub_confirmation=1In the GovClose Certification Program our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Schedule Your Onboarding Call Here: https://www.govclose.com/watch-sales-certification👇 COMMENT BELOW: Are you responding to RFPs blind or do you have a roadmap?🔄 SHARE this with someone still chasing "middleman money" (spoiler: it doesn't exist)💡 Which step surprised you most? Pipeline building or the "real work starts after winning"?Chapters:0:00 Government Contracting Explained to a 10-Year-Old0:33 What Is a Government Contract? (Basics)1:00 Prime vs Subcontractor Explained (Middleman Myth Busted)1:20 Why Listen: $82B in Federal Contracts & Real Credentials2:00 Federal Sales Roadmap (Step 1)2:35 Government Contract Research: Does Government Buy Your Product?3:05 Finding Government Buyers & Procurement Methods3:30 Using Competition Data for Competitive Advantage4:00 Building Your Government Contract Pipeline (Step 2)4:40 Why Companies Fail: Reactive vs Strategic Planning5:20 Tracking Federal Sales Process (8-20 Steps)5:45 Meeting Government Buyers Early (Step 3)6:20 Influencing Opportunities Before Public Release6:50 Execute Like a Pro: Don't Quit Midway (Step 4)7:30 Why You Win Government Contracts (Others Don't)8:00 Winning Is Just the Beginning8:30 Profit From Performance, Not Just Contract Awards8:50 Fast-Track Government Contracts (Secret World)9:10 Building Scalable Government Contracting BusinessWatch Next:How To Maximize Profit on Government Contracts: https://youtu.be/-TXxGKkQG6UMiddleman Money Exposed (Don't Make This Expensive Mistake): https://youtu.be/Nhtl0G0Pwbo📱 Connect With Me:LinkedIn: @GOVCLOSEYouTube: Hit that notification bell 🔔 for weekly GovCon strategies🏆 Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Winning?Join 700+ CEOs who've mastered this exact process

Before you spend another dollar on third-party GovCon tools, watch this.

SAM.gov has powerful built-in features that most people ignore—but they can completely change how you find and win federal contracts.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through 3 hidden features in SAM.gov that will:

• Automate your market research• Save your searches

• Send you real-time alerts

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification

Free Book Download: https://www.dodcontract.com/

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Free Book Download: https://www.dodcontract.com/