Bids and Proposals for Government Contracts
Pricing, cost volumes, and proposal-ready rates for small businesses bidding on federal contracts.
Bid & Proposal·
Is Fixed-Price the New Default for GovCon Contracts? What It Means for Your Books
Fixed-price is now the government's default contract type. Here's what changed in the FAR, why it shifts more financial risk onto small and mid-size GovCons, and what your accounting system needs to track to protect your margin.
Read article →11 min read
Bid & Proposal·
Building Your Rate as a Solo GovCon Consultant
Leaving a large contractor to consult on your own? Here is how to build a defensible hourly rate as a sole practitioner: base labor rate, fringe you now pay yourself, payroll taxes, and the G&A structure to reserve before you grow.
6 min read
Bid & Proposal·
3 Things to Check Before You Submit Your Next GovCon Bid
Before your next government bid goes out, confirm three things: your indirect rates are current and historically grounded, you understand the competition, and you know whether teaming as a subcontractor improves your odds. A practical pre-bid checklist.
5 min read
Bid & Proposal·
What Is 'Buying In'? Why Underpricing a GovCon Bid Can Backfire
Lowering your rate to win a government bid can trigger two federal problems: buying in and a failed cost realism analysis. Here is what each one means, when it applies, and how a rate that is too low can cost you the contract or the company.
6 min read
Bid & Proposal·
Cost-Reimbursable vs. T&M vs. Firm Fixed Price: How Contract Type Drives Your Rate
The same rate does a different job depending on how the contract pays you. Here is how cost-reimbursable, Time and Materials, and firm fixed price contracts each use your rate, and how much audit scrutiny each one carries.
6 min read
Bid & Proposal·
How to Build Rates That Win Government Contracts: Direct Labor, Cost Pools, and Wrap Rates
A step-by-step guide to building a government contract labor rate: from direct labor to fringe, overhead, and G&A cost pools, to a wrap rate and a fully loaded bid rate. Includes a worked example and the pricing mistakes that get bids rejected.
12 min read
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