New year, New MACs: How to Position to Win on Vehicles in 2023

Happy New Year! If you’re like me, you used the last couple of weeks to reflect on the year that was and to look forward to the opportunities ahead. In the GovCon world, there is a lot to look forward to in 2023. There are several critical multiple award contracts (MACs) in the pipeline. Alliant 3 (for large businesses), OASIS+, and VA T4NG2 top the must win lists for many firms. A number of other agency-specific vehicles will also be released this year, and as always, there are alterations and adjustments to GAO schedules to wrestle with. With the battle scars of recent troubled procurements (CIO-SP4, anyone?) still fresh for many in industry, what can you do to prepare for these critical solicitations? Here are my four key tips to prepare for the coming year’s MAC onslaught. 

Do your homework. The first step is to determine what to bid on. Many firms need to decide where and how to best allocate their resources. Even the largest GovCon players have budgets and need to focus on the opportunities that best suit their business needs and capabilities. Therefore, make sure you look in depth at every potential MAC in your pipeline and determine if you really can win a spot on the contract. More importantly, your team needs to honestly assess how much business you can realistically expect to win on that vehicle. A vehicle is great but the investment of time and money is meaningless if you cannot win task orders and revenue from that vehicle (unless you are looking at being acquired, which is an entirely different topic of conversation).

Engage. Now that you’ve decided where to focus your resources, it is important to make use of all the information out there about those opportunities that best fit your portfolio. There are two main sources of information you can rely on. 

The first comes directly from the Government. All three of the opportunities I mentioned above either had draft solicitations or requests for information released in the last several months. Interested bidders must do deep dives on those materials to begin planning their response. In addition, whenever the Government asks for feedback or inputs, provide them! It gives industry a chance to help shape the contract to deliver the best value and competition. Be sure to attend any industry days or other opportunities to meet with and talk to procurement officials. The pre-RFP stage is the ideal time to make your voices heard to avoid lengthy extensions and thousands of questions post release. 

Our industry also does a great job of helping break down the requirements and guide firms on what to look for and expect. Look for webinars, blog posts, and other opportunities to learn about any contracts you are interested in. Oftentimes events include time to network, which can help you build relationships and identify potential teammates for that opportunity and others. 

Get the basics in place. The Government provides draft solicitations not just to receive feedback. They also allow interested bidders to begin preparing their responses. While you may not have all the instructions, scoresheets, and attachments, the information provided can steer you in the right direction. Teams need to begin gathering required documentation (certifications, corporate documents, etc.) that will be required as part of your submission. Getting these routine documents in a central, opportunity-specific location allows your team to focus on the places where you can differentiate yourself during the post-RFP period. Identifying your potential corporate experience examples, collecting all relevant contract and award documentation, and making sure your client has submitted a CPAR for that effort is a great use of your pre-release time. 

Lock up resources now. Finally, do not be afraid to ask for help. There are many consulting resources out there with expertise and experience in handling all aspects of these types of procurements. If you need help with the business development and capture side (to assist with Government interactions, teaming, etc.), find a firm that fits that need. If you need help developing your response, reach out to a proposal firm you know and trust. (Shameless plug – BZ has worked many of the large MAC opportunities over our 5 years and have experts on call to help you craft your response). My biggest piece of advice is to engage with consultants as early as possible. Many firms already have commitments on these opportunities and you do not want to lose the chance to work with the right partner. 

2023 is shaping up to be a banner year for Government contractors, with many critical MACs being released for bid. Positioning your firm to take advantage of these opportunities can maximize your growth potential through the rest of the decade.