• Hinz Sight
  • Posts
  • Volume 115: Back to Basics: What is Price-To-Win?; DHS CBP BEAGLE

Volume 115: Back to Basics: What is Price-To-Win?; DHS CBP BEAGLE

Author

Kit Conway
February 26, 2026

In This Week's Newsletter:

Opportunity Alert – DHS CBP BEAGLE

Contact Katie: [email protected]

Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Enforcement Management Systems Directorate (BEMSD) Border Enforcement Applications for Government Leading Edge IT (BEAGLE). 

CBP requires a full range of IT-related services, including application administration, asset management, operations, configuration and change management, incident management, cloud migration, and capability backlog remediation. This $1.9B Full and Open/Unrestricted BPA is estimated for release via GSA MAS around June 2026, with an award timeframe of September 2026. Reach out to Hinz Consulting for any Business Development, Competitive Analysis, Graphics, Price-to-Win, or Proposal support, and continue to monitor SAM.gov for any updates to the procurement timeline.

Four to Follow

  1. Department of the Air Force, Air Combat Command, Surveillance and Tracking Radar Processors Support Services (STRAP). The Air Combat Command requires radar and sensor data services, including design, engineering, and integration; hardware and software installation; distant-end and on-site training; remote monitoring capabilities and assessments; and sustainment and logistics support. This $918M opportunity is scheduled for release in May 2026 with a potential award in September 2026. The competition type is currently unknown. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for any changes to the procurement timeline.

  2. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Design, Bid, Build (DBB), Electronic Health Records Modernization (EHRM) Infrastructure Upgrades Construction Project at the Pittsburgh-Heinz, PA. The VA released a Sources Sought Notice on February 20, 2026, seeking a contractor to provide construction services to upgrade infrastructure supporting the EHRM system at the VAPHS H.J Campus in Pittsburgh, PA. Responses are due no later than 3:00 PM ET on March 6, 2026. The anticipated release date for this $50M opportunity is April 2026, with a projected award in December 2026. The competition type is currently unknown. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for any changes to this opportunity.

  3. U.S. Space Force (USSF), Ground-Based Radar Digitization (GBRD). On February 23, 2026, the Contracting Office released a modification to provide additional information on the requirement via a revised RFI. USSF seeks technical solutions to digitize analog radar systems, implement modular open system architectures, ensure cybersecurity compliance, and develop sustainment strategies to reduce lifecycle costs and address material shortages. Responses to the RFI are due no later than March 12, 2026. Other key milestones are: Notice of Intent to bid is due March 2; Questions are due March 4; RPP Materials are due March 16; and Oral Presentations are to begin March 23. The final RFP is anticipated for release in April 2026, with an award date of November 2026. The competition type and award value are currently unknown. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for further updates on this effort.

  4. Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Architecture and Engineering Services for VA New Medical Center, San Antonio, Fort Worth District. On February 24, 2026, the Contracting Office issued an update to the Sources Sought notice for Architect-Engineer (A-E) services to design and provide construction phase services for a new VA Medical Center. Responses are due by 12:00 PM CT on March 10, 2026. The Final RFP for this $90M, single-award IDIQ is estimated for April 2026, with a projected award date of July 2026. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for further information or updates to the procurement timeline.

Smart Federal Market Entry for Innovators

Contact Nick: [email protected]

If you run a company that has developed advanced solutions that could deliver significant mission benefits to the federal government, you’re probably wondering: “How do we access federal funding?”

Grants are often the first place newcomers look, and while they certainly have a role, they are seldom the smartest or fastest on-ramp for most commercial technologies entering the federal space. Starting there can burn valuable time while stronger, more direct pathways remain unexplored.

Here’s the practical playbook successful dual-use companies follow: First, understand the mission problems that are funded, then select the right contracting method for your technology’s maturity level. Below are proven routes that move innovative solutions — from cybersecurity tools and AI systems to energy-efficient hardware and beyond — into DoD installations, national labs, and civilian agency programs with speed and scalability.

Step 1: Understand the Market Before You Pitch Anything

Federal buyers don’t buy “cool tech.” They buy solutions to mission problems that already have a budget behind them.

Do this first (takes 1–2 weeks):

  • Download the latest DoD RDT&E and Procurement justification books (comptroller.defense.gov) and the DOE EERE/IEDO Congressional Justification.

  • Search for keywords aligned with your capabilities, such as: “threat discrimination,” “thermal management,” “operational energy,” “post-quantum,” “cyber resilience,” or “hypersonic.”

  • Cross-reference with FPDS.gov/USAspending.gov and sam.gov award history.

Real-world example: A company with breakthrough quantum-resistant encryption would quickly spot active funding lines in NIST post-quantum initiatives and DoD cybersecurity programs. A firm specializing in AI for hypersonic threat discrimination might identify opportunities in Missile Defense Agency or DARPA efforts. Similarly, advanced thermal or energy-efficiency solutions align with DOE Industrial Technologies priorities and DoD ESTCP/operational-energy demonstrations at bases and edge sites.

Pair that budget insight with your capability statement, and you instantly know where to focus your resources — rather than having them look “everywhere.”

Pathway 1: SBIR / STTR — The Low-Risk R&D On-Ramp

Ideal for proving technical feasibility against real government mission needs.

  • Phase I: ~$150K–$275K, 6–12 months (feasibility study).

  • Phase II: Up to $1M–$2M (prototype).

  • Phase III: Follow-on production (non-competitive, can be huge).

Why it fits a wide range of innovative technologies: SBIR/STTR topics from AFWERX, Navy, DOE IEDO, NIST, CDAO, and MDA routinely cover post-quantum cryptography, cyber tools, data-center thermal efficiency, PUE reduction, novel cooling approaches, hypersonic AI, and more. The STTR version adds a university partner — ideal for independent validation.

Pro tip: Topics are released 2–3 times per year. Subscribe to sbir.gov and agency newsletters.

Pathway 2: OTAs (Other Transaction Authority) — The Fast Lane

OTAs are not FAR-based contracts. They use commercial terms, allow prototypes in weeks or months instead of years, and carry almost no protest risk.

Vehicles to watch:

  • AFWERX / DIU Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs) — continuously open or quarterly. Submit a 5-page whitepaper → pitch → prototype OTA in 60–90 days.

  • Consortium OTAs (e.g., AFWERX, SOFWERX, NSC, C5ISR Consortium, Cyber Innovation Consortium) — pay a small membership fee to access project calls that never appear on sam.gov.

  • Service-specific OTAs (Army xTech, Navy HR Tech, etc.).

Real precedent: Companies with solutions in post-quantum cybersecurity, AI-driven threat detection, or high-density computing hardware have moved from AFWERX/DIU prototype OTAs directly into multi-million-dollar production awards.

Pathway 3: Consortia — Teaming Without the Prime/Sub Headache

Joining the right consortium gives you:

  • Pre-vetted access to project calls.

  • The ability to team with primes and other small businesses on the same proposal.

  • Often free or low-cost membership for small businesses.

Top consortia across sectors: AFWERX, DIU, the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTA), the Cyber Innovation Consortium, energy and power-focused groups, and others tailored to your domain. Once inside, you respond to targeted solicitations that closely align with your strengths.

Pathway 4: BAAs, CSOs, and Other Broad Announcements on sam.gov

  • Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) — for basic or applied research (DARPA, AFRL, ONR, etc.). whitepaper → full proposal.

  • Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs) — explicitly for commercial tech (AFWERX, DIU, Army, Navy). Search sam.gov daily with saved alerts: “post-quantum cryptography,” “hypersonic threat discrimination,” “thermal management,” “data center energy,” “cyber resilience,” “high performance computing,” etc. Many are open continuously or reissued quarterly.

Pathway 5: Traditional FAR-Based (When You’re Ready)

Once you have federal traction (SBIR Phase II, OTA prototype, or past performance), move to:

  • IDIQ/MATOC vehicles (many small business set-asides).

  • GSA Schedule (for easier ordering).

  • Subcontracting with primes that already hold large installation-energy, compute, cyber, or platform contracts.

Build relationships at events like the Navy Gold Coast Small Business Expo — where many innovative companies across IT services, cybersecurity, missile defense, and shipbuilding have made initial DoD connections.

Putting It All Together — Recommended Sequence for Innovative Tech Companies

  1. Weeks 1–2: Conduct market research on budgets → identify 3–4 hot spots (e.g., cyber resilience demonstrations, post-quantum initiatives, DOE thermal/energy testing, AFWERX innovation challenges, MDA or DARPA R&D).

  2. Month 1: Submit to 2–3 open SBIR topics and one CSO whitepaper.

  3. Months 2–3: Join 1–2 relevant consortia and respond to their project calls.

  4. Ongoing: Exhibit at targeted events, build relationships with program managers, and track relevant DOE industrial and DoD operational-energy, cyber, and advanced-threat lines.

Bottom Line

Grants can seem like low-hanging fruit for quick awards. Still, budget-aligned innovation acquisition pathways (SBIR/STTR, OTA/CSO, consortium calls, BAAs) are how most successful dual-use tech companies enter the federal market — faster, with better terms, and with a clear path to production revenue.

The companies winning today are the ones who read the budget documents, understand the mission problem, and choose the right pathway for their maturity level.

If you’re sitting on game-changing tech that addresses critical federal challenges, the federal market is actively seeking solutions like yours right now. Start with the budget. Then pick the pathway that matches.

Back to Basics: What is Price-To-Win?

Contact Tom: [email protected]

The "Price-to-Win" (PTW) process is often treated like a magic number or a dark art practiced in smoke-filled rooms. In reality, it’s a rigorous analytical discipline. Misunderstanding usually leads to one of two outcomes: losing the bid or winning a contract you can't afford to execute.

Here are the most common misconceptions about PTW in the federal space:

1. PTW is "Just a Number."

Many teams think PTW is simply the final price tag you submit.

  • The Reality: PTW is a strategic roadmap. It’s the process of analyzing the competitor’s likely bid, the customer’s budget constraints, and the technical trade-offs required to meet a specific price point.

2. It’s the Same as "Lowest Price Technically Acceptable" (LPTA)

There is a persistent myth that PTW always drives you to the absolute bottom of the barrel.

  • The Reality: In a Best Value procurement, the PTW might actually be higher than the lowest bidder if the data shows the agency is willing to pay a premium for specific innovations or risk reduction. PTW identifies the winning price, not necessarily the cheapest one.

3. The Government Always Picks the Middle Ground

Some bidders believe that if they avoid being the most expensive and the cheapest, they’ll land in the "sweet spot."

  • The Reality: Federal evaluators don't just average the bids. They look for the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE). If you aim for the middle but the IGCE is significantly lower, you're still out of the running.

4. You Can "Fix" the Price at the End

A common mistake is waiting until the proposal is 90% complete before requesting a PTW analysis.

  • The Reality: PTW must be iterative. If the PTW analysis says the winning price is $10M, but your solution costs $15M to build, you can't just "cut fee" by $5M at the last minute. You might also need to re-engineer the technical approach (e.g., using different labor categories or automation) early in the process.

5. Competitor Wraps are Static

Bidders often use old data to guess a competitor’s indirect rates (fringe, overhead, G&A).

  • The Reality: Large primes change their disclosure statements and rate structures frequently. Assuming a competitor will bid the same way they did three years ago is a recipe for a bad estimate.

The Bottom Line

PTW is about competitive intelligence, not just accounting. It tells you whether you should even be bidding in the first place. If the PTW is lower than your absolute "floor," the smartest move is often to walk away before you spend thousands on a losing proposal.

About Hinz Consulting

Hinz Consulting provides services across the full business development cycle:

  • Proposals

  • Capture

  • Price To Win

  • Competitive Intelligence

  • Strategic Pricing

  • Production

  • AI Services

  • Training

  • BD Transformation 

  • Process/Methodology 

  • Tools and Template

  • Small Business