In This Week's Newsletter:

• Opportunity Spotlight of the Week: On-ramping to GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 

• Four To Follow: Get the lowdown on four interesting pursuits

• Pricing Insights: Pricing-To-Win (PTW) vs…

• Capture Corner: Market Focus

Opportunity Alert – On-ramping to GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 

Contact Katie: [email protected]

The GSA MAS is a streamlined process for federal agencies to purchase a wide range of commercial products, services, and solutions at pre-negotiated prices and terms. Companies can on-ramp anytime to the contract.

To be eligible for onboarding to the GSA MAS, you must have at least 2 years in business (though exceptions apply), a demonstration of healthy financials, and SAM.gov registration. Afterward, you will need to complete the Pathways to Success training course, as well as the Readiness Assessment. The training is anticipated to take three to four hours to complete. So far, over 14,000 companies have onboarded. For more detailed steps, please visit http://www.gsa.gov/masroadmap. Reach out to Hinz Consulting for Price to Win, Competitive Analysis, and Proposal Support.

Four to Follow:

1. US Army MAPS. The Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS), will be a multiple-award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity acquisition vehicle that combines the strengths of ITES-3S and RS3, offering a more efficient and effective way for the Army, DOD and federal agencies to procure knowledge-based professional services. These services include a variety of IT and engineering services ranging from cybersecurity, program management, and business process reengineering, to research, development, testing and more. The MAC is expected to have a ceiling of $50B and a release date in July or August.

2. DHS BEAGLE. The Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Information Technology (OIT) is gearing up for a significant contract opportunity: the Border Enforcement Applications for Government Leading-Edge IT (BEAGLE) program. This program, managed by the Border Enforcement Management Systems Directorate (BEMSD), is designed to enhance the security and operational efficiency of America’s borders. The Award is expected to be in the $1.7B+ range with an estimated release date of August 2025.

3. FAA SAVES. SAVES contracts provide the FAA with a simplified process for obtaining commonly used products and services at prices associated with volume buying, while maintaining or improving the quality of purchases and vendors’ service levels. The small business set aside IDIQ is expected imminently with a contract ceiling value above $4B

4. Veterans Affairs VPAS. This VA Processing and Automation Services (VPAS) IDIQ provides a successor replacement to the VICCS IDIQ. The mission of the work is to continuously improve benefits processing efficiency and cycle-time. The awards are for a host of managed service contracts to support this work. The Solicitation is expected imminently and awards will be for a 4 years base plus two 3 year options, with a contract ceiling above $5B.

Pricing-To-Win (PTW) vs…

Contact Tom: [email protected]

While doing a PTW analysis, my immediate focus is who the competition is or might be, followed by the end client, contract type, estimated budget, type of work (information technology, artificial intelligence, systems integration, product, general consulting, etc.), geographical location(s), and the company’s ability to support.

What about estimated profit? What about execution metrics (burn rates, level of effort, dollars)?

I think we all know that in this business, profit/fee is a metric that gets a lot of scrutiny. I will admit, when doing a PTW analysis, it is a concern that ranks low on the priority list. That is not to say I won’t include it as a consideration, but when trying to win a contract, the top focus should be winning. My approach will always be to have a recommended PTW price/rate range that is fair, reasonable, realistic, and executable. I strive to hit a PTW range that aligns with the technical approach, unless the bid is noted as LPTA or disguised as LPTA by being called “best value,” along with suspect language in the solicitation.

As far as execution metrics, that is valuable information to have, and I have used that data as well. But ultimately, a contract will be awarded based on what is proposed, not necessarily on execution. In the real world, what is proposed and how it is executed can differ, although one could use trends from execution, specifically labor, level of effort, ODCs, etc.

In summary, PTW is not pricing-to-execute. Think of PTW as a separate task. PTW drives the pricing strategy, which then drives the potential pricing solution. It is at the solution stage where one can include an execution analysis. If the outcome of the analysis yields unfavorable results, then the pricing strategy should be revisited—not the PTW—because you cannot change the PTW to make estimated execution metrics look better. Respect the difference between PTW and pricing-to-execute. It could very well be the difference between losing and winning.

Market Focus

Contact Nick: [email protected]

Small businesses, emerging enterprises, and even established large companies often struggle to focus their resources effectively to grow in a specific market. To meet business development goals and win contracts efficiently, business developers need to concentrate on a targeted market segment. Chasing every opportunity across Federal Civilian, Department of Defense (DoD), or State, Local, and Education (SLED) markets can quickly become overwhelming for any team or individual. This scattershot approach often leads to low win rates, limited customer insight, and wasted effort. Below, we outline the key reasons why narrowing your focus to a specific market, whether at the business unit or individual level, is critical to success.

Deep Expertise: Focusing on a specific market enables the Business Development team to build deep knowledge of customer needs, industry trends, and the competitive landscape. This expertise improves bid/no-bid decisions and supports the development of strong, customer-focused proposals.

Efficient Resource Allocation: Focusing on a specific market segment, like a sub-agency within the USDA or a particular naval command, helps optimize time, budget, and personnel. Capture managers can zero in on high-value opportunities, avoid spreading resources too thin, and align efforts with the organization's strengths. Leveraging existing customer knowledge also speeds up key decisions and improves overall effectiveness.

Tailored Solutions Increase Win Rates: By focusing on a specific market, business developers and solution architects can design strategies that speak directly to that customer’s challenges, priorities, and goals. Generic proposals often fall flat and fail to build evaluator confidence. In contrast, tailored solutions built around technologies and processes the customer already knows and trusts can significantly boost the chances of winning.

Competitive Advantage in Bidding: Deep knowledge of a specific market segment helps capture managers anticipate customer needs, emphasize key differentiators, and position their solutions more effectively, especially against competitors who lack that same level of focus or insight.

Strong Relationships with Key Stakeholders: Focusing on a specific customer base helps build long-term relationships with key clients and industry partners. Ongoing engagement within a defined market segment strengthens trust, improves collaboration, and opens the door to future opportunities.

By targeting a specific market segment, business development teams can operate more strategically, deliver higher-value outcomes, and increase win rates. If your pipeline lacks focus, Hinz Consulting can help. Through our pipeline analysis service, we’ll evaluate your current opportunities, identify high-potential targets, and provide clear, actionable guidance to sharpen your strategy.

• June 24-27th: Government Fleet Expo & Conference in Charlotte, NC

• August 18th: Premier Navy Procurement Expo in San Diego, CA

• August 25th: National Homeland Security Conference in DC

About Hinz Consulting

Hinz Consulting provides services across the full business development cycle:

• Proposal Consulting

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• Training

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