Government Contracting Skills: How to Identify and Win With What You Know
Release Date: 04/06/2026
Government Contracting Skills: How to Identify and Win With What You Know
Govcon Giants Podcast
Government contracting skills are the foundation of every federal award — and you probably already have more than you think. In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, host Eric Coffey breaks down how small business owners can identify the skills they already possess, build real expertise around them, and position that expertise to win government contracts at every level — from local agency awards to major vehicles like GSA OASIS+. What you'll learn in this episode: 🔍 How to research what agencies actually buy — Learn how to use USA Spend and FPDS to find your NAICS code...
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Govcon Giants Podcast
Government contracting skills are the foundation of every winning federal contract — and you may already have more than you think. In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, host Eric Coffey walks entrepreneurs through the critical process of identifying hidden expertise, translating everyday abilities into government-ready services, and building the past performance that sets your business apart. Key takeaways from this episode: Translate your civilian skills into government language — Professional organizer Kim Calloway shares how she used ChatGPT to reframe her services into...
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info_outlineGovernment contracting skills are the foundation of every federal award — and you probably already have more than you think. In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, host Eric Coffey breaks down how small business owners can identify the skills they already possess, build real expertise around them, and position that expertise to win government contracts at every level — from local agency awards to major vehicles like GSA OASIS+.
What you'll learn in this episode:
- 🔍 How to research what agencies actually buy — Learn how to use USA Spend and FPDS to find your NAICS code and align your skills to what your target agency is already spending money on
- 🔄 How to pivot from private sector to government work — Your skills don't change; your client does. Discover how to reframe your existing expertise for a federal audience
- 💡 The difference between talent and expertise — Talent is what you have; expertise is what you build. Eric explains why expertise is the only currency that wins contracts
- 📋 How adding one skill can open a new revenue stream — From training contracts ($10K for one day) to SOP writing, see real examples of skills that translated into real government awards
- 🏆 What it takes to qualify for GSA OASIS+ — Understand the $250K federal contract threshold and why building expertise now sets you up for elite contract vehicles later
Ready to stop navigating federal contracting alone? Join the Federal Help Center community and connect with entrepreneurs on the same journey — people who are actively winning and willing to help you win too.
EPISODE CHAPTERS:
0:00 — Welcome to Federal Help Center Podcast
0:27 — Identifying your skills for government work
1:27 — Using USA Spend and FPDS to find your NAICS code
1:56 — How to pivot from products to services in GovCon
2:55 — Real awards won: Training and SOP writing contracts
3:49 — You're not new to business — just new to the government client
4:48 — Adding new skills and building expertise over time
5:17 — Positioning reality: creating your GovCon skills framework
6:44 — Hidden skills that can become government service offerings
7:43 — Qualifying for GSA OASIS Plus and scaling to bigger contracts
8:28 — Community close and call to action
If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/
Website: https://govcongiants.org/
Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding