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Richard C. Howard

The single biggest purchaser of goods and services in the world is the US government. Learn the step by step process of winning government contracts from former procurement officer Lt Col (ret) Richard C. Howard. We cover: sam.gov, Other Transaction Authority (OTA), GSA, government contracting leads, small business, subcontracts, GWACS, sole source contracts, federal certifications including: 8(a), SDVOSB The GovClose Training Program: https://www.govclose.com Get the Government Contract Planner Free at: https://www.dodcontract.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/

  1. 2 days ago

    The US Government Will Pay You $1.8 Million To Build This

    The US military will pay you up to $1 million just to design augmented reality "Iron Man" glasses — and that's one topic out of hundreds. There's over $3 billion in government seed funding available this fiscal year through the SBIR program alone, and companies like Qualcomm, Symantec, and iRobot got their start with this exact funding.I walk through a real, live Navy SBIR topic step by stepThen I show you an Army xTech prize competition where a four-page white paper and a five-minute video can put you in the running for $150,000 and follow-on government contracts. Check out the GovClose certification program and start your career in government contracting:https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

  2. 5 Aug

    Start a $3.2M/Year Business With This Government Website. Here's How (2026)

    This "boring" government website generates an average of $3.2 million in annual revenue for more than 56,000 small businesses — yet only 0.15% of the 36 million small businesses registered in the US ever win a federal prime contract. Instead of waiting for an RFP, I walk through a real, live sources sought notice step by step — an actual Air Force requirement — and show you how to write a response that can shape the solicitation in your favor. You'll see how SDVOSB set-asides, GSA MAS recommendations, NAICS size standards, and strategic requirement suggestions can legally eliminate your competition before the solicitation ever drops.0:00 This Boring Website Makes Small Businesses $3.2M a Year0:25 How Companies Use SAM Dot Gov to Generate Revenue0:57 Why Only 0.15% of Small Businesses Win Federal Contracts1:59 Registering Your Business in the SAM Database2:15 The #1 Mistake: Starting With the RFP2:30 The Sources Sought Strategy Explained2:54 Live Demo: How to Find Sources Sought Notices3:30 3,740 Open Sources Sought Right Now3:37 Real Example: Air Force Golf Cart Contract3:54 Sources Sought vs. Proposal (Why It's Easier to Write)4:21 The Language That Scares Companies5:15 Inside the GovClose Community6:22 Reading the Notice: Randolph AFB / Joint Base San Antonio6:46 The Contracting Officer on the Other Side7:19 SDVOSB Set-Asides: Your Unfair Advantage7:58 NAICS Codes & Small Business Size Standards Explained9:09 Filling Out the Questionnaire (What Most People Miss)9:58 Salient Characteristics: Meeting the Specs10:22 How to Shape Requirements & Eliminate Competitors11:37 Requesting a Set-Aside (and the Rule of Two)12:12 Recommending GSA MAS as the Contract Vehicle13:00 What to Do If You DON'T Have a GSA Schedule13:39 Highlighting Differentiators the Government Might Adopt14:42 How Requirements End Up in Solicitations15:02 Why Sources Sought Beat Waiting for the RFP15:50 Tell Us Your Industry (Comment Below)16:15 Learning to Sell to the Government––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.com––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts. Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

  3. 31 Jul

    Landscaping Business: Government Contract Power Play?

    Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government. The US government spends over $600 million a year on landscaping services, and it's paying small businesses to mow lawns, trim trees, and maintain grounds on nearly every military base, VA cemetery, and federal building in the country.I pulled real, open contract awards and active solicitations from USASpending.gov and SAM.gov to show you exactly what the government is paying for landscaping right now, including a $36 million grounds maintenance contract at Fort Myer, VA, a $2.7 million mowing and trimming contract at Andrews Air Force Base, and grounds maintenance work at Riverside National Cemetery and West Point, with the average landscaping contract worth $228,000 a year.I also break down the overlooked "sources sought" strategy that lets you build a relationship with the contracting office and shape the requirements before the solicitation ever gets posted, putting you ahead of the competition before you write a single proposal.0:00 The Government Pays $700 Million a Year to Mow Lawns1:23 Where to Find the Data: USASpending.gov (NAICS 561730)1:52 Which Agencies Spend the Most: Army, Air Force, Navy2:14 Where the Landscaping Dollars Go by State2:45 How Much the Government Spends on Landscaping3:45 Why Landscaping Beats the 23% Small Business Rule5:29 The VA's Special Rule for Veteran-Owned Businesses5:45 Real Opportunity: $36 Million Contract at Fort Myer, VA6:41 Real Opportunity: Andrews AFB, Riverside Cemetery7:20 Where to Find Solicitations: SAM.gov8:03 How to Search SAM.gov by NAICS Code9:15 Real Opportunity: NOAA Landscaping Solicitation 9:59 Why You Can't Talk to the Office Once It's Posted11:52 The Secret Move: Sources Sought13:33 Real Opportunity: Army Corps of Engineers 14:33 The Rule of Two: Eliminate Competition17:26 How Much You Can Actually Make Selling Landscaping 19:30 The Pipeline Math: Why You Need $10M to Make $1M21:36 Go/No-Go, Teaming Partners, and the Email Trick That Confirms Receipt––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.comUSASpending.gov (government contract spending data): https://www.usaspending.govSAM.gov (find contract opportunities): https://sam.gov––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

  4. 21 Jul

    The U.S. Government is Paying People $300K to Do This in 2026

    The US military needs cheaper, more scalable unmanned systems, and it's paying small businesses and even individual engineers to build them. I pulled real, open opportunities from DIU.mil and SBIR.gov to show you exactly what the government is funding right now, including drone swarm software, counter-drone interceptors, low-cost autonomous aircraft, and a long-range listening device for human intelligence, with some contracts paying up to $300,000 just for a feasibility study. I also break down the overlooked SBIR/STTR strategy that can put you ahead of most of the competition before you ever submit a proposal. Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Watch Next: the most profitable government contracting business you've never heard of: https://youtu.be/bsMTu_4JRy4?si=a_wgqi50_-ZDpQD20:00 The Government Will Pay You to Build Drones in Your Garage1:44 Where to Find Opportunities: diu.mil (Defense Innovation Unit)2:42 Real Opportunity: Masten Modular Aircraft4:43 Former DoD Acquisitions Officer, $82B Managed6:01 Where to Find SBIR Opportunities: sbir.gov7:04 How to Track When SBIR Topics Drop by Agency8:22 Real Opportunity: Low-Cost Kinetic Defeat for Counter-UAS9:47 SBIR Phase 1, 2, and 3 Explained10:24 Phase 1 Pays Up to $300K for a Feasibility Study11:00 Phase 2 Can Reach $2 Million (or $30-40M in Super Phase 2)11:48 The Sub-$6,000 Counter-Drone Interceptor Target12:53 Real Opportunity: GBAM — Ground-Based Affordable Mass14:15 The DIU Challenge Barrier to Entry (and How to Beat It)16:56 Real Opportunity: Long-Range Listening Device for HUMINT20:06 The Secret Sauce: SBIR vs. STTR Explained21:24 Case Study: How Bryce Landed University STTR Partners23:15 Meet Bryce: Former Google Engineer Turned GovClose Consultant24:24 Real Opportunity: Asymmetric Collaborative Counter-Swarm AI27:36 Why These R&D Programs Matter (and How to Get Started)––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.comSTTR Partnership With Bryce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycessorensen/––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts. Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

  5. 10 Jul

    The Most Profitable Government Contracting Business You've Never Heard of

    Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to : 1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government. 2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector. 3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.The US government is the single biggest purchaser of goods and services in the world. They publish everything they buy, who they buy from, and how much they spend. I pulled real federal contract awards for pressure washing and power washing services to show you exactly how one small business is making six figures a month, what specific jobs the government is paying for, and how to find opportunities like this yourself.0:00 One Man, One Pressure Washer 0:34 How to Read Federal Contract Data on USAspending.gov1:43 Real Award: $734,975 Pressure Washing Contract2:10 Why This Company's Revenue Declined After a $1.2M Year3:19 Who's Buying: Army, NIH, and DLA4:00 Real Awards — $420K Garage Job, $300K Airfield5:56 Inside the $300,000 Airfield Pressure Washing Contract7:00 How to Find the Exact Buying Office 8:13 The $163,173 Award for Buildings and Sidewalks9:42 Set-Asides vs. Just Being Great at Your Service10:04 The $4.3 Million Duct Cleaning and Solar Panel Contract12:00 Reading the FAR: Simplified Acquisition Procedures 19:19 How Small Businesses Actually Win These Contracts––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.com––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts. Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

  6. 2 Jul

    Top 7 Best Simple Service Businesses for Government Contracts That No One Talks About

    The US government is the single biggest purchaser of goods and services in the world. They publish everything they buy, who they buy from, and how much they spend. I ran seven simple service categories through real federal spending data to show you market size, average contract values, competition levels, and who is buying. One of these seven categories had 160,000 separate contracts. I saved that one for the end. All of this data is public. You can verify every number yourself at usaspending.gov. 0:00 The Government Is Paying Small Businesses Millions for This0:40 How to Read Federal Contract Data Yourself1:07 Service 1: Landscaping and Groundskeeping — $5.9 Billion Market4:27 Service 2: Vocational and Technical Training — $6.5 Billion, $3M Average Contract5:36 Service 3: Janitorial Services — $9.1 Billion, 16,000 Contracts6:57 Service 4: Facilities and Operations Support — $15 Billion Market7:48 Service 5: Administrative Support Services — $1.6M Average Contract8:54 Service 6: Guard and Security Services — $25.2 Billion Market9:36 Service 7: Logistics and Support Services — $36.5 Billion, 160,000 Contracts10:57 What All Seven of These Have in Common12:18 How Small Businesses Actually Win These Contracts Seven simple service categories. Over $115 billion in federal spending. Hundreds of thousands of contracts awarded every year. The companies winning this work are usually not bigger than you. They are just more organized and following a repeatable process. Drop a service in the comments and I will pull the federal spending data and break it down in a future video. Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government. Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

  7. 27 Jun

    The U.S Government is Literally Paying People To Start Tech Companies in 2026

    The U.S. government runs a program that will fund your company before you have a single customer — sometimes before you have a finished product at all.It's called SBIR, and in this episode John Martin breaks down exactly how he used it to go from an early-stage idea to a $1.9M U.S. Air Force funding increase, with a shot at a $30M+ award next. If you've got innovative technology and you've ever wondered whether the government would pay you to develop it, this is the conversation to watch.John is the founder of Bundle AR, an augmented reality and XR training platform now used across the Air Force, Space Force, Army, and the commercial world. We get into how SBIR Phase I and Phase II actually work, what TACFI and STRATFI are, why relationships beat writing proposals, and the single mistake most founders make when they try to sell to the government.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––CHAPTERS––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––00:00 The $1.9M the Government Paid Bundle AR00:42 Who Is John Martin & What Bundle AR Does03:33 How He Got His First Government Check05:57 SBIR Explained: Getting Paid for an Idea07:48 Why SBIR Funding Froze (and Just Reopened)09:14 TACFI: The $1.9M Air Force Funding Increase11:54 STRATFI & the New $30M Award for 202616:01 Why Relationships Beat Writing Proposals17:55 How to Win Before the Contract Is Posted22:09 Live Demo: AR Training for the Military28:54 The Smartest Move: Two Revenue Streams29:32 The Truth About SBIR Mills32:24 The GovClose Gauntlet: Rapid Fire37:12 John's Radio Career: Cronkite, Kiss & Taylor Swift38:57 Advice for First-Time Government Contractors41:00 New Markets: Education, Healthcare & School Security44:04 What's Next for Bundle AR––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training):https://www.govclose.comSBIR / STTR Program (official):https://www.sbir.gov––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT THE GUEST — JOHN MARTIN, BUNDLE AR––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––John Martin is the founder of Bundle AR (BUNDLAR), a Chicago-basedoperational intelligence platform company. Over 8+ years, Bundle AR hasbuilt a no-code augmented reality and XR-wearable platform that deliverstraining and knowledge "where work happens" for both enterprise and theDepartment of Defense. The company has won SBIR Phase I and Phase II awards,a $1.9M U.S. Air Force Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI), and is nowqualified for a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI). Past clients andengagements include Microsoft (Xbox), Thermo Fisher, Cleveland Clinic, theU.S. Air Force, Space Force, Michigan Air National Guard, and the U.S. Army.Learn more / connect with John:Website: https://www.bundlar.comEmail: john@bundlar.comLinkedIn: [paste John's LinkedIn URL here]––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitionsofficer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founderof GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working asgovernment contract consultants, federal account executives, and businessowners winning federal contracts.Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

  8. 15 Jun

    He left US Special Ops to Make $18.7K /Month With Government Contracts

    Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Watch: The rise of solo consultants and why it pays so well https://youtu.be/rTfC3ug9XusChapters00:00 How $115K in Air Force Gear Led to Government Contracts00:36 From Air Force Special Ops to Government Contracting02:03 Landing Paid Government Contracting Consulting Clients04:31 The $115K Gear Question That Started Everything05:45 Will AI Replace Government Contracting Jobs?07:45 The Biggest Problem in Government Contracting08:33 Best Ways to Make Money in Government Contracting09:49 Why Companies Need Government Contracting Consultants11:47 Why Government Contracting Is Hard but Lucrative13:15 Building a GovCon Consulting Business14:09 RFPeasy and the Future of GovCon Software15:45 $50K a Month From Government Contracting Software?17:42 Government Contracting Scams to Avoid19:46 What Companies Should Pay GovCon Consultants For20:11 How to Spot Fake Government Contracting Experts22:12 RFP Writing and Client Transparency Problems24:21 RFPeasy Demo: AI Tools for Government Contractors27:21 What Federal Sales Teams Need to Win Contracts29:45 Building a Federal Sales Roadmap31:39 Using USAspending Data for Capture Strategy35:24 Reading Federal Market Data the Right Way36:39 Finding Top Contracting Offices in USAspending38:37 Onboarding GovCon Clients Faster39:45 Finding RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, and SBIR Opportunities41:12 Contracting Officer Search and Outreach Warnings44:21 Exporting GovCon Lead Lists45:00 Capability Statement Text for Federal Opportunities46:45 Pipeline Tracking for Government Contracts48:00 AI Proposal Writing for RFPs and RFIs49:30 Why Human Review Still Matters With AI Proposals50:33 RFPeasy Security, FAR Helper, and MVP Features51:33 How to Try RFPeasy.app52:18 GOVCLOSE50 Discount Code and Closing— — — — —RFP EASY PODCAST LISTENER OFFERUse code GOVCLOSE50 and get your first month free.Redeem at https://rfpeasy.app — offer active through July 31, 2026.— — — — —Built by Dakota Ward, U.S. Air Force Combat Controller veteran and founder of Gov Access Solutions LLC.Start now → https://rfpeasy.appABOUT RICK HOWARDRick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.--Connect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/

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The single biggest purchaser of goods and services in the world is the US government. Learn the step by step process of winning government contracts from former procurement officer Lt Col (ret) Richard C. Howard. We cover: sam.gov, Other Transaction Authority (OTA), GSA, government contracting leads, small business, subcontracts, GWACS, sole source contracts, federal certifications including: 8(a), SDVOSB The GovClose Training Program: https://www.govclose.com Get the Government Contract Planner Free at: https://www.dodcontract.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/

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