Winning Government Contracts

Rick Porterfield

The government is the world's largest buyer — and the #1 growth opportunity for small businesses. But most firms struggle to understand the marketplace, write winning proposals, or get small business certifications that unlock set-aside contracts. That's where this podcast comes in. For over 20 years, I've helped hundreds of small businesses win billions of dollars in government contracts — especially minority-owned businesses (MBE), woman-owned businesses (WBE), veteran-owned businesses (VOSB), and 8(a) firms. I break down federal contracting and selling to the government into practical, actionable steps you can implement immediately. Every episode, you'll learn how to: Find contracts your company can actually winWrite proposals contracting officers approveGet certified as 8(a), MBE, WBE, or VOSB—without the confusionBuild relationships with agency buyers, not just submit cold bidsAvoid the mistakes that kill 90% of small business bidsGrow your revenue through federal contracts Want to go deeper? I've published two books for government contractors: one on proposal writing, one on leveraging certifications to win more work, and a third on marketing to federal agencies is coming soon. Visit WinningGovernmentContracts.com for free resources, templates, and tools to help you win faster. The government spends over $500 billion annually with small businesses. The only question is: What's it costing you every day you're NOT in the game? Let's start Winning Government Contracts.

  1. 05/19/2025

    Are You Even in the Game? What It Takes to Qualify for Small Business Certifications

    🎧 Episode Summary: Just listening won’t land you contracts—action does. In this episode, Rick challenges you to step up and stop waiting. Want to grow your business? The #1 way to do it is by making the U.S. Government your customer. Small business certifications like 8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, and HUBZone open doors to powerful contracting opportunities. But do you qualify? Rick breaks down the common qualifications, including ownership, control, net worth limits, citizenship, and more. He also clears up common misconceptions and gives practical tips for checking your eligibility today. 💡 What You’ll Learn: Why certified small businesses are 9x more likely to hit $1M in revenueWhat “small business” really means by SBA standardsOwnership, control, and citizenship requirementsNet worth limits—and what doesn’t count against themHow to check if you're in a HUBZoneWhy action beats perfection—every time🔗 Resources & Links: ➡️ Visit: www.WinningGovernmentContracts.com 📬 Check out our books on Amazon Click below:  The Sole Source AdvantageWriting Proposals for Government Contracts📣 Support the Show: ✅ Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share with other business owners ready to grow. 🔥 Quote of the Episode: “It is not the critic who counts… The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena… who strives valiantly… who spends himself in a worthy cause.”  — Theodore Roosevelt

    17 min
5
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

The government is the world's largest buyer — and the #1 growth opportunity for small businesses. But most firms struggle to understand the marketplace, write winning proposals, or get small business certifications that unlock set-aside contracts. That's where this podcast comes in. For over 20 years, I've helped hundreds of small businesses win billions of dollars in government contracts — especially minority-owned businesses (MBE), woman-owned businesses (WBE), veteran-owned businesses (VOSB), and 8(a) firms. I break down federal contracting and selling to the government into practical, actionable steps you can implement immediately. Every episode, you'll learn how to: Find contracts your company can actually winWrite proposals contracting officers approveGet certified as 8(a), MBE, WBE, or VOSB—without the confusionBuild relationships with agency buyers, not just submit cold bidsAvoid the mistakes that kill 90% of small business bidsGrow your revenue through federal contracts Want to go deeper? I've published two books for government contractors: one on proposal writing, one on leveraging certifications to win more work, and a third on marketing to federal agencies is coming soon. Visit WinningGovernmentContracts.com for free resources, templates, and tools to help you win faster. The government spends over $500 billion annually with small businesses. The only question is: What's it costing you every day you're NOT in the game? Let's start Winning Government Contracts.