The Peel

thepeel
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Government
  • Updated Weekly

Join hosts Shelley McGuire and David Blackburn as they have one on one conversations with government and industry leaders on trends, challenges, and opportunities in GovCon.

  1. 5h ago ·  Video

    The GWACs to Watch in FY27 with Eric Nusbaum

    A new federal fiscal year is underway, and GWACs could play an even bigger role in how agencies buy in FY27. But which vehicles should government contractors be watching—and what can companies do if they don’t already have a seat at the table? On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire welcomes back Eric Nusbaum, Founder and CEO of ENcompass Consulting Group, for his monthly GovCon check-in and a look at the GWAC outlook for FY27. Eric breaks down the major vehicles shaping the market, including SEWP VI, Alliant 3, Polaris, 8(a) STARS III, VETS 2 and OASIS+, along with what FY26 utilization may signal for the year ahead. With SEWP VI expanding beyond its traditional IT product focus and OASIS+ continuing to gain momentum, contractors could see significant opportunities as agencies increasingly turn to familiar governmentwide vehicles. Not already a prime? Eric explains why traditional GWACs can be difficult to enter after award—and why OASIS+ stands apart with its continuous on-ramping, broad scope and ability to add domains over time. His message for companies looking for a prime position is clear: OASIS+ deserves serious attention. The conversation also explores what happens after you win a vehicle. With OASIS+ task orders sometimes carrying extremely short proposal windows, early intelligence, teaming, customer research and positioning become critical long before the RFP drops. If GWACs are part of your FY27 growth strategy—or you’re wondering whether they should be—this episode provides a practical look at where the market is headed and how to position your company for what comes next. To connect with Eric, visit him on LinkedIn here. To learn more about ENcompass Consulting Group, visit their website here.

    The GWACs to Watch in FY27 with Eric Nusbaum

  2. 1d ago ·  Video

    The Rise of Agentic AI with RELI Group's Jason Balser

    AI can answer a question. But what happens when AI starts making decisions and taking action on your behalf? On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Jason Balser, Senior Director of AI and Data Strategy at RELI Group, to break down one of the hottest topics in technology today: agentic AI. Jason explains the concept through a simple travel analogy—traditional AI can help with individual pieces of planning a trip, while agentic AI is more like handing the entire itinerary to a travel agent and giving them the autonomy to make decisions to accomplish your goal. But with greater autonomy comes greater responsibility. Jason explores what happens when AI agents make unexpected decisions, why hallucinations and weak controls can create significant risks, and why organizations need the right governance and guardrails in place before turning over too much control. The conversation also tackles a critical question every leader should ask before deploying an AI agent: What’s the worst thing that could go wrong? From managing an email inbox to decisions affecting healthcare or national security, not every use case carries the same consequences—and not every decision should be automated. Jason shares three considerations for responsible agentic AI: define the outcome, understand the consequences, and make sure a real person remains accountable. As agentic AI evolves, the challenge won’t simply be adopting it—it will be determining where autonomy makes sense and building governance that matches the risk. To connect with Jason, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about RELI Group at their website here.

    The Rise of Agentic AI with RELI Group's Jason Balser

  3. Sep 29 ·  Video

    More Than a Finish Line: Building Belonging Through Athletes Serving Athletes

    What if crossing a finish line could mean more than completing a race? For Athletes Serving Athletes (ASA), it’s about creating community, belonging, friendship, and the opportunity for athletes with limited mobility to experience the excitement of accomplishing something together. On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Julia Kardian, Chief Operating Officer of Athletes Serving Athletes, to share the mission behind an organization that has spent 18 years helping individuals with disabilities participate in running events throughout Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, and Northern Virginia. From 5Ks to full marathons, ASA provides the specialized equipment, race registrations, practices, and volunteer “WingMen” needed to help its athletes get to—and across—the finish line. But ASA is about much more than running. Julia shares how the organization creates an inclusive community where athletes who may otherwise experience isolation are surrounded by people who know their names, celebrate their accomplishments, and make sure they know they belong. The conversation also offers a challenge to the GovCon community: get involved. ASA needs volunteer runners, joggers, and even those who prefer a slower pace to help more athletes participate. Speed doesn’t matter. As ASA’s tagline says, “Together We Finish.” ASA will also be featured as a giving-back organization at the upcoming Looking Ahead at CMS for 2027 event on October 21 in Columbia, Maryland. To connect with Julia, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about ASA at their website here.

    More Than a Finish Line: Building Belonging Through Athletes Serving Athletes

  4. Sep 15 ·  Video

    Beyond the AI Hype: Turning Data Into Mission Value with REI Systems' Wagish Bhartiya

    On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Wagish Bhartiya, Chief Growth Officer at REI Systems, to explore what federal agencies need to get right before AI can truly transform how they operate. At the center of the challenge is data. Agencies often have enormous amounts of information spread across disconnected systems—and AI can confidently deliver an answer even when it’s working with incomplete data.  Wagish also shares how REI Systems is applying AI internally throughout the software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering and coding to testing, while learning firsthand why governance, standards, training and human expertise remain critical. But perhaps the biggest challenge is moving AI from pilot to production. Wagish explains why government AI must go beyond producing an answer—it needs to produce an answer that can be defended. That means explainability, traceability, and repeatability, because in government, as he says, “every answer needs a receipt.” To connect with Wagish, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about REI Systems at their website here.

    Beyond the AI Hype: Turning Data Into Mission Value with REI Systems' Wagish Bhartiya

  5. Sep 9 ·  Video

    Tilt the Table: Winning the FY-End GovCon Feeding Frenzy Eric Nusbaum

    The end of the federal fiscal year is here—and in GovCon, that can feel a lot like a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos. The opportunities are moving fast, but simply chasing everything that hits the market isn't a winning strategy. In this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire and ENcompass Consulting Group's CEO, Eric Nusbaum, talk about how contractors can finish FY26 strong while positioning themselves for FY27. Eric shares practical strategies for tilting the table in your favor, from leveraging customer relationships and differentiating your capabilities to making it easier for government buyers to access what you offer. They also tackle the realities of quick-turn September bids, including how to spot opportunities that may favor an incumbent, prepare go-to teaming partners, use AI responsibly in proposal development, and add surge support when your internal team is stretched thin. Looking ahead, Eric breaks down what contractors should expect from OASIS+, MDA SHIELD and SEWP VI, along with three issues to watch closely in FY27: CMMC, increased use of OTAs and CSOs, and potentially significant changes to SBA small business size standards. If you're navigating busy season while trying to plan your next move, this episode offers a roadmap for closing out FY26 strategically and entering FY27 ready to compete. SBA proposed a new rule on SB sizes. Depending on how this turns out, it could have a massive impact on the entire federal contracting industry. Make sure you submit comments on this by Sept 21. Click here to provide your feedback. To connect with Eric, visit him on LinkedIn here. To learn more about ENcompass Consulting Group, visit their website here.

    Tilt the Table: Winning the FY-End GovCon Feeding Frenzy Eric Nusbaum

  6. Sep 8 ·  Video

    Security by Design: Getting Cyber Involved Earlier with Kevin Spease

    Cybersecurity can’t be something added at the end of a project. In this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Kevin Spease, President and Co-Founder of ISSE Services, to talk about why security requirements need to be integrated much earlier in the systems development lifecycle. Kevin breaks down where friction often appears when teams try to translate frameworks like NIST and RMF into practical engineering requirements, why developers and cybersecurity teams can sometimes find themselves at odds, and what security professionals can do differently to become enablers instead of blockers. The conversation also explores what happens after a system goes live. How do organizations maintain compliance while continuing to respond to new vulnerabilities and emerging threats? And how can cybersecurity teams stay involved in change management without simply showing up with another “no”? For anyone working in cybersecurity, systems engineering, federal IT, or mission-critical environments, this episode offers a practical look at building security into the process from the very beginning. To connect with Kevin, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about ISSE Services at their website here.

    Security by Design: Getting Cyber Involved Earlier with Kevin Spease

  7. Sep 2 ·  Video

    Former State Department Acquisition Leader Matt Colantonio on How AlphaSix and Quantify Are Rethinking Federal Acquisition

    AI is moving fast. Federal acquisition isn’t always built to. So what happens when the two collide? David recently connected with Matt Colantonio, Product Manager for Quantify at AlphaSix and a former senior Federal acquisition leader who brings more than 15 years of firsthand experience navigating the very challenges agencies are now looking to technology to help solve. Matt’s perspective matters. Before joining AlphaSix, he served as a Contracting Officer and held senior acquisition and digital transformation roles, including serving as Chief of Staff for the Senior Procurement Executive within the State Department’s Global Acquisition organization. He knows Federal acquisition from the inside. The processes, the pressures, the workforce challenges, and the realities that can make meaningful transformation difficult. Now he is bringing that experience to AlphaSix, helping translate years of Federal acquisition expertise into technology built around how government acquisition actually works. That makes for a timely conversation. David and Matt dig into what Matt sees differently now that he has worked on both sides of the acquisition equation, what AlphaSix is building with its Q-Suite and AI-powered Quantify platform, and what “AI-native” acquisition could mean in practice. They take on some of the biggest questions facing Federal acquisition leaders right now. Can AI become a trusted collaborator for the acquisition workforce? How should agencies think about buying versus building? What does workforce transformation actually require? And beyond the hype, what could agentic AI realistically do inside the acquisition process? For Federal acquisition and GovCon leaders trying to understand where this is going, this is a chance to hear from someone who spent more than 15 years inside the system and is now helping build what comes next. To connect with Matt, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about AlphaSix at their website here.

    Former State Department Acquisition Leader Matt Colantonio on How AlphaSix and Quantify Are Rethinking Federal Acquisition

  8. Sep 1 ·  Video

    Stop Pitching, Start Understanding the Agency with Reggie Mitchell

    Breaking into government contracting takes more than a great capability and a desire to win federal work. It takes an understanding of how the acquisition process actually works. On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with acquisition professional Reggie Mitchell for a candid conversation about what small businesses need to know before pursuing the federal market. Reggie shares why GovCon isn’t simply a place to find contracts—it’s a process—and why understanding acquisition rules, agency needs, procurement methods, and the people involved can make the difference between spinning your wheels and building a real strategy. They explore the expectations new contractors often get wrong, the importance of targeting agencies that actually need what you sell, and why small business professionals can be valuable advocates and entry points into an agency. Reggie also breaks down the different roles of program, contracting, and small business professionals, and why companies need to understand who they’re talking to before walking into that critical meeting. From relationships and readiness to performance and consistency, this episode delivers practical advice for companies looking to compete and keep winning in GovCon. To connect with Reggie, follow him on LinkedIn here.

    Stop Pitching, Start Understanding the Agency with Reggie Mitchell
See All (100)

Ratings & Reviews

About

Join hosts Shelley McGuire and David Blackburn as they have one on one conversations with government and industry leaders on trends, challenges, and opportunities in GovCon.

Information

  • Creator
    thepeel
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Peel

You Might Also Like