Infrastructure Package: Outlook for Government Contractors

What We Know

• On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• The legislation includes financial allotment for roads, bridges, airports, public transit, broadband internet access, the nation’s electric grid, water and wastewater infrastructure, electric vehicles, and electric school buses.
• Of course, industries such as construction, engineering, and transportation will have great opportunities. However, nearly every industry will be affected.
• You can expect both federal and state/local contracts.
• The following is a breakdown of the funds expected to be allocated to North Carolina over the next five years, per Rep. Deborah Ross:
• $7.2 billion for highway projects
• $1.1 billion to improve water infrastructure
• $910 million for public transit
• $460 million for airport development
• $457 million for bridge repairs and development
• $109 million for expansion of the electric vehicle charging network across the state
• $100 million to expand broadband internet
• $32 million to protect against wildfires
• $27 million to protect against cyberattacks

What's Next

• Announcements of strategic plans on how, to whom, and when the funding will be allotted
• Project and spending forecasts provided by government departments and agencies

How GCAP Can Help Right Now

• Getting you proactively registered and certified in all of the appropriate government databases
• Building relationships and networking with government agencies and current vendors
• Re-evaluating and strengthening your supply chain
• Winning and successfully completing contracts to build your capability statement now

CMCC 2.0

Information shared by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (OUSD) Acquisition & Sustainment

In September 2020, the DoD published an interim rule to the DFARS in the Federal Register (DFARS Case 2019-D041), which implemented the DoD’s initial vision for the CMMC program (“CMMC 1.0”) and outlined the basic features of the framework (tiered model, required assessments, and implementation through contracts). The interim rule became effective on November 30, 2020, establishing a five-year phase-in period.

In November 2021, the Department announced “CMMC 2.0,” an updated program structure and requirements designed to achieve the primary goals of the internal review:

• Safeguard sensitive information to enable and protect the warfighter
• Dynamically enhance DIB cybersecurity to meet evolving threats
• Ensure accountability while minimizing barriers to compliance with DoD requirements
• Contribute towards instilling a collaborative culture of cybersecurity and cyber resilience
• Maintain public trust through high professional and ethical standards

Key features of CMMC 2.0:

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With the implementation of CMMC 2.0, the Department is introducing several key changes that build on and refine the original program requirements. These are:

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Opportunities 2022: Save the Date!

Opportunities, our regional government contracting event and trade show, is returning on March 14, 2022 in Asheville, NC.

We invite small businesses to attend and meet with local, state and federal government agencies and large prime contractors. More details, including registration information, is soon to come.

Meet Brooklyn Dellinger

GCAP Counselor (Boone, Hickory & Winston-Salem)

Q: What motivated you to join the SBTDC as a Government Contracting Counselor?

A: I actually joined the SBTDC as business counselor covering general business topics. It wasn’t until about three years ago that I joined the SBTDC’s Government Contracting Assistance Program (GCAP) team. I have always had a passion for small business, so this organization was a perfect fit to work with and support small businesses. I learned about government contracting while co-counseling with other GCAP counselors and found connecting small businesses with government agencies to be rewarding. The government sector is so different from commercial markets and the learning curve for small businesses just getting started in this space is steep. I get to alleviate this through general education and one-on-one work with clients. Seeing a client get that first contract is my continued motivation.

Q: What are your sector specialties? 

A: My background, prior to working with small business clients at the SBTDC, is marketing and communications. I use these skills to help my government contracting clients in a couple of different ways. The first step is learning the customer. I help my clients with extensive research on local, state, and federal government agencies, picking up buying patterns, forecasting, and really anything on consumer behavior. We use this information to develop a strategic plan on which markets to attack, where their competitive advantage lies, and how to do this efficiently while also maintaining their commercial business. At the same time, I’m using this data to help market my clients. We develop marketing materials, branding, web pages, and networking and outreach opportunities all specific to the government agencies they plan to target.

Aside from research and marketing, I enjoy working with clients on proposal preparation. I like digging into every detail of a RFP, cross-referencing in different databases and the FAR, and then preparing a response. Compiling information on the product/service, contract execution and financials into a thoroughly proofread and formatted document brings me way too much joy.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working with small and mid-sized businesses? 

A: Helping them leverage what makes them different into what makes them special and marketable as a government vendor. When you make this designation with a small business, their confidence grows and motivation accelerates. You can truly see the turning point. They become more strategic and focused. That’s when the magic happens.

Success Story

Rodrick Belton

Brooklyn Dellinger, GCAP Counselor (Boone, Hickory & Winston-Salem)

Rodrick Belton reached out to the SBTDC in October 2021 for assistance engaging government markets with his business.

In our initial meeting, we discussed Rodrick’s product and service offerings. His business’s commercial work to-date was focused on real estate management and operations. He wanted to look into potential government contracting opportunities related to this past performance. He also mentioned pursuing other types of work that he had experience in. Throughout this meeting, I showed Rodrick various local, state, and federal government databases to begin researching various markets for these potential service offerings. He was also provided the sequential process and links to begin registering his business as a vendor with the government.

Rodrick knocked it out of the park. He began researching potential markets to determine where the greatest opportunity was for him and his business. Throughout this research, Rodrick located opportunities within the federal government for videography. He began federal registrations for his business. When he came across a Sources Sought notification for videography, he was prepared to respond. Rodrick and the contracting officer communicated, and when the RFP was issued, he replied. He was awarded his first contract last month.

We’re now working on a strategy for Rodrick’s business and future opportunities. To aid in his continued research, we have provided Rodrick with a PROBID subscription, which syndicates active solicitations and forecasts expiring contracts from multiple databases into a single platform. His business will certainly succeed because of his motivation and eagerness to learn more.