Explore every episode of the podcast WT 360: The market from all angles
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All about AE Industrial’s place in the market's private capital action | 08 Jun 2026 | 00:38:07 | |
We have taken a deeper dive into the government market’s private investment landscape in recent weeks by hearing the viewpoints of a banker and then a venture capital specialist. Kirk Konert, managing partner at AE Industrial Partners, joins for this episode to continue the conversation by weighing in on private capital trends across the market and explaining what goes into aligning business decisions with the government priorities. AE Industrial is also at the heart of the investment action, which in recent months has included initial public offerings of two portfolio companies. Konert takes our Ross Wilkers through that process and the reasoning behind listing Firefly Aerospace and York Space Systems on the public markets. Konert also provides advice for company owners, founders and architects on how to go about their search for external capital partners. Knowing what you want going in is the starting point. WT 360: Defense tech investing is cool again, but can it stay that way? WT 360: A pulse check on GovCon’s capital market landscape AE Industrial Partners unveils its third investment fund Firefly captures $868M in IPO proceeds Firefly seeks software, defense growth with $855M SciTec acquisition York Space Systems raises $629M in public offering Anduril, X-Bow and York detail their newest space acquisitions York Space Systems to acquire terminal maker in $355M transaction York Space Systems to acquire solar cell maker L3Harris to sell majority ownership of space propulsion unit to AE Industrial | |||
| Defense tech investing is cool again, but can it stay that way? | 01 Jun 2026 | 00:33:15 | |
If it feels like investors everywhere have some curiosity about the defense tech landscape, then it’s because more of them both want to increase their knowledge and sometimes involvement in the ecosystem. Steve Brotman, founder and managing partner of the growth equity investment firm Alpha Partners, fits into that category as an observer and participant that works with venture capital firms to be involved in promising tech companies. Steve joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to answer the questions laid out in the title, namely how it became cool again for investors to get involved with defense tech companies and markers that indicate how long this boom of interest could last. SpaceX’s initial public offering and corporate VC funds feature in the chat too. Also listen out for Steve’s tips and suggested homework for business leaders to do before venturing out into VC networks. US investors warm to Ukrainian defense startups—but export laws slow cooperation Budget would cut Pentagon research by one-third. Can industry compensate? Meet the startups trying to build military-specific AI Venture investing is part of the M&A conversation too The defense tech ecosystem gives investors many opportunities Public offerings put GovCon in a new spotlight as SpaceX's listing looms SpaceX's S-1 lays out its government work and market ambitions SpaceX’s governance structure is built for one person: Elon Musk SpaceX’s biggest risk factor might be Elon Musk Lockheed boosts its venture investment fund to $1B Booz Allen commits $400M to Andreessen Horowitz's late-stage fund Booz Allen gives big boost to its venture arm WT 360: For Lockheed's ventures team, its investments are merely step one WT 360: RTX Ventures casts its net wide and far across an expanding tech ecosystem WT 360: Booz Allen’s roadmap for collaborating with startups after an investment WT 360: SAIC Ventures’ methods for investing in and working with tech startups | |||
| A pulse check on GovCon’s capital market landscape | 18 May 2026 | 00:35:35 | |
The window for government contractors, especially those in defense and space technology, to go public is open again as several listings over the past 12 months show and SpaceX’s own offering this year will illustrate. Dave Khalsa, head of mid-cap defense and government technology investment banking at J.P. Morgan, works on transactions of many different types and observes all of them to help companies in the market figure it all out. In starting out this episode, Dave explains what all companies can take away from the handful of initial public offerings over the past 12 months and SpaceX’s listing. This is true of whether they plan to go down the IPO path or not. The rest of the conversation between Dave and our Ross Wilkers focuses on how government priorities shape merger-and-acquisition activities by companies under different ownership models, including private equity and venture capital. Public offerings put GovCon in a new spotlight as SpaceX's listing looms HawkEye 360's public offering hauls in $416M AEVEX fetches $320M in IPO proceeds Firefly captures $868M in IPO proceeds York Space Systems raises $629M in public offering Merlin Labs’ public offering collects $200M to build an AI autopilot for any aircraft L3Harris to spin off its rocket motor business with the Pentagon as an anchor investor AeroVironment's tech and business blueprints with BlueHalo now in the fold Veritas Capital's ninth fund grows to $15.3B OceanSound Partners hauls in $3.4B for third fund Arlington Capital fetches $6B for its seventh fund Government equity investments open a new frontier for industry Venture investing is part of the M&A conversation too Anduril hauls in $5B for Series H round Shield AI closes $1.5B Series G round and moves on acquisition Saronic wraps up $600M Series C round Sierra Space and Vast detail their Series C investment rounds | |||
| NextGov/FCW’s David DiMolfetta on CISA’s catchup, federal AI policy and offensive cyber | 11 May 2026 | 00:33:10 | |
The federal government’s lead agency for domestic cybersecurity and infrastructure protection matters has only completed its first week of being fully back up and running after not being funded for 11 weeks. David DiMolfetta, cyber reporter at NextGov/FCW, has covered how the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has operated through a period that followed losses of nearly one-third of its workforce under this Trump administration. David joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to lay out CISA’s path forward with funding in place, plus what the agency’s stakeholders in the private and public sectors should watch out for amid the catchup. David then breaks down NextGov/FCW’s recent reporting on two major storylines on artificial intelligence policy coming out of the White House that has direct implications for industry. The second half of their conversation is all about a deep dive article David put together on where industry fits, or may not fit, into the government’s offensive cyber approach. CISA resources ‘more limited than I would like’ amid shutdown, top official says IBM security executive emerges as possible contender to lead CISA Plankey withdraws nomination to lead CISA Trump admin floats policy language limiting contractor say on agency uses of technology White House is drafting plans to permit federal Anthropic use Anthropic’s Glasswing initiative raises questions for US cyber operations US push to counter hackers draws industry deeper into offensive cyber debate US lists offensive cyberattacks in counterterrorism strategy Trump admin will push for ‘long-term’ reauthorization of key cyber data-sharing law | |||
| NextGov/FCW’s Edward Graham on the world’s AI and robotics leadership race | 04 May 2026 | 00:39:56 | |
Once again, the U.S. government is accusing China of being among several foreign entities that are looking to steal proprietary information on artificial intelligence models from American companies. Edward Graham, managing editor and Veterans Affairs Department reporter at NextGov/FCW, discovered a memo the White House sent to federal agencies that warns of distillation campaigns seeking to help create knockoff versions of AI models. Ed joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to explain how those campaigns work and, more importantly, how they help illuminate the competition between the U.S. and China to lead the world in AI and robotics tech development. Ed also provides an update on where things stand with VA’s rollout of a new electronic health record, which has had many fits and starts over the years to say the least. White House accuses China of ‘deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns’ to steal US AI models US needs to flesh out strategy to counter China’s robotics advances, lawmakers say AI capabilities are needed to counter drone threats, senator says | |||
| GovCon’s new world order requires hard pivots | 27 Apr 2026 | 00:26:24 | |
Decision authority shifts, the government acting like a venture customer and data transparency being the standard mode of operations are examples of how the old formulas of GovCon business success are becoming outdated. Davi Hayes, senior director for federal strategy at The Chertoff Group, fields any questions from industry clients seeking to understand those trends and more about how the buying behaviors of their federal customers are changing. For this episode, Davi joins our Ross Wilkers to lay out some of the answers he found in putting together the article “The Federal Market Has Changed. Has Your Strategy?” The three trends highlighted at the top feature in their discussion. Davi and Ross also overview how services companies are also part of the equation when “Navigating the New “Production-First” Defense Paradigm,” a second article to read along as they discuss the new world order of GovCon. | |||
| Noblis and its next 30 years | 20 Apr 2026 | 00:19:35 | |
Noblis was stood up in 1996 as a science, technology and strategy organization that works with federal agencies on creating and rolling out solutions for some of their most complex problems. Mile Corrigan, chief executive of Noblis, joins for this episode to go over the firm’s blueprint for its future beyond this milestone year of celebrating its 30th anniversary and how technology transition efforts are at the heart of that vision. The government wants tech to get from lab to field much quicker than before. In talking with our Ross Wilkers, Corrigan explains some of the keys to making that happen from an industry point-of-view. Corrigan also lays out how Noblis looks at applied science, the firm’s venture investment activity since starting out on that in 2023 and what it means to be a nonprofit in today’s landscape. WT 360: The tech and investment threads of Noblis 'Vision 2030' Noblis' venture arm backs generative AI company Noblis' venture arm invests in space data tech company Noblis' venture arm backs digital twin specialist Noblis looks within for its next chief executive More code than papers: inside Noblis' turn into that direction | |||
| Arcfield and the modern era’s space races | 13 Apr 2026 | 00:30:54 | |
While the 20th century’s Space Race was strictly head-to-head, the 21st century variant is much more complex and multipolar as private businesses and nations are looking to lead in this domain. Kevin Kelly, chief executive of Arcfield, joins for this episode to go over how this systems engineering outfit is looking at the landscape through the lens of a company that has both government and private sector customers. In talking with Ross Wilkers, Kelly explains the art and science of managing space as it gets more and more crowded thanks to plummeting launch costs. The Golden Dome missile defense initiative, data centers in space and Arcfield’s acquisition activity over the past three years are also on the agenda. Arcfield enters the seas via acquisition Arcfield adds small satellite skills with new acquisition | |||
| NextGov/FCW’s Natalie Alms on the early days of DOGE and its cost-cut decisions | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:32:40 | |
Cuts to contract and grant spending, including outright cancellations, were a feature of the Department of Government Efficiency’s activities during the first year of the Trump administration and some lawsuits followed from those impacted. Natalie Alms, senior correspondent at NextGov/FCW, worked with our colleague and fellow senior reporter Eric Katz at Government Executive to watch 23 hours of testimony in one of those cases that sheds light on DOGE’s goals and the pressures to meet them. “Nat” joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to explain what she and Eric discovered in reporting out a story that is still working its way through the judicial system, but is showing enough of the atmosphere and environment surrounding DOGE. Nat also goes over her findings on how some technologists joining the government workforce can remain connected to their private sector employers and summarizes the White House budget office’s ongoing review of federal contracts. If you have a tip you'd like to share, Natalie Alms can be securely contacted at nalms.41 on Signal. Inside DOGE’s early days of pressure campaigns, rule breaking and ‘chaos’ Contract reviews continue at OMB, official says Federal CIO tapped for dual-hatted role at GSA Agencies lost around 20,000 tech workers last year — and now the Trump admin is hiring Inside the federal CIO’s culture-first approach Trump admin launches US Tech Force to recruit temporary workers after shedding thousands this year | |||
| GovCon’s vital signs point to DHS’ partial closure, Anthropic’s possible exit and the FAR Overhaul | 23 Mar 2026 | 00:36:38 | |
GovCon finds itself in a strange situation where the Homeland Security Department does not have a budget and is in a shutdown, but the three immigration agencies are still operating with some funds. How is that possible? Stephanie Kostro, president of the Professional Services Council, joins Nick and Ross for this episode to lay out how that is and the DHS funding lapse’s myriad impacts on industry and society. Their conversation then turns to what contractors are seeking to learn and understand from the U.S. government’s very public breakup with Anthropic, which will take months to complete, and what to watch for next in the Federal Acquisition Regulation overhaul effort. The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul is far from the only policy item contractors should pay attention to in 2026, as Kostro explains. Trump's new DHS nominee promises some changes, adequate staffing amid shutdown-induced departures CISA to furlough most of its workforce under impending DHS shutdown Path to averting a shutdown remains elusive as lawmakers debate DHS funding Microsoft takes Anthropic's side in DOD fight, warns it sets a new precedent WT 360: Nextgov/FCW’s Alexandra Kelley on the government’s breakup with Anthropic Anthropic sues over a dozen federal agencies and government leaders The FAR overhaul rewrote the rules, but now comes the hard part The hardest part of FAR reform is culture, not the rules GSA set to begin its rulemaking push for the FAR overhaul Small businesses face upheaval under the acquisition overhaul and agency cuts | |||
| All about the paths forward for SAIC, Anthropic, resellers and 8(a) companies | 16 Mar 2026 | 00:36:43 | |
Science Applications International Corp. can move ahead on their big decision points now that it has a permanent chief executive, which presents at least one element of certainty in a world replete with unknowns. Nick and Ross use this episode as a starting point for looking at SAIC’s next steps under CEO Jim Reagan, and the paths forward for several other key business and policy storylines in the public sector landscape. Anthropic’s fight against the U.S. government’s push to eject it from the market has industry-wide implications to unpack, as does the future of IT resellers and 8(a) companies amid their customer’s scrutiny on those corners of the market. Nick and Ross also break down why organizational culture is crucial for the Federal Acquisition Regulation overhaul effort. SAIC's board stays with Reagan, names him full-time CEO SAIC plans partial pivot away from enterprise IT Microsoft takes Anthropic's side in DOD fight, warns it sets a new precedent Anthropic sues over a dozen federal agencies and government leaders WT 360: Nextgov/FCW’s Alexandra Kelley on the government’s breakup with Anthropic Government equity investments open a new frontier for industry OPINION: Federal equity investments raise troubling questions about picking winners and losers L3Harris to spin off its rocket motor business with the Pentagon as an anchor investor ‘We will have their backs:’ GSA pushes culture shift for FAR changes The hardest part of FAR reform is culture, not the rules FAR overhaul targets risk-averse acquisition culture GSA wants answers from resellers about markups and equipment maker relationships Don’t count out resellers as OneGov agreements grow Where GSA sees resellers fitting into its unified procurement strategy SBA boots 628 more companies from 8(a) program 8(a) program faces unprecedented pressure from Trump administration attacks SBA probing 8(a) fraud allegations at tribal-owned contractor | |||
| Nextgov/FCW’s Alexandra Kelley on the government’s breakup with Anthropic | 09 Mar 2026 | 00:23:16 | |
The Defense Department and Anthropic are on opposite ends of a nasty disagreement, with government-wide and industry-wide implications, over what the company’s Claude large language model and other offerings can be used for. Alexandra Kelley, our Nextgov/FCW colleague who covers emerging tech, has extensively covered the fallout from that impasse as agencies are working to comply with President Trump’s executive order to stop using Claude after the Pentagon essentially broke up with Anthropic. “Alexa,” as we and other GovExec colleagues call her, joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to explain how those phase-out processes are taking place and provide an initial look at the government’s AI landscape without Anthropic in it. Claude is embedded in so many workflows across government that fully removing it is not a matter of simply deleting the app, as Alexa points out. Private sector, former military leaders urge Congress intervene in Pentagon-Anthropic dispute House amendment responding to Pentagon-Anthropic conflict fails committee vote Defense tech enters a new era: the case of Anthropic and the DOD Agencies begin to shed Anthropic contracts following Trump’s directive Trump directs government to ‘immediately cease’ using Anthropic technology It would take the Pentagon months to replace Anthropic’s AI tools: sources Anthropic CEO defends support for AI regulations, alignment with Trump policies Anthropic CEO sees 3 areas where policymakers can help with AI GSA and Anthropic ink deal for Claude AI across all government branches AWS GovCloud gets high-level security approvals for Anthropic and Meta AI models Anthropic introduces new Claude Gov models with national security focus | |||
| Enabled Intelligence’s blueprint for the data labeling challenge | 02 Mar 2026 | 00:32:07 | |
Data labeling refers to the practice of tagging and identifying raw data in order to add meaningful context, of which U.S. government agencies openly admit they struggle with and ask industry for help in. Peter Kant, founder and chief executive of Enabled Intelligence, started the company in March 2020 to specialize in data labeling work that also relies on continuous training and retraining of artificial intelligence models. Kant joins for this episode to explain how Enabled Intelligence tailors large language models for use in national security environments where the out-of-the-box tools are not quite ready to be in the hands of operators. In talking with our Ross Wilkers, Kant also describes how the company’s capture of a contract called Sequoia helps shed light on how the government is looking at the challenge of grasping all the data it has. | |||
| Generative AI’s pitfalls and potential benefits in GovCon law | 23 Feb 2026 | 00:29:57 | |
Humans in the loop are, in theory, supposed to be as much a part of all conversations surrounding the use of generative artificial intelligence tools as a way to safeguard against major mistakes. But as GovCon attorney David Timm has found out, errors showing misuse of the technology are starting to come up in bid protests and other legal rulings that show what can go wrong when relying on the tech too much. David, a partner at the law firm Burr & Forman, joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to share his findings from those decisions and how they could help set some guardrails for the use of GenAI in GovCon law. Even with the problems he sees, David is an optimist for how the tech can remove what he calls “Entropy” from workflows and make some tasks easier. Gen-AI Misuse in Procurement Litigation Procurement is Not "Oready" for GenAI Misuse Can a federal agency adopt the output of a Gen-AI bid evaluation tool? Buying Blind: Corruption Risk and the Erosion of Oversight in Federal AI Procurement | |||
| All about the landscape of government-wide contracts in 2026 | 09 Feb 2026 | 00:31:25 | |
Consolidation and “common goods and services” dominate the discussion around how the federal government wants to revamp its contracting functions, including moves to put the General Services Administration at the center of it all. Leo Alvarez and Dylan Schreiner, respectively principal and GovCon senior manager at Baker Tilly, are fielding many questions from industry clients on what this landscape looks like and how to map their business strategies to it. In this episode, Leo and Dylan walk our Ross Wilkers through some of the big-ticket vehicles to watch in 2026 and how they help illustrate the government’s push to make contracting more straight-forward for every stakeholder. Navigating a world of fewer contracting officers and other key acquisition pros inside government also features in the discussion, plus what this all means for small businesses. GSA quietly rolls out CMMC-like cybersecurity framework for contractors New OMB memo lays out GSA's plan to consolidate contracts NITAAC finally pulls the plug on CIO-SP4 GSA re-opens OASIS+ to new bids, shifts to continuous approach GSA to take over SEWP VI contract ‘sooner rather than later’ Alliant 3's final solicitation hits the streets Army gets moving again on bundled recompete of professional services, IT vehicles Air Force Research Lab opens proposal window for $10B vehicle | |||
| Defense One’s Lauren Williams on industrial base management matters and pressure points | 02 Feb 2026 | 00:26:26 | |
Pressure points on defense companies from their Pentagon customer to invest more and do business differently than before are coming from multiple levels of leadership, including President Trump himself. Lauren Williams, business editor at our partner publication Defense One, canvasses the perspectives and opinions of industry pros on that matter to help put together the Defense Business Brief newsletter that goes out every Monday. Lauren joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to break down those different pressure points, including Trump’s executive order barring companies from stock repurchases and issuing dividends until they invest more in tech development and production. But as Lauren also explains, that executive order is only one of several examples of the U.S. military customer taking a more direct involvement in shaping the kind of industrial base it wants. WT 360: Defense One's Lauren Williams on the new world order of acquisition DOE seeks batteries with four times the juice Defense Business Brief: Thales’ frigate pivot + 2026 lookahead with Leonardo DRS Defense Business Brief: Exec order fallout; $1B rocket-maker deal; Acquisition changes, and more Trump lambastes defense CEOs over pay, stock buybacks Defense Business Brief: US-made biotech; Rocketdyne; Hegseth’s industry tours ‘Very, very strange time’: After a big 2025, what’s next for the defense industry? Hegseth hints at higher defense budgets as OMB says another reconciliation bill is possible Unveiling acquisition overhaul, Hegseth tells industry to get with the program | |||
| One founder’s guide for helping agencies with their tech roadmaps | 26 Jan 2026 | 00:37:26 | |
Commercial technology is front-and-center of everyone’s mind across the public sector ecosystem these days, but history shows that agencies have moved slow on the acquisition and adoption fronts here. Sheila Duffy, founder and chief executive of Greystones Group, views these efforts as grounded in collaboration as customer and contractor both have to agree on the roadmap for development and implementation. Duffy joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to go over keys for good collaborations with agencies on rolling out modern tools and how Small Business Innovation Research programs can be a pathway to accomplish that. Any conversation about commercial tech in government has to include security. This one is no exception. | |||
| GovCon’s atlas for 2026 starts to take shape | 12 Jan 2026 | 00:33:44 | |
Post-shutdown recovery is one item carrying over from calendar year 2025 into 2026 and the chance of another funding stoppage happening on Jan. 30 is not zero percent. That here-and-now is the starting point of this episode where Stephanie Smith, GovCon industry senior analyst and valuation services director at RSM, takes us through some of the major themes and talking points that will shape the ecosystem in 2026. How do we define the “non-traditional contractor” and what do their prospects look like? As Steph tells our Ross Wilkers, technical definitions and terms for talking about these companies are moving targets. Steph and Ross also went over artificial intelligence’s impacts to contractors’ business models, key macroeconomics and industrial policy developments for GovCon to monitor, and qualitative drivers of true value in a business. | |||
| Nightwing’s path in the market as an independent business | 05 Jan 2026 | 00:35:10 | |
The spring of 2024 was a turning point for Nightwing, when the business separated out of its then-parent RTX to become a standalone company focused on cybersecurity and intelligence solutions. Chris Jones joined Nightwing later that fall as chief technology officer following service as the CIA’s associate deputy director for science and technology. Jones joins for this episode to put into perspective how Nightwing has sought to carve out its own path in the market and priority areas for the company going forward. In talking with our Ross Wilkers, Jones also explains the role of companies like Nightwing in helping their government agencies customers navigate changes in how they operate even if the overall missions remain the same. Artificial intelligence and other automation technologies in the cyber landscape is also on the discussion agenda. All tech conversations end back up at AI these days, after all. Nightwing acquires managed security services provider | |||
| How GovCon is crossing the bridge from 2025 to 2026 | 15 Dec 2025 | 00:37:23 | |
Most years of a presidential transition result in some adjustments by the government contracting community as a new administration settles in, but 2025 presented more variables to GovCon than ever before. Stephanie Kostro, president of the Professional Services Council, fields many questions from PSC’s member companies about what is happening across the ecosystem. Kostro joins Nick and Ross for this episode to unpack some that were answered in 2025 and others that remain unanswered for 2026, including the prospects of a second shutdown following the last one. How the Department of Government Efficiency’s influence remains over GovCon is one of those that has some answers. As Kostro explains, DOGE’s presence at the agency level is something GovCon will have to account for in 2026. The government’s acquisition overhaul to emphasize speed and commercial buying also has open questions from industry that Kostro walks Nick and Ross through. Small business contracting in today’s climate, bid protests and the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act also feature in the discussion. WT 360: Known risks and potential rewards in the post-shutdown catchup WT 360: Action items for contractors in the shutdown’s second week Shutdown’s end just the beginning as contractors face months-long recovery Contractors quantify shutdown damage as stoppages spread across missions DOGE is no longer a 'centralized entity,' personnel chief says DOGE caucus co-chair says the cost-cutting unit’s work will continue DOGE guts HHS small business office in reorg effort GSA adds third set of companies to consulting contract review DOGE now has approval authority for defense IT, consulting contracts Small businesses face upheaval under the acquisition overhaul and agency cuts SBA orders 8(a) companies to turn over financial records Unveiling acquisition overhaul, Hegseth tells industry to get with the program GSA set to begin its rulemaking push for the FAR overhaul New OMB memo lays out GSA's plan to consolidate contracts Technology Modernization Fund reauthorization not included in NDAA Defense authorization bill includes billions for cyber, intelligence matters | |||
| American Systems and its next 50 years | 08 Dec 2025 | 00:25:31 | |
American Systems opened for business in 1975 and transitioned to an employee stock ownership plan 15 years later, a model that makes it one of the market’s largest 100% ESOP companies. CEO John Steckel joins for this episode to help mark American Systems’ 50th anniversary and explains some moves it has made this year to set the company up for the next 50, including its largest-ever acquisition. In talking with our Ross Wilkers, Steckel lays out what the purchase of Epsilon brings to American Systems and larger trends in managed services that led to the transaction. Secured data centers are part of that equation too and increasingly reflect larger conversations in society, as Steckel explains. Of course, American Systems’ status as an ESOP features in the conversation too. American Systems (No. 87) is one of three ESOP companies on the 2025 WT Top 100 ranking alongside Torch Technologies (No. 66) and DCS Corp. (No. 77). | |||
| Defense One's Lauren Williams on the new world order of acquisition | 01 Dec 2025 | 00:31:04 | |
In his Nov. 7 address to industry, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laid out what the U.S. military wants from its contractors and wholesale changes the Pentagon is carrying out to make agile acquisitions a reality. Lauren Williams, senior editor at Defense One who covers the industrial base, was there in-person and joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to walk through those structural changes that prior Defense Department leaders have spoken about for years. One major theme of that dialogue has been DOD’s desire to have more commercial technologies, which has been easier said than done. But as Lauren explains, the push to “go commercial” is more than just about the product being bought. Also on this episode’s discussion agenda: what the defense industrial base has been up to during the shutdown and why prototyping is becoming more popular across the ecosystem. Unveiling acquisition overhaul, Hegseth tells industry to get with the program Defense tech companies will weather the shutdown. But what happens next? Experts see promise, risk in Pentagon’s draft acquisition reforms Meet the White House pick to conquer the ‘Valley of Death’ With cautious optimism, some defense firms lock in on prototypes to drive demand | |||
| Known risks and potential rewards in the post-shutdown catchup | 24 Nov 2025 | 00:23:29 | |
The 2025 government shutdown is on-record as the largest ever at 43 days, which means the recovery period will last well into the spring and presents a risky environment for contractors to operate in. Christine Williamson, a partner in the GovCon industry advisory practice at CohnReznick, joins for this episode to walk through five risks she and her colleague Kristen Soles identified as ones companies must watch out for and ways for responding to them. As Williamson tells our Ross Wilkers, there is much excitement across the entire ecosystem to get back to work and understanding there is a long road ahead to get government’s engine back to where it was pre-shutdown. The article Williamson and Soles co-authored is below to read along during the conversation. Government shutdown FAQ for contractors: Today’s risks and what’s next | |||
| Commence’s approach to solving big health data challenges | 17 Nov 2025 | 00:30:50 | |
Commence is a newish company looking to help federal agencies, state and local governments, and private sector entities harness technology with the goal of helping care providers make better decisions. Ian Checcio, chief growth officer at Commence, joins for this episode to go over how the company has come together over 12 months with Pleasant Land’s backing and that vision of further enabling doctors and nurses. No image describes the current difficulties health care providers face in their data collection and management practices than the fax machine and clipboard, on which every new patient fills out everything about themselves. As Checcio explains to our Ross Wilkers, Commence’s federal and other customers are up against inertia that has built up over several years. But there have also never been more tech tools available to help in that effort and desire by customers to reverse the inertia. | |||
| Amentum’s post-merger growth strategy targets space, energy and defense | 10 Nov 2025 | 00:36:20 | |
Amentum is marking one year since its merger with Jacobs' government businesses to create a $14 billion-annual revenue company whose strategy centers around engineering and technology. CEO John Heller joins our Nick Wakeman for this episode to discuss how Amentum has positioned for opportunities in high-growth markets including space systems, nuclear energy and multi-domain defense. As Heller explains, nuclear engineering expertise is becoming more sought-after as artificial intelligence drives demand for power generation at scale. The company is also focused on space-based infrastructure for working and living beyond Earth, along with potential opportunities in the Golden Dome missile defense program. WT 360: Where Amentum wants to go next following its big merger Amentum shows part of its hand for Golden Dome and nuclear power A reader's guide to 'New Amentum' on its launch day Amentum's blueprint as a public company New Jacobs, Amentum creation puts focus on large enterprise contracts Jacobs, Amentum unveil transaction to form a new public company | |||
| Shutdown fallout, SAIC and market churn lead this episode’s agenda | 03 Nov 2025 | 00:54:19 | |
The government shutdown is now in week number four, which gives us a checkpoint to gauge the impacts so far and those to come for federal agency operations. Part one of this two-part episode sees Carten Cordell and Edward Graham, respectively managing editors at WT’s partner publications Government Executive and NextgovFCW, join Nick and Ross to go over the shutdown from every angle. Carten and Ed detail what operations are still ongoing inside government, who is still working, the impacts of the shutdown and key checkpoints to watch out for ahead of the eventual reopening. Then in part two, Nick and Ross unpack the CEO transition at Science Applications International Corp. and put it into context against a market landscape that looks very different here in October versus what it was in January. Shutdown furloughs will permanently cost the economy at least $7 billion, CBO says Federal employee groups want to reopen government. They disagree on how Shutdown layoffs indefinitely blocked following new court injunction Republicans float paying some feds as Dems maintain shutdown approach House Dems demand furloughs end for nuclear security agency Top cyber lawmaker wants answers on CISA workforce reductions Multiple CISA divisions targeted in shutdown layoffs, people familiar say Inside Mission Daybreak: VA’s effort to support innovative suicide prevention CyberCorps talent pipeline buckles under Trump hiring freezes SAIC parts ways with CEO Toni Townes-Whitley Leonardo DRS CEO William Lynn to retire after 14-year run at the company Booz Allen cuts more jobs, lowers outlook amid funding slowdowns Federal agencies may benefit from slower cloud adoption, Cloudera CEO says Defense services companies face ‘structural issues’ as tech disruptors surge GSA lines up 118 more OASIS+ awards Trump’s ‘pincer maneuver’ reshapes federal contracting landscape | |||
| A banker’s guide to navigating the shutdown and staying ready for the reopening | 27 Oct 2025 | 00:18:28 | |
The business of federal contracting does not entirely come to a halt during government shutdowns, and arguably picks up in other ways, but financial concerns certainly remain paramount for all companies. Phil Poliquin is a market executive for J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking’s aerospace, defense and government services team. He is our guest for this week’s episode to go over some general guidelines for contractors on how to navigate the shutdown and stay ready for the reopening of government, plus thrive afterward. The GovCon ecosystem has gone through about 10 months of stress testing before the shutdown, as Poliquin often reminds clients of. What teams like Poliquin’s want and need to hear from contractors also features in the conversation with our Ross Wilkers. | |||
| Tria Federal and its pair of priority areas | 20 Oct 2025 | 00:36:27 | |
Tria Federal’s acquisition of Softrams back in the spring transformed the acquirer almost overnight into a 1,500-person team that looks to blend technical offerings and knowledge-centric work. Tim Borchert and Atchut Kanthamani, respectively chief executive and president of Tria, join for this episode to overview the strategy for being a more formidable midsized competitor in its core markets of health and public safety. During the conversation with our Ross Wilkers, Kanthamani also explained why he felt both the timing and buyer was right for the company he started in 2007. Also on their agenda: where Tria sees itself in the broad arena of digital transformation, the market’s adjustment to a new pace and cadence in 2025, and the company’s Labs arm focused on innovation. | |||
| Action items for contractors in the shutdown’s second week | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:18:10 | |
Stop-work orders from government agencies to their partners in industry do not, in fact, entirely pause the business of federal contracting as companies have plenty to do as they prepare for the eventual reopening. This episode featuring Stephanie Kostro, president of the Professional Services Council, begins with a guide of what typically happens next after contractors receive those orders to stop work and wait for the directive to resume. From there, Kostro takes our Ross Wilkers through some of the basic action items that the trade association is recommending for its member companies and more with all eyes toward the shutdown’s inevitable end. Ongoing conversations with lenders and financial institutions are must-dos for companies well before, and while, the invoice payments freeze. Finding people inside government to speak with on deliverables is becoming more difficult, as Kostro explains. WT 360: Our first look at the shutdown and fiscal 2026's landscape Tracking shutdown costs now will determine what you can recover later Shutdown’s ripple effect: Contractors, small businesses face devastating economic hit The government shutdown playbook: cash flow, communication and recovery Don’t wait: GovCon must prepare now for a potential shutdown OMB deletes reference to law guaranteeing backpay to furloughed feds from shutdown guidance More employees set to receive furlough notices as shutdown drags on Shutdown poised to drag into next week as layoff threat looms RIF threat sparks union lawsuit as shutdown continues White House: Shutdown layoffs are just days away Government spirals into shutdown with Trump promising mass layoffs | |||
| Our first look at the shutdown and fiscal year 2026's landscape | 06 Oct 2025 | 00:38:53 | |
All government shutdowns do end at some point, no matter how dark and gloomy things may feel, and all businesses are charged with navigating both today’s environment and positioning for tomorrow’s opportunity set. But the shutdown is where we had to start this episode featuring John Caucis and James Wichert, public sector analysts at the market intelligence firm Technology Business Research. John and James overview how TBR is monitoring the situation and how federal contractors may have had some early practice amid the Department of Government Efficiency’s pushes for cuts. The conversation with our Ross Wilkers then turns forward to a preview of the new 2026 federal fiscal year that may be starting out without funding for agencies, but will still have plenty of priorities to follow once they open for business. Some of those priorities featured in the discussion: IT modernization, drives for efficiencies, where the dollars are flowing in civilian and defense programs, more outcome-based contracting and the search for one integrator to overhaul the U.S.’ air traffic control system. | |||
| Booz Allen’s roadmap for collaborating with startups after the investment | 29 Sep 2025 | 00:37:02 | |
Booz Allen Hamilton has invested in 17 startups since the launch of its venture capital fund in 2022, which initially had $100 million to work with and is now tripled in size to $300 million. Matt Calderone and Brian MacCarthy, respectively chief financial officer for Booz Allen and its VC organization leader, join for this episode to explain why the firm expanded the fund and all that happens after the investment. As they tell our Ross Wilkers, technologists at both Booz Allen and the startups it invests in collaborate closely to develop the solutions for usage by federal agencies at scale. Calderone and MacCarthy also highlight how reindustrialization is a new area for Booz Allen Ventures, in conjunction with the core tech priorities that have defined the fund over three years. Booz Allen gives big boost to its venture arm Booz Allen formally stands up ventures arm PROJECT 38: Booz Allen signaling intent with $100M ventures fund | |||
| All about pathways for tech talent into the public sector | 22 Sep 2025 | 00:32:01 | |
Government workforces absolutely have been disrupted here in 2025 through layoffs and other exits of employees from agencies, but there is a future to talk about and especially when it comes to technology. For this episode, NobleReach Foundation’s chief executive Arun Gupta helps us take that conversation forward with ideas and solutions for bringing more talent into the public sector. Much remains unsettled in how the Trump administration is looking at the federal workforce, but the theme of needing talent will always remain paramount. One key concept Gupta lays out in the conversation with our Ross Wilkers is being a “dual citizen” of both industry and government to give people exposure to all sides of the ecosystem. Other types of pathways are part of the discussion as well. Stephen Ehikian says GSA is primed for a ‘build back’ phase after his departure OPM implements years-in-the-making update to federal hiring process New OPM head plans to cement focus on efficiency WT 360: A roadmap for keeping innovation and entrepreneurship pipelines healthy | |||
| How AI drives Accenture Federal's growth plans | 15 Sep 2025 | 00:30:12 | |
In his first year as CEO, Ron Ash of Accenture Federal Services has been positioning the company for growth opportunities that focus on Trump administration priorities for artificial intelligence and other technologies that foster efficiency. Ash tells our Nick Wakeman about how these changes in the market have impacted partnerships, fostered new business models and brought more commercial practices into the federal market. He calls 2025 the “year of the rebuild” with new opportunities accelerating in 2026 as agencies increase demand for solutions that help them use their resources more effectively. Beyond reseller pacts: How government contractors are building strategic tech partnerships GSA adds global AI providers to the schedule GovCon enters uncharted territory in Trump's efficiency push Trump’s ‘pincer maneuver’ reshapes federal contracting landscape | |||
| ICF’s pillars for its technology modernization outlook and approach | 08 Sep 2025 | 00:29:40 | |
Needless to say, the 2025 presidential transition has put technology higher on the agenda when talking about the business of government and how those tools can be a lever for changing how agencies operate. David Birken, senior vice president for digital modernization and experience at ICF, joins for this episode to explain how federal tech modernization has been a long-term growth priority for the company and some fundamentals that remain the same. Mapping technology implementations to workforce trends will always be crucial for one. In talking with our Ross Wilkers, Birken lays out ICF’s approach to that and what it takes to bring employees along as part of that process. Customer delivery and satisfaction, partnering well with commercial software companies and ICF’s blueprint for multidisciplinary teams also feature in the conversation. How ICF used its own AI toolset before taking it to market ICF lays out the risks, opportunities from Trump's push for cuts How workforce priorities shape ICF's modernization strategy WT 360: ICF's vision for its tech office goes beyond ones and zeros | |||
| Is employee ownership right for your company? | 25 Aug 2025 | 00:31:36 | |
Government contractors struggle with exit and succession planning for multiple reasons, while the majority of transaction activity in the market these days has some level of private equity involvement on either side. But companies that want to remain independent, the employee stock ownership plan can be an alternative transaction that creates liquidity and incentives for the shareholders. David Blauzvern, a managing director at CSG Partners and a specialist in these transactions, joins for this episode to explore all it takes to go down the ESOP path after a company decides on it. Blauzvern also tells our Ross Wilkers about certain instances where ESOP companies can stand out to the government customer. Of course, they also go over which companies the ESOP model can be right for and those it is not. | |||
| SAIC Ventures’ methods for investing in and working with tech startups | 18 Aug 2025 | 00:41:30 | |
For technology startups, the closure of an external investment round should be considered only the beginning of a new cycle in their strategies to grow the business and accelerate adoption of their products. Michael Hauser, managing partner for Science Applications International Corp.’s venture capital arm, joins for this episode to explain how SAIC Ventures works with startups after investing in them to bring their technologies into government missions. As Hauser explains to our Ross Wilkers, the SAIC Ventures team acts as a business model scout in addition to playing its role in the parent company’s overall tech scouting function. Hauser also walks through the decision process of when a tech is ready for the customer to use, plus how Dairy Queen’s famous Blizzard blend helps explain the art and science of technology integration. SAIC backs satellite bus design startup SAIC joins zero trust startup's network of investors Infleqtion closes $100M Series C round Undersea drone startup fetches $16M to aid hiring, manufacturing push Venture investing is part of the M&A conversation too WT 360: RTX Ventures casts its net wide and far across an expanding tech ecosystem WT 360: For Lockheed's ventures team, its investments are merely step one PROJECT 38: How Razor's Edge Ventures scouts for tech and companies PROJECT 38: Booz Allen signaling intent with $100M ventures fund | |||
| One founder’s guide to making hard pivots and picking the right investor | 11 Aug 2025 | 00:38:42 | |
Every founder of a company faces this quandary: What does our next phase look like? How do we get there? Who can help us get there? Sophia Harris and her leadership team at ODRG, which she founded in 2013, faced those questions head-on as they plotted out the company’s next steps and that led them to partnering with Advantage Capital. This episode begins with Harris telling our Ross Wilkers the full story of ODRG’s hard pivot to being a national security and geospatial technology specialist. She also describes how that positioned ODRG to eventually be ready for an external investor, something that has always been in the front of her mind. Keeping employees and customers onside was no easy feat, and one Harris speaks in-depth about in the conversation. Harris also describes how she faced the other common founder’s quandary: Am I ready to give up full control of the company I started? | |||
| Defense One’s Lauren Williams on reindustrialization and its underlying ecosystem | 04 Aug 2025 | 00:33:48 | |
Reindustrialization is a catch-all description of moves by government and industry to reinvigorate domestic manufacturing amid other countries’ investments on that front, especially China. Lauren Williams, our Defense One colleague and a senior editor there, joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to explore how the industry they cover is a part of that larger push to build more systems in America and use new advanced technology to do it. Much of their discussion is informed by Lauren’s attendance of a mid-July conference in Detroit called the Reindustrialize Summit, which sought to bring together tech companies and investors with a keen interest in manufacturing. Flying boats and AI-run factories pitched at 'Reindustrialize' event Zapping drone swarms into submission Meet the ‘cobots’ that could lower the cost of building submarines SECNAV: Robots won’t replace shipbuilders, but they could make jobs ‘easier’ | |||
| Our EIC Frank Konkel on Uber’s federal pact and procurement centralization | 28 Jul 2025 | 00:21:08 | |
Uber is the newest example of a consumer technology company entering into a government-wide arrangement with the General Services Administration, which negotiated the pact on behalf of every federal agency. Frank Konkel, editor-in-chief for all GovExec publications including WT, joins for this episode to break down the finer details of that agreement and how contractors are a part of it too. Then there is the bigger picture theme for Frank and Ross to talk about: how GSA views it as fitting into the agency’s OneGov strategy for more consolidated buys of common tech goods and services. Which also was the subject of Frank’s interview with GSA’s deputy administrator Stephen Ehikian at GovExec’s Government Efficiency Summit on July 17. Frank and Ross share their takeaways from that conversation with each other. Click here to watch the Summit, which was recorded by C-SPAN. WT 360: All roads lead back to GSA in this ‘Editor’s Summit’ episode GSA, Uber partner to cut travel costs for feds, military and select contractors GSA's vision for procurement is about having 'one wallet' GSA plans to optimize operations following cost-cutting, agency head says New OMB memo lays out GSA's plan to consolidate contracts Industry awaits significant disruption as GSA works on contract takeovers GSA prepping plans to move NASA SEWP and NIH contract vehicles under its management GSA’s procurement chief details administration’s acquisition reform plans GSA unveils new unified procurement strategy ANALYSIS: GSA's new procurement strategy begins with consumer tech | |||
| All about messaging and its relationship to business performance | 21 Jul 2025 | 00:26:57 | |
Government contractors are under a different sort of microscope for not just how they do their work supporting agencies’ missions, but also how they talk about themselves out in the public. The direct connections between external messaging and communications with government customers are the focal point of this episode featuring Dustin Siggins, founder of Proven Media Solutions, and Mild Red CEO Katie Helwig. Compliance remains core to the business of GovCon in an environment where Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives are on the way out. But core values and communicating those remain very much in, as Dustin and Katie explain to Ross. Small businesses should especially take heed. The conversation includes tips and words of wisdom just for them. | |||
| Adaptation is essential for companies to thrive in today’s market | 14 Jul 2025 | 00:41:18 | |
Companies in the government market have to make big “Sliding Doors”-type decisions all the time on which paths to choose for themselves and those to turn away from. Aaron Myers works with contractors in those situations as a partner for aerospace, defense and government advisory at Aprio. He joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to provide key questions for them to answer when it is time to make important choices. Delivery models, strategic priorities and customer sets all feature in the conversation between Aaron and Ross, which takes place against a market backdrop where the codes to crack are changing rapidly. Aaron and his partners at Nextfed have first-hand experience in asking those questions of themselves, which has led the team to become a part of Aprio. That features in the chat too. | |||
| Nextgov/FCW’s David DiMolfetta on Iran, cyber and the Salt Typhoon breach | 07 Jul 2025 | 00:30:46 | |
Iran is known to be one of the world’s major nation-state actors in cyberspace and that fact has returned to the forefront since its war with Israel started on June 13. David DiMolfetta, who covers cyber for our partner publication Nextgov/FCW, joins for this episode to break down how Iran typically operates in cyber and what U.S. government agencies are watching out for as the conflict continues. The defense industrial base is also on notice for potential intrusions on their systems, as David explains to our Ross Wilkers. David also provides an update on what we are learning about the breach into U.S. telecommunications networks, which was carried out by the Chinese hacking group known as Salt Typhoon but discovered two years after it started. Iran-backed hackers may target US defense companies tied to Israel, agencies warn DHS expects Iran’s cyber forces will target US networks after strikes on nuclear sites US charges Iranian operatives with hacking Trump campaign Trump campaign allegedly hacked, blames Iran for stealing internal communications Treasury sanctions Iranian cyber officials tied to 2023 water system hacks FBI awaits signal that Salt Typhoon is fully excised from telecom firms, official says Salt Typhoon hacks ‘a wake up call’ to secure telecom services, lawmakers say Salt Typhoon hackers possibly targeted telecom research at US universities US sanctions Chinese firm behind sweeping Salt Typhoon telecom hacks At least 8 US carriers hit in Chinese telecom hacks, senior official says Chinese telecom espionage began with ‘much broader’ aims, officials say Hundreds of organizations were notified of potential Salt Typhoon compromise NYPD officer database had security flaws that could have let hackers covertly modify officer data | |||
| Nextgov/FCW’s Edward Graham on the Veterans Affairs’ contract controversy | 30 Jun 2025 | 00:50:23 | |
The Veterans Affairs Department is coming under heightened scrutiny after it emerged that artificial intelligence likely played a role in VA’s decisions on which contracts to cut as part of the Trump administration’s purported efficiency push. Edward Graham, who covers VA for our partner publication Nextgov/FCW, joins for this episode to break down what is known so far about VA’s use of AI in that process and efforts to get more transparency into what unfolded. ProPublica broke the story first on June 6 and published a follow-up June 10. VA is far from alone in making DOGE-related contract cuts since President Trump took office in January, but this storyline at that agency is drawing ire from some lawmakers and contractors who lost work there. Ed takes our Ross Wilkers through the many moving pieces inside VA, so buckle up to gain many insights into this much-sought after customer for many companies in the market. Lawmakers demand review of VA’s AI-driven contract cuts Democrats raise alarm over AI-driven contract cuts at VA Funding for further EHR deployments ‘vitally important,’ VA secretary says Draft proposal looks to put EHR reform measures back on the table | |||
| The 2025 Top 100 also is a roadmap for next year and beyond | 23 Jun 2025 | 00:22:53 | |
Each annual release of the Top 100 also provides a jumping-off point to start pondering what the next year’s rankings could look like and how today’s macrotrends shape it. For this second part of their 2025 Top 100 conversation, Nick and Ross pick up where they left off by looking at the Trump administration’s spotlight and scrutiny of GovCon five months after moving in. The government customer collective wants all the latest and greatest tech tools, but also sounds picky about where they want to get them from. Nick and Ross highlight the different kinds of roles companies across the market play in providing that tech and how those could change in future years. The 2025 Washington Technology Top 100 Rankings | |||
| WT 360: Our first takeaways from the 2025 Top 100 with more to follow | 16 Jun 2025 | 00:20:34 | |
Edition number 32 of the Washington Technology Top 100 rankings is now live for all to use in researching the federal market's largest technology and services contractors, and mapping the numbers to the industry’s macrotrends. For this first in a two-part episode (the second goes out next week), Nick and Ross go over the companies and numbers that feature up and down the rankings’ 2025 edition. Here is *some* of what was on their agenda for part one:
The 2025 Washington Technology Top 100 Rankings 2025's Top 100 rankings reveal a market in major upheaval TOP 100: CGI Federal’s Stephanie Mango on navigating Trump’s ‘dynamic environment’ TOP 100: How Serco Inc. uses its pivot to position for Trump priorities Strategic discipline drives Leidos’ continued Top 100 dominance Booz Allen plans 7% workforce cut Lockheed's CEO: Efficiency push is 'an opportunity' for both industry and government Industry layoffs mount as cancelled contracts and DOGE efforts take hold GSA expands review of ‘consulting’ contracts to 9 more companies COMMENTARY: The chainsaw approach to cutting government promises more damage than results | |||
| Defense One’s Lauren Williams on international companies and their US ambitions | 09 Jun 2025 | 00:27:21 | |
The U.S. defense landscape has a few mainstays whose corporate headquarters are in another country and the reverse is very much true as well regardless of geopolitical and economic conditions. But the ongoing tariff turbulence stemming from the Trump administration does pose questions about why international companies are still looking at the U.S. as a key market to grow their defense businesses. Lauren Williams, a senior editor focused on technology and business at our partner publication Defense One, joins for this episode to lay out some of the answers she has found so far and how receptive the Pentagon customer is to this trend. Lauren also tells our Ross Wilkers where, again with what she has found so far, tariffs fit into the equation of the global defense industrial landscape. Agenda item number two for their discussion is the future of the Defense Information Systems Agency as it prepares to lose as much as 10% of its workforce. Made in the USA: foreign defense companies eye bigger slice of the American pie The DOD’s tech agency braces for 10% workforce cut Pentagon heightens scrutiny on IT, management consulting contracts Pentagon hits Accenture, Booz Allen and Deloitte with contract cancellations | |||
| All roads lead back to GSA in this ‘Editor’s Summit’ episode | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:35:49 | |
As Trump’s White House sees things, the General Services Administration should take on substantially all of the responsibility for managing the federal government’s acquisitions of goods and services. Frank Konkel, editor-in-chief for GovExec’s publications including us, and WT’s editor Nick Wakeman broke the story on May 21 of how GSA is planning to absorb major IT contracts run by the National Institutes of Health and NASA. That and GSA’s other moves down the consolidation path are the starting and ending points for this episode featuring Frank, Nick and Ross Wilkers that covers the wide spectrum of changes across the entire GovCon ecosystem happening as they recorded. The Federal Acquisition Regulation overhaul effort and what today’s world of government-industry engagement looks like were also on their discussion agenda, among other items. WT 360: Clear themes to note from the emerging structural changes to acquisition WT 360: Our EIC Frank Konkel on GSA, Google and the government as a single whole customer Industry awaits significant disruption as GSA works on contract takeovers GSA prepping plans to move NASA SEWP and NIH contract vehicles under its management Inside GSA’s AI strategy: Using the tech while learning how to buy it GSA’s procurement chief details administration’s acquisition reform plans ANALYSIS: GSA's new procurement strategy begins with consumer tech GSA, Salesforce agree to major Slack discounts for government Trump orders structural changes to rules covering $1T in federal spending The acquisition rule (re)writers really want you to have your say Trump administration releases first wave of acquisition regulation changes Rewrite of market research rules aims to give agencies more flexibility FAR overhaul: The challenges in tackling federal procurement’s 5,000-page beast | |||
| Defense One’s Audrey Decker on the Golden Dome and its big challenges | 19 May 2025 | 00:25:44 | |
Golden Dome is the U.S.’ newest ambitious attempt to create a multi-layered defense system for protecting the mainland from incoming ballistic, hypersonic, cruise and other types of missiles. Audrey Decker, who covers the Air Force and Space Force for our partners at Defense One, has covered Golden Dome from multiple angles as ideas for it have emerged since President Trump’s January executive order to get working on it. Audrey joins our Ross Wilkers for this episode to provide an update on how the Defense Department, especially Space Force, is working on the vision for Golden Dome and what it needs to become a reality. Software will be paramount in making Golden Dome happen, as Audrey explains from what government and industry officials have told her. How contractors are making their pitch to be part of the Golden Dome program is also on the agenda for Audrey and Ross. Industry eyes ‘wicked hard’ Golden Dome space interceptor challenge Golden Dome push sets stage for telecom battle over spectrum access Trump to get Golden Dome options next week: defense source Space Force sets up team to sort out support for ‘Iron Dome’—that is, ‘Golden Dome’ America’s ‘Iron Dome’ is going to need a lot more sensors: NORTHCOM Trump’s ‘Iron Dome for America’ plan would put weapons in space, at a big cost | |||
| Clear themes to note from the emerging structural changes to acquisition | 12 May 2025 | 00:27:45 | |
Specifics of what the structural changes to how the federal government buys goods and services for industry remain under construction, but companies now have some clear themes from that push to work into their strategies. Tris Carpenter, general manager for strategic growth at Red Team Consulting, worked with his colleagues on an analysis of seven themes in particular that companies doing business with the government should look for. As Carpenter explains to our Ross Wilkers in this episode, the FAR overhaul effort introduces some risk into the system that contractors and their government customers have not historically had to navigate. But with some prep work, companies of all shapes and sizes can find success. Long-time players, aspiring new entrants and others in between have something to gain. Trump administration releases first wave of acquisition regulation changes Trump orders structural changes to rules covering $1T in federal spending Plan for sweeping FAR changes nears release FAR overhaul: The challenges in tackling federal procurement’s 5,000-page beast | |||
| How federal tech policy leans on speed, efficiency and commercial approaches | 05 May 2025 | 00:21:10 | |
The pace of change is accelerating in the market, which means we can always take a step back to understand where those changes have come from and how that drives business activities. Bill Wright, head of global government affairs at Elastic, joins for this episode to explain how the fundamentals of the Trump administration’s approach to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity line up with those from the Biden Administration. Yes many things are different, but several others are not as well. For Wright, this shows just how critical cyber and AI are to the federal government. As he tells Editor Nick Wakeman, the Trump administration is looking to expand the government's AI and cyber strategy with a greater emphasis on commercial technology. And of course, speed and efficiency are key points Wright addresses too. As he explains, understanding where customers have come from and where they want to go is step one in finding growth opportunities across today’s market. Here are the tech takeaways from Trump’s budget proposal ‘Just wait’ to see how CISA reforms play out, DHS head tells cyber community Industry awaits how OMB AI guidance on paper will be implemented in practice What the federal workforce could look like with AI government employees | |||