
What we’re about
OUR WHY - could be - YOUR WHY
As the founder of GCA, I want to share why we started the GovCon.Community. To illustrate our why, let me take you to my early beginnings. It starts with my own story of being born in the jungle of Laos with no birth certificate, no doctors, and no electricity. Just a village neighbor helping my mother bring me into the world.
Visit the GovCon Community: https://www.govcon.community
My roots and ancestry is one generation removed from running half naked in an indigenous community amongst the mountains and valleys of tropical Laos, a small landlocked nation nestled between Thailand and Vietnam.
Now why am I sharing this with you? You see, I grew up in a village. Not a traditional town village, but an agrarian village with homes made out of bamboo stitched together for walls and dirt floors as our carpet.
We lived as a tribal community and survived as hunters and gatherers. Our refrigerator was the abundant vegetation outside, and our meat came fresh from the day's hunt. The running water is the creek down the hill and the buckets we used to haul it back for cooking. The fire pit is our oven and we gathered late at night around the same fire pit to tell stories. Some stories are tales of the day's hunt or legends passed down through generations.
Now, you might ask, what does this have to do with government contracting and how it relates to why the GovCon.Community is formed?
Well, as a tribe of people, no one was lacking in our village. No one went hungry. No one felt lonely. Each person had their own skills and it was used to contribute to the whole of our community. Men would go out to hunt for meat. Women would gather vegetables and roots. An older lady would watch the babies. Young kids became apprentices and went with adults to hunt or forage in the jungle.
This idea of community resonates deeply with me, and it's at the heart of why we created the GovCon.Community.
It reminds me of a concept I learned from Greg Isenberg of Late Checkout. He shared an acronym called TRIBE. Here’s what it stands for.
T.R.I.B.E. = Togetherness - Rituals - Identity - Belonging - Engagement
Visit the GovCon Community: https://www.govcon.community
These elements were present in my childhood village, and they're what we aim to foster in the GovCon.Community. We had TOGETHERNESS as a community. We had a RITUAL of gathering around the fire pit at night and telling stories of how the hunt went. We each had an IDENTITY where each person is recognized with their own skills and passion. We had BELONGING where no one was isolated or alone. We had ENGAGEMENT where people willingly pitched in and raised the kids in communal care.
A New Model
As such, GCA is shifting our association membership model to a community membership model. Why, because the government contracting market is a “jungle” out there. It is filled with pitfalls, unscrupulous people and companies that could care less about you.
This village is made up of people like you and me. It’s a community with folks from all corners:
- Small business owners
- New entrepreneurs
- Leaders from large companies
- Industry innovators
- Service providers
- Agency professionals
- And many other organizations
We believe that to truly thrive and grow in this industry, we need each other. We need a T.R.I.B.E.
For the Good of Community Members
Collectively, we share one mindset, work as a village for the good of its community members. We aggregate contracting knowledge, we share our experiences, we contribute from our strengths, and we connect these resources to the appropriate needs of community members.
We bridge the gaps between businesses to government, industry partners to businesses, professionals to organizations, agencies to contractors, and other voids in the GovCon industry.
You are Welcome Here - Sit by the Fire with us
Also, we welcome people from outside of our community as GUESTS who can explore how our village supports each other. Should they share the mindset that we are stronger collectively than we are alone in pursuing growth goals in the government market, we invite them to join our village.
If you are a guest and not yet a member of our community, come sit by the fire with us. Listen to the stories of our hunts for contract awards. Learn from the successes of our community members. Check out the many resources that we have gathered. Attend our events and get to know our people.
Everybody Needs a Village
Lastly, if by chance, you feel that you too need a village to belong to and that as a tribal member, you’ll have a greater chance of success… then please do join our village.
Here, you'll find the support, knowledge, and connections you need to thrive in the complex world of government contracting. Just as my childhood village ensured no one went without, our community strives to ensure no member faces the challenges of this industry alone.
We understand the struggles of navigating government contracts, the frustration of missed opportunities, and the isolation that can come with building a business in this sector. That's why we've created this space - a place where you can find not just information, but understanding, support, and genuine connections.
You Matter
In our community, your experiences matter. Your challenges are heard. Your successes are celebrated. We're here to lift each other up, to share wisdom, and to grow together. Because in the end, that's what a true community does - it cares for its own.
So, whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned professional, know that there's a place for you here. A place where you can belong, contribute, and thrive. A place where together, we can turn the challenging "jungle" of government contracting into a landscape of opportunity.
Join our tribe
Become part of the GovCon.Community. Let's navigate this journey together.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Unlock Govt Contracting Success: Discover the Power of the Capture ManagerLink visible for attendees
Unlock Government Contracting Success: Discover the Power of the Capture Manager (Class 1 – Certified Capture Manager Training)
Official Enrollment: www.CaptureManagement.org
TO ATTEND CLASS ONE--This link is the actual registration for one class
https://www.govcon.community/c/gca-events-3d7e28/oneclass-capturemanagerevnt-abdcbfCome join us weekly as we train and prepare you to capture government contracts.
These sessions are designed to prepare those enrolled in the Certified Capture Manager (CCM) Program to pass the CCM Exam and to become certified professionals.
Also, these classes are open to all GCA members, partner members and the public. You're welcome to attend and audit the classes with the CCM students.
Join the official CCM program when you're ready to receive all the course material and software.
Learn more or enroll in the CCM Program: https://www.capturemanagement.org
When: Every Tuesday (Additional topics)
Where: Online
Time: 6pm-8pm EST
Registration: This link is the actual registration for one class
https://www.govcon.community/c/gca-events-3d7e28/oneclass-capturemanagerevnt-abdcbfCost:
- CCM students-all access
- GCA members can attend class-all access (This is not official enrollment into the FULL CCM course. To officially enroll http://www.CaptureManagement.org)
- Guests/Non-Members: $50.00 per class (This is not official enrollment into the FULL CCM course. To officially enroll http://www.CaptureManagement.org )
Financing to enroll in the full course:
https://flexxbuy.com/government-contractors-association/Not yet a member, Join Here: https://www.govcon.community/c/membership-plans/
CLASS ONE:
Discover the 5-P’s Success Formula and 12 Step Methodology- What is Capture Management
- Why your current commercial sales model will fail you in the government market
- What is the difference between Business Development and Capture Management
- How to develop a winning capture management process
- What is the Certified Capture Manager (CCM) Program
- Learn how to speak Governese, the language of public procurement
- Discover the 5 P's Success Formula: P+P+P+P = P
- Learn the 12 Step Methodology to unlocking government contracts
- What are the best government contracting tools, software and resources to use
- How to get you or your BD or sales person certified as a capture manager
- What are the benefits of being a Certified Capture Manager
- How to enroll in the CCM Program
WHAT IS CAPTURE MANAGEMENT?
Capture management is the process of creating a plan, managing a team of professionals, and executing winning strategies to capture opportunities with long sales cycles. This is often associated with government contracting or large enterprise sales.WHAT IS A CAPTURE MANAGER?
The role of the Capture Manager is to lead the sales and capture management plans of the company to grow revenue, capture new clients, and close deals in the government sector. The capture manager creates a capture plan, sources out the opportunities, qualifies the opportunities, evaluates the likelihood of success, develops a winning strategy, supports the marketing team, engages key teaming partners, fosters winning relationships, facilitates the proposal strategy, guides the development of the pricing strategy, closes the deal, and turns the win to the fulfillment team to perform on the contract.What is the CCM™ Certification?
The Certified Capture Manager (CCM™) Program is a professional designation assigned to individuals who have successfully completed a rigorous training curriculum, have certain years of experience and can proficiently pass the CMBOK exam.Who Should Attend:
- Sales professionals
- CEO, Executives and key decision makers of companies
- Entrepreneurs and small business owners
- Business Development Managers
- Consultants looking to grow professionally
- Capture managers looking to gain a competitive edge
- Contracting professionals and government employees
- All members of Government Contractors Association
- Primes, subcontractors, & potential teaming partners
- New & existing business owners interested in expanding into the government market