In This Week’s Newsletter:
- Opportunity Spotlight of the Week: OPM Hire Support II
- Four To Follow: Four Interesting Pursuits
- Capture Corner: Small Business Teaming – Two Perspectives
- Pricing Insights: Competitive Range
Opportunity Alert – OPM Hire Support II
Contact Katie: katie.clatterbuck@hinzconsulting.com
Office of Personnel Management (OPM), USA Hire Support Services II.
On February 9, 2026, the contracting office released a modification to provide an updated PWS. Responses to the draft are due no later than 12:00 PM ET on February 27, 2026. The in-person Industry Day will be held on March 17, 2026, at 9:00 AM ET. The registration deadline is 12:00 PM ET on February 27, 2026. OPM requires an online system that can deploy off-the-shelf and custom assessments that measure a variety of competencies for Federal occupations. The final RFP for this $999M Full and Open/Unrestricted opportunity is expected in October 2026, with an award scheduled for February 2027. Reach out to Hinz Consulting for Competitive Analysis, Graphics, Price-to-Win, or Proposal support, and continue to monitor SAM.gov for updates to the procurement timeline.
Four to Follow
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Coast-Wide Beach and Dune Ecosystem Restoration in Hancock County, Mississippi. On February 6, 2026, the Contracting Office posted a notice on SAM.gov to inform industry that the $100M SB-Set Aside is scheduled for release on or around February 23, 2026, with a projected award date in June 2026. The project involves building a 150-foot-wide beach berm to enhance habitat, strengthen coastal resilience, and reduce storm impacts. Key requirements include aligning the berm with the lower elevation of either the adjacent sidewalk or the surrounding ground, extending the berm approximately 150 feet seaward from the seawall, and sourcing approximately 300,000 cubic yards of sand from upland locations for transport and placement within the project area. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for any changes to the procurement timeline.
- The Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, Engineering and Technical Support for the Test and Evaluation and Prototype Fabrication Division. On February 6, 2026, the Contracting Office released a Sources Sought notice inviting Seaport NxG holders to respond to an RFI by 4:00 PM CST on February 23, 2026. Contractors are to provide engineering, programming, and technical support for science and technology, research and development, test and evaluation, sustainment, and other related programs and projects. The final RFP for this $87M effort is expected to be released via Seaport NxG, with an award date of January 2027. Continue to monitor your SeaPort portal and SAM.gov for any changes to the timeline.
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), AEC Medical Facilities Architect Engineer Services (MFAES 2.0). On February 9, 2026, the Contracting Office issued a special notice to inform industry about the Virtual Industry Day via MS Teams. Contractors are urged to complete and review the Participation List before the industry day on February 25, 2026, at 1:00 PM CST. The final RFP for this $200M IDIQ is expected in April 2026, with a projected award timeline starting in November 2026. The competition type is currently unknown. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for further updates on this effort.
- Space Systems Command (SSC), Unified Messaging Services (UMS). On February 6, 2026, SSC issued a Sources Sought notice seeking prime contractors to provide contract structure, design, implementation strategy, and cybersecurity plans for a Unified Messaging Service supporting Space Domain Awareness. The project will use agile methods to deliver software rapidly. Responses are due no later than 11:59 PM MST on March 6, 2026. The contract value and competition type are currently unknown. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for further information or updates to the procurement timeline.
Small Business Teaming – Two Perspectives
Contact Nick: nick.mccauley@hinzconsulting.com
Welcome back to the Capture Corner, where we dissect the strategies that drive success in the federal marketplace. This week, we’re tackling a hot topic: teaming between large and small businesses—building on our earlier discussion of teaming basics for small businesses in Volume 74. In an era of contract consolidation and complex IDIQ vehicles, teaming isn’t just an option—it’s often essential to winning and delivering. We’ll explore why large primes seek small partners, how small businesses can position themselves for prime spots on winning teams, and tactics for securing and expanding work share, especially when agreements are at the IDIQ level with no guaranteed slices of the pie. Drawing on industry insights and best practices, this piece aims to equip you with actionable intel to elevate your capture game.
The Large Business Lens: From the perspective of large contractors, teaming with small businesses is a strategic imperative, not charity. Federal mandates promote small business participation—think the SBA’s 23% prime contracting goal and subcontracting plans that require meaningful small business involvement. Large primes benefit by accessing set-asides, meeting socioeconomic goals (e.g., for HUBZone, SDVOSB, or WOSB firms), and tapping into the agility, innovation, and niche expertise that small businesses often bring.
A prime example is the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Advanced Multiple Award Contract (AMAC) IDIQ, a $10B vehicle for science and technology research. In this vehicle, all offerors—large and small—must submit a Small Business Participation Commitment Document (SBPCD) outlining their commitment to small business utilization, including socioeconomic categories and specific participation details. Large businesses must also submit a separate Small Business Subcontracting Plan that meets or exceeds DoD goals, such as the 33% overall small business goal. This requirement directly incentivizes large businesses to form strong teams with small partners early, as an acceptable rating for small business participation is essential for award eligibility.
Large firms also value small partners for their lower overhead, which can sharpen pricing, and for building long-term relationships that lead to repeat business. However, primes are selective: they look for smalls with strong past performance, relevant certifications, and the ability to scale without becoming a liability. The takeaway? Teaming is a two-way street—larges gain diversity and an edge, while smalls gain access to bigger opportunities.
For Small Business: When seeking a spot on a large business’s team, preparation and visibility are key. Start by researching the market: Use tools like USASpending.gov or FPDS to identify primes winning in your NAICS codes, then analyze their past teaming patterns. Craft a compelling capabilities statement that highlights your unique value—niche skills, or innovative solutions—and tailor it to address primes’ gaps.
For instance, in vehicles like the AFRL AMAC IDIQ, smalls who excel in PWS areas such as advanced materials, hypersonics, quantum technologies, or additive manufacturing could look for primes that need expertise in those areas as a complementary or ancillary service to their main offerings. To give you some ideas: A small business specializing in advanced materials might partner with a large prime focused on aircraft structures, providing lightweight composite innovations to enhance durability without adding weight. One excelling in hypersonics could team with a prime in propulsion systems, offering high-speed testing simulations as an ancillary tool to optimize engine designs. For quantum technologies, seek out primes in cybersecurity, where your quantum-resistant algorithms could complement their data protection platforms. And if additive manufacturing is your strength, align with primes in rapid prototyping for defense hardware, supplying 3D-printed components to speed up supply chain integration.
Networking is non-negotiable. Attend agency matchmaking events, industry conferences, and APEX Accelerator sessions to connect with primes and COs. Programs such as the SBA’s Mentor-Protégé initiative and Joint Ventures (JVs) can fast-track partnerships, enabling small businesses to leverage large companies’ resources while maintaining small business status for set-aside contracts.
Lastly, build credibility through small wins: Be open to smaller workshare or projects to build a track record of past performance. Remember, primes want low-risk partners—demonstrate reliability, compliance (e.g., with FAR rules), and a track record of delivery to stand out.
Securing and Growing Work Share: Once on a team, the real work begins—especially in IDIQs, where work share isn’t usually guaranteed until the task order level. At the IDIQ level, teaming agreements outline intent, but task orders drive actual revenue.
To grow your work share, focus on performance excellence—deliver on early tasks to build trust and earn more. Market internally: Provide primes with intel on agency needs via your networks, propose value-adds such as cost savings or innovations, attend pre-bid meetings for task orders, and bring task order opportunities to your prime. Use data tools such as GovWin, HigherGov, or similar to forecast opportunities and position your team.
In multiple-award IDIQs, there are generally opportunities set aside specifically for small businesses. Lean into small business set-asides as leverage for reciprocity—offer primes subcontracting opportunities on your set-aside contracts in exchange for increased work share on theirs, creating a mutually beneficial “you give me more work share here, I’ll give you work share there” dynamic.
Wrapping Up: Teaming bridges the gap between large-scale federal needs and small business ingenuity, delivering wins for all. For large companies, it’s about compliance and competitiveness; for small businesses, it’s a pathway to scale and stability. Whether you’re a prime seeking partners or a small business aiming to expand, focus on relationships, value, and execution. In the consolidated landscape of FY26, those who master teaming will thrive.
Competitive Range
Contact Tom: tom.hudgins@hinzconsulting.com
You submitted a proposal, waited what seems like forever, and one day you get an email saying you made the competitive range, but that usually comes with proposal revisions.
In federal government contracting, when a Contracting Officer (CO) states that a bid is within the “competitive range,” they are essentially saying your proposal has survived the first major cut. It’s the “shortlist” of the procurement world.
Under FAR 15.306(c), the competitive range comprises the most highly rated proposals based on the evaluation criteria outlined in the solicitation. Here is what that looks like in practice:
The primary goal of establishing a competitive range is efficiency. The government isn’t required to hold discussions with every bidder. Instead, the CO narrows the field to only those firms that have a “real” chance of winning the contract.
The CO evaluates proposals based on:
- Technical Merit: Does your solution meet the requirements?
- Price: Is your bid realistic and competitive?
- Past Performance: Do you have a track record of success?
If a bid is technically deficient or vastly overpriced to the point where no amount of negotiation could make it a winner, it is excluded.
If you are within the competitive range, be prepared for the government to open discussions or negotiations. This is your opportunity to:
- Clarify any ambiguities in your proposal.
- Address any weaknesses or deficiencies identified by the CO.
- Revise your pricing or technical approach in a Final Proposal Revision (FPR).
If you fall outside the range, you are eliminated from the competition. While this is disappointing, it entitles you to a debriefing, where the CO explains exactly why your proposal didn’t make the cut; invaluable intel for your next bid. You should be able to see how you compare to the competition, identify your weaknesses, and show the CO that you value the feedback and are committed to doing better in your next proposal.
- February 12th: MPRC Site Visit in Redstone Arsenal, AL
- March 12th: AFCEA NOVA Naval IT Day 2026 in Chantilly, VA
- March 18th: Navy Information Warfare Industry Day 2026 in Springfield, VA
- March 16-17th: 2026 Air Force Contracting Summitin Reston, VA
- March 24-26th: Cyber Workforce Summit in Washington DC
- April 9th: Fed Expo 2026 in Washington DC
- April 13-16th: Space Symposium in Colorado Springs
- April 22nd: 2026 Digital Transformation Summit in McLean, VA