Winning Tier 1 Business as a Mid-Tier Firm

Rick Dansey is the chief growth and strategy officer of T-Rex Solutions, responsible for business development, proposal management, and strategic planning.

For mid-tier federal contractors, winning Tier 1 business requires far more than core proposal execution or conventional Capture 101 strategies. Price to Win, compelling solutions, and engaging the client are baseline requirements that will only get you into the “best loser” category.

The true differentiator, and what I believe is the #1 success factor:

Pick the right deal or move on.

Too often companies pick a big deal to meet pipeline metrics. That doesn’t mean it is winnable. The goal is to win. Mid-Tier firms don’t have the luxury of swinging and missing.

Success hinges on disciplined deal qualification. Key criteria for opportunity selection include:

1. A vulnerable incumbent
2. Relevant, Exceptional Past Performance
3. Client intimacy or a path to intimacy
4. Access to the right contract vehicle.

A Vulnerable Incumbent: Identifying a vulnerable incumbent is challenging but essential. Rely on objective, quantitative indicators rather than rumors.

• Turnover of Incumbent Personnel: High turnover, especially in management, signals the program may be in trouble.
• GAO Reports: Repeated deficiencies or negative findings reveal weak points; these reports also inform your capture strategy.
• Dissatisfied Subcontractors: Such feedback is candid and often signals deeper program management or execution problems.
• Early Recompete: When the government recompetes before the end of the contract, this may point to issues, though sometimes it is just to pressure the incumbent.
• Reduced Contract Spend: The client may be dissatisfied with the incumbent and is moving work to other vehicles for performance.
• Section L & M: Waiting until Section L & M instructions are published can mean it is too late to shape the deal—use them as late-stage validation, not initial filters.

Relevant, Exceptional Past Performance: To unseat a Tier 1 incumbent, your past performance must be extraordinary and directly relevant. Your past performance must be more than just Good. Does your past performance have:

• Strengths that match the clients’ needs and goals. Every proposal section should have a callout box identifying a past performance strength – a “Strength Box.” That strength is tied to win themes which are directly relevant to client pain points. A Strength has the following characteristics:

1. 1. A repeatable process,
   2. Proof point with specific details that matter to this client,
   3. Have an easily understood benefit to this client,

• CPARS that are Exceptional,
• Client quotes that set you apart from other firms.

Client Intimacy or Path to Intimacy: Trusted relationships give you access to unfiltered insights and help tailor your approach. True client intimacy typically comes from years of strong performance but can also be achieved or accelerated through thoughtful teaming. Without real intimacy, your likelihood of win drops dramatically. Client intimacy means you are a trusted partner as shown in Figure 1 (ref: WashingtonExec).

Partnerships to achieve intimacy as an outside firm.

The measure of success is whether you can engage the client on a regular basis.

Access to the Right Contract Vehicle

This concern may get easier over time as contract consolidation occurs. There may be less use of agency-level vehicles in lieu of GSA vehicles.

• Advocate early if shaping vehicle selection is needed; once an acquisition strategy is set, switching is nearly impossible.
• Be ready to articulate real reasons for your preferred vehicle (e.g., GSA MAS vs. Alliant 2, OASIS+, CIOSP3, etc.).

Conclusion

Winning Tier 1 contracts as a mid-tier demands more than standard best practices. It relies on exceptional discipline in deal selection as the #1 success factor.

Do not pursue any opportunity solely to bolster forecasts—pursue only winnable deals where your team can become the trusted partner the client needs. If any of the foundational qualifications are missing, move on and invest your resources where they will yield the greatest return.

Good hunting!