PODCAST: Lynne Gummo of SC&H Group Discusses State of LPTA Procurements and Small Businesses
November 7, 2013
Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) contracts have become a heated topic in the federal news media – especially on the heels of the recent Market Connections and Centurion Research study. Though one area that is often overlooked when it comes to LPTA contracts is the impact that these procurements have on smaller businesses. In addition, how can larger primes and smaller contractors best work together to better leverage business opportunities in this environment? Following is an exclusive podcast with Lynne Gummo, who leads the Government Contracting Industry Group at SC&H Group, which offers M&A transaction and financial services for contractors. Gummo ... Read moreInforming the Right Federal Marketing “Air Cover”
November 6, 2013
With the federal contracting sector still reeling from the government shutdown and sequestration, corporate marketing departments of large companies are providing “air cover” for their federal marketing counterparts during a time of tight budgets. As we all know, marketing to government customers is a very unique discipline that involves knowledge of the federal procurement process, the right messaging and ... Read moreA New Twist on LPTA Procurements
November 5, 2013
A couple of weeks ago, Market Connections and Centurion Research issued a study about how Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) contracts may be awarded to less qualified companies, sacrifice long-term value for short-term cost savings and could act to lower government contractors’ standards of performance. The study captured a tremendous amount of media attention; reinforcing that LPTA procurements are top-of-mind for both the government and contracting communities. The Potomac Forum, a longstanding non-profit that provides training for both government and industry, is also tackling this issue with a program that presents a “new twist” on LPTA procurements. Previously, most training on LPTA ... Read moreVIDEO: Lisa Dezzutti, President and CEO of Market Connections, Discusses Value of Targeting Government Decision Makers
November 5, 2013
In today’s resource-stretched environment, government contractors need the right tools for effectively reaching government decision-makers in their marketing efforts. Knowing the best channels for actually connecting with and influencing these potential buyers can be challenging. Earlier this spring, Market Connections released the findings of its 2013 Federal Media and Marketing Study (FMMS) at a standing-room-only breakfast presentation at the Gannett Conference Center in McLean, VA. The study captured responses from more than 3,900 government decision-makers, highlighting their use of digital, mobile, social, print and broadcast media. The study revealed that government executives are embracing mobile solutions, with smartphones and tablets becoming key channels ... Read moreCalling All Government Contractors: New Poll Regarding Effects of Sequestration and Government Shutdown
November 4, 2013
With the government shutdown and the lingering effects of sequestration, 2013 has clearly been a challenging year for the government contracting community. What has the true impact been on federal contractors? Market Connections Inc, in partnership with Lohfeld Consulting Group, is conducting a short poll of federal government contractors regarding the effects of sequestration and the government shutdown on the government contracting community. Please take a few moments to complete this online poll. We are calling on all industry decision-makers serving the federal market to share their candid insights about the challenges they are facing in today’s uncertain times. Market Connections, Inc. and Lohfeld ... Read moreWeekly News Kick Off: Second Round of Sequestration Around the Corner; U.S. ‘Not Ready’ for Cyber War; and DoD ‘Black Budget’
November 4, 2013
Welcome to the Weekly News Kick Off post from the FedPulse blog. The Department of Defense is gearing up to fight the next round of sequestration, Gen. Stanley McChrystal says the U.S. is not ready for a cyber war and DoD provides a glimpse into the U.S. military intelligence budget. In addition, there was another round of big new contract wins for the private sector. Be sure to check out this and much more in the latest Weekly News Kick Off. Happy Monday. Department of Defense Gears Up for Round Two of Sequestration Now that the government shutdown is behind us, the ... Read moreThe Greatest Hits in Customer Satisfaction Research
October 31, 2013
Market Connections has had the privilege of working with several organizations that use customer satisfaction research to inform improvement efforts, strategic decision-making and drive overall marketing efforts within their organizations. In 2010, Intelsat General began working with Market Connections to implement its first customer satisfaction survey, and has repeated the program ever since. Each year, the company takes a proactive approach by engaging in a comprehensive customer satisfaction research program. By using a third-party research provider, the company is able to gain the candid feedback required for improving overall performance. As a large organization offering commercial satellite communications solutions, Intelsat General deals with significant ... Read moreThe Greatest Hits in Customer Satisfaction Research
October 31, 2013
Market Connections has had the privilege of working with several organizations that use customer satisfaction research to inform improvement efforts, strategic decision-making and drive overall marketing efforts within their organizations. In 2010, Intelsat General began working with Market Connections to implement its first customer satisfaction survey, and has repeated the program ever since. Each year, the company takes a proactive approach by engaging in a comprehensive customer satisfaction research program. By using a third-party research provider, the company is able to gain the candid feedback required for improving overall performance. As a large organization offering commercial satellite communications solutions, Intelsat General deals with significant government contracts that are highly complex, ... Read moreWinning Contractor: Iron Mountain Helps Government Save Money With Secure and Effective Records Management
October 30, 2013
The storage of information and records is vital for the federal government and one company has been providing the most comprehensive solutions in this arena for more than 60 years: Iron Mountain. With federal agencies needing to collect, exchange, and analyze large amounts of sensitive information and make it accessible and usable to authorized parties, Iron Mountain offers the right solutions that allows government to free up storage space while also having its data securely stored and accessible. Iron Mountain plays a major role in helping federal agencies comply with the Presidential Directive on Managing Government Records, a government-wide effort to reform ... Read moreMoving Towards “Technically Exceptional:” Perceptions of LPTA Procurements
October 29, 2013
More than 200 members of the government contracting community gathered at the Gannett Conference Center in McLean last week to gain key insights into the impact of Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) procurements on both government and contractors. The event brought the industry’s best and brightest together to discuss how the use of LPTA procurements is affecting contractors and the deliverables government receives under LPTA contracts. The new study from Market Connections, Inc. and Centurion Research Solutions revealed that while LPTA may sacrifice long-term value for short-term cost savings, LPTA is the “new reality” in government procurement, at least for the ... Read more