WEBINAR: Taking Advantage of the 2018 Defense Budget Influx

With the passing of the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act, increasing the defense funding cap, how can your organization take advantage and maximize opportunities over the next 16 months? Join Aaron Heffron, President of Market Connections and defense agency expert, Ray Bjorklund, President of Birchgrove Consulting as they discuss implications and recommendations based on the results from our recent 2018 Defense Budget PulsePoll™.

Calling Government Contractors: Participate in our 2018 Study

What are your biggest marketing and business development challenges? Participate in our survey! Market Connections will be partnering with Professional Services Council and Merritt Group to conduct our biannual study of federal government contractors. The study focuses on top challenges and best practices of contractors with higher win rates, including the most effective marketing and business development activities and key strategies to remain competitive. Participants will be entered to win one of five $100 Amazon gift cards. We look forward to your responses!

CPARS Rates Are Falling: Is Service Declining or Are Standards Increasing?

Federal contractor performance ratings over the past eight years have fallen from “excellent” to only “satisfactory”. A recent study by Ultimus Performance LLC (UPLLC) identifies a clear and consistent decline in federal contractor performance (CPARS) ratings and a growing proportion of “satisfactory” ratings at the expense of “exceptional” ratings. This begs many questions to arise. Since the CPARS system is unlikely to change anytime soon, a more refined and actionable rating system is certainly needed. We advise our clients NOT to rely on CPARS ratings alone.

Project Highlight: Unisys: Keeping Our Nation Secure: The Status of Federal Agencies Security Postures

The recent Presidential Executive Order Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure states “known but unmitigated vulnerabilities are among the highest cybersecurity risks faced by executive departments and agencies.” It calls for increased focus on securing IT and data, including protecting IT and data from unauthorized access and cyber threats; being aware of potential threats; being able to detect security events; and being able to respond and recover. In an age of increased cybersecurity threats and federal mandates, how have agency security postures changed over the last year?

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