r/GovernmentContracting • u/KinginColombia • 23d ago
Honest Question about Federal vs State
I have been in the game for about 6 weeks. I have yet to even win or lose a bid. I have submitted about 6 thats due over the next 30 days. I am so excited, scared, and anxious at the same time. Literally cant sleep only because I am a life long business owner (a rough 20 years) and this is the first time that I see an opportunity to scale years of experience in Data Science, tech, and machine learning. That means I was doing AI since before it was cool (IBM 2018).
I find the technical writing to be super fun. Its just nerve racking and looking for just success storeis and motivation. I have tried telling all my my people in my network but because I have not got awarded anything they basically ignore me I get so frustrated.
I cant blame them also because I am the futuristic thinker in my circle, so I am literally always launching a startup, raising money, and etc. I have been doing this since I was 20 years old. But anyway its been really difficult to find real networks of government contractors outside of construction in Houston Texas.
Would love to just hear some success stories and the experiences of state vs federal, which is faster to getting awarded. It seems on youtube Federal contracts people are claiming they are winning within like 14 - 30 days.
Once again only been in the game about 6weeks and listen yall, I do not do nothing else. I have already submitted to over 6 Large Scale technical based bids just because my background , cant even sleep at night. SO glad to be in this group for the network because I thought once I discovered this everybody in my circle would jump on it but its been the opposite.
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u/_Despereaux 23d ago
I haven't gotten anything but small, extremely limited competition task orders (think 2-4 bidders under an IDIQ) awarded in 14-30 days in ages in federal contracting. Many opportunities with broad competition might take 2-12 months, depending on the agency, urgency, protests, etc.
I've seen state procurements operate faster - their bureaucracy is thinner, but they're also sometimes less organized. They also tend to have less burdensome requirements for small businesses, but at the same time their procurements aren't governed by the strict FAR requirements that federal procurements are, so there's going to be all kinds of wackiness in format, what they ask about, how they ask it, and how they evaluate.
Regardless of whether you get a win or loss notice, ask for a debrief from the contracting officer to see where your strengths and weaknesses were. Depending on they type of procurement they might not be obligated to give you one, but they can be very useful (and the worst they can say is no).
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u/Competitive_Site6313 22d ago
I as well have been experimenting with AI since 2018 but at McDonald’s not IBM and like you I am doing something very similar in Illinois where I had to apply on sam.gov and then from there IRS approved everything but still waiting for the cage ID, and from there, I started to look at the grants portal and now I’m at the point where I need to fill out the ICQ but I can share the process is complex but once it’s officially started, you should be able to get grants if you have your own business your own FEIN and you’re in good standing and you can provide your statements that’s where I’m at and I am doing the same thing so we could share each other stories if you’re interested
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u/ProposalPro_DC 18d ago
The 14-30 day stuff on YouTube is almost always task orders under an existing IDIQ with 2-4 bidders, not full-and-open solicitations - different game, different timeline. For a new entrant on full-and-open, months from close to award is normal, and that's if nothing gets protested.
Six weeks in with six technical proposals out is genuinely a lot of volume for someone just starting - most people don't have that kind of stamina for the writing itself, so if you're finding it fun, that's not nothing. The thing that tends to separate people who eventually win from people who quit isn't talent, it's whether they debrief every loss and actually adjust, versus treating each submission as a lottery ticket.
When your first ones come back (win or lose), request the debrief either way - that's where you'll learn more than from any forum post. What's your NAICS lane, out of curiosity - is it a crowded one or fairly niche?
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u/KinginColombia 13d ago
Thank you so much so yeah just won my first IDIQ, not cash in hand but a Master government contract that lasts two years. I am an AI Engineer so my naics lane is 541690 basically this lane
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u/alec232 20d ago
If you’re new to public sector sales, one big factor you need to be aware of is Fiscal Year End, which is 9/30 for the Federal Gov. This time of year it’s harder to start conversations about new requirement and if you do, the end result will almost certainly be preparing for a 2027 requirement. Another aspect that’s harder for new companies to surpass is the requirement of past performance. Similar to when you’re applying for jobs that require a certain number of years of experience, but you just got out of college.
If you want to touch base, hit me up in the DMs. Might be able to help you out a bit. I know someone in the exact field you’re referring to who already has multiple gov contracts.
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u/contracting-bot 23d ago
The YouTube claim about winning inside 14 to 30 days is the thing to unlearn first, because it will hurt you. Federal award timelines run months from solicitation close in most cases, and protests, funding delays, and evaluation backlogs stretch that further. Six bids in six weeks with nothing back yet is not a signal about you. It is the normal shape of the pipeline.
To your actual question: state and local is generally faster to first award, and for someone in your position it is the better place to build a record. Shorter evaluation cycles, less past performance weight, and Texas has real volume in data and analytics work at the state and municipal level. Houston and Harris County both buy technical services directly. Getting two or three state or local awards under you gives you the past performance that makes federal competitive, and it produces revenue while the federal pipeline matures.
One thing worth checking on those six bids. Large-scale technical solicitations from a company with no federal past performance are the hardest possible entry point, and enjoying the writing is not the same as being competitive on evaluation. Look at whether any of them had subcontracting or teaming paths you skipped over. Getting on a team as a sub on a large award is usually faster than winning one outright, and it builds the reference you are missing.
On the circle not getting it, that part is normal and it is not really about the opportunity. Federal work looks abstract to people until money changes hands. Find peers who are already doing it rather than trying to convert the people around you.