Author Archive

Gary Shumaker

Gary Shumaker is president and chief operating officer of C2 Solutions Group.
Opinion

Read between the lines to know what your customer is thinking

What your customer is thinking might seem to be a mystery, but often the answers are right there in front of you.

Opinion

How to ask if an incumbent is performing well

Gathering intelligence on the performance of an incumbent is an important step in deciding whether to pursue an opportunity, but simply asking the question isn't always enough.

Do you know what your customer fears?

Every government employee worries about something, and if you know how to read the solicitation, they might tell you exactly what they fear the most.

Opinion

How well do you know the incumbent?

Asking if you know the incumbent is an important question to answer before bidding on a new contract, but it is too often overlooked.

Do you know who's evaluating your bids?

It might be valuable for contractors to know who sits on the source selection committee, but even then, it's no guarantee.

Do you know the critical questions to ask when you have an 'identified' opportunity?

Identifying contract opportunities years ahead of time is just the start. Do you know the right questions to ask to get the most value out of that opportunity?

Opinion

How well do you know the end-user?

Knowing your end-user customer is critical to getting ahead of the curve on a solicitation. Here are questions you need to ask and answer to get the most out of that relationship.

Opinion

How to avoid a deadly case of incumbent-itis

Incumbents still win 60 percent of their recompetes, but that means there's a 40 percent chance of losing. Here's how to avoid adding to that statistic.