Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Lobbying is one of the highest-paid and most misunderstood professional skills in government contracting. In this video, I explain what lobbying actually is, why it is constitutionally protected but legally regulated, what lobbyists do day to day, and how to identify the congressional members, staffers, committees, legislation, funding, and government spending connected to a client's issue.1:48 What Lobbying Actually Is2:53 When Lobbyists Must Register3:48 Lobbyist Jobs Paying $100K–$335K+5:29 How Lobbying Consultants Report Their Income5:52 Real Lobbying Fees on LDA.gov8:04 Skills You Need to Become a Lobbyist8:24 What Lobbyists Actually Do Every Day8:50 How to Research Congress and Find the Right People10:28 Tracking Government Spending, Legislation, and Funding11:18 Why Congressional Staffers Matter13:45 How to Set Up Meetings With Congressional Offices14:31 How to Prepare a Congressional Briefing15:28 When Lobbying Fits Into Government Contracting16:09 Appropriations Requests and Federal Funding17:18 How Lobbyists Build Coalitions17:45 Following Up and Tracking Relationships in a CRM18:25 Registration, Disclosure, and Compliance19:24 How to Start a Freelance Lobbying Consultancy21:22 How to Find Clients and Price Your Services23:15 How Lobbying Can Help Government Contractors23:48 Using Lobbying to Cross the SBIR Valley of Death25:21 How to Learn Government Contracting With GovClose––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.comCongress.gov — https://www.congress.govLobbying Disclosure Act Database (LDA.gov) — https://lda.gov/system/public/U.S. House of Representatives — https://www.house.govU.S. Senate — https://www.senate.gov––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to:1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Most self-made millionaires didn't get rich chasing a flashy startup idea — they built wealth through boring, repeatable businesses that solve everyday problems. And the single biggest buyer of those "boring" services? The US federal government.In this video I break down two boring businesses — demolition and dental services — that quietly pull in hundreds of millions of dollars a year in federal contracts. We show you where to find these opportunities, how competitive they really are, and what it actually takes — and pays — to build a government contracting business or sales career around them.

RESOURCES MENTIONED –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.com USASpending.gov SAM.govRick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.

The US military will pay you up to $1 million just to design augmented reality "Iron Man" glasses — and that's one topic out of hundreds. There's over $3 billion in government seed funding available this fiscal year through the SBIR program alone, and companies like Qualcomm, Symantec, and iRobot got their start with this exact funding.I walk through a real, live Navy SBIR topic step by stepThen I show you an Army xTech prize competition where a four-page white paper and a five-minute video can put you in the running for $150,000 and follow-on government contracts.

Check out the GovClose certification program and start your career in government contracting:https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

This "boring" government website generates an average of $3.2 million in annual revenue for more than 56,000 small businesses — yet only 0.15% of the 36 million small businesses registered in the US ever win a federal prime contract. Instead of waiting for an RFP, I walk through a real, live sources sought notice step by step — an actual Air Force requirement — and show you how to write a response that can shape the solicitation in your favor. You'll see how SDVOSB set-asides, GSA MAS recommendations, NAICS size standards, and strategic requirement suggestions can legally eliminate your competition before the solicitation ever drops.0:00 This Boring Website Makes Small Businesses $3.2M a Year0:25 How Companies Use SAM Dot Gov to Generate Revenue0:57 Why Only 0.15% of Small Businesses Win Federal Contracts1:59 Registering Your Business in the SAM Database2:15 The #1 Mistake: Starting With the RFP2:30 The Sources Sought Strategy Explained2:54 Live Demo: How to Find Sources Sought Notices3:30 3,740 Open Sources Sought Right Now3:37 Real Example: Air Force Golf Cart Contract3:54 Sources Sought vs. Proposal (Why It's Easier to Write)4:21 The Language That Scares Companies5:15 Inside the GovClose Community6:22 Reading the Notice: Randolph AFB / Joint Base San Antonio6:46 The Contracting Officer on the Other Side7:19 SDVOSB Set-Asides: Your Unfair Advantage7:58 NAICS Codes & Small Business Size Standards Explained9:09 Filling Out the Questionnaire (What Most People Miss)9:58 Salient Characteristics: Meeting the Specs10:22 How to Shape Requirements & Eliminate Competitors11:37 Requesting a Set-Aside (and the Rule of Two)12:12 Recommending GSA MAS as the Contract Vehicle13:00 What to Do If You DON'T Have a GSA Schedule13:39 Highlighting Differentiators the Government Might Adopt14:42 How Requirements End Up in Solicitations15:02 Why Sources Sought Beat Waiting for the RFP15:50 Tell Us Your Industry (Comment Below)16:15 Learning to Sell to the Government––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.com––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

The US government spends over $600 million a year on landscaping services, and it's paying small businesses to mow lawns, trim trees, and maintain grounds on nearly every military base, VA cemetery, and federal building in the country.I pulled real, open contract awards and active solicitations from USASpending.gov and SAM.gov to show you exactly what the government is paying for landscaping right now, including a $36 million grounds maintenance contract at Fort Myer, VA, a $2.7 million mowing and trimming contract at Andrews Air Force Base, and grounds maintenance work at Riverside National Cemetery and West Point, with the average landscaping contract worth $228,000 a year.I also break down the overlooked "sources sought" strategy that lets you build a relationship with the contracting office and shape the requirements before the solicitation ever gets posted, putting you ahead of the competition before you write a single proposal.0:00 The Government Pays $700 Million a Year to Mow Lawns1:23 Where to Find the Data: USASpending.gov (NAICS 561730)1:52 Which Agencies Spend the Most: Army, Air Force, Navy2:14 Where the Landscaping Dollars Go by State2:45 How Much the Government Spends on Landscaping3:45 Why Landscaping Beats the 23% Small Business Rule5:29 The VA's Special Rule for Veteran-Owned Businesses5:45 Real Opportunity: $36 Million Contract at Fort Myer, VA6:41 Real Opportunity: Andrews AFB, Riverside Cemetery7:20 Where to Find Solicitations: SAM.gov8:03 How to Search SAM.gov by NAICS Code9:15 Real Opportunity: NOAA Landscaping Solicitation 9:59 Why You Can't Talk to the Office Once It's Posted11:52 The Secret Move: Sources Sought13:33 Real Opportunity: Army Corps of Engineers 14:33 The Rule of Two: Eliminate Competition17:26 How Much You Can Actually Make Selling Landscaping 19:30 The Pipeline Math: Why You Need $10M to Make $1M21:36 Go/No-Go, Teaming Partners, and the Email Trick That Confirms Receipt––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.comUSASpending.gov (government contract spending data): https://www.usaspending.govSAM.gov (find contract opportunities): https://sam.gov––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

The US military needs cheaper, more scalable unmanned systems, and it's paying small businesses and even individual engineers to build them. I pulled real, open opportunities from DIU.mil and SBIR.gov to show you exactly what the government is funding right now, including drone swarm software, counter-drone interceptors, low-cost autonomous aircraft, and a long-range listening device for human intelligence, with some contracts paying up to $300,000 just for a feasibility study. I also break down the overlooked SBIR/STTR strategy that can put you ahead of most of the competition before you ever submit a proposal.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Watch Next: the most profitable government contracting business you've never heard of: https://youtu.be/bsMTu_4JRy4?si=a_wgqi50_-ZDpQD20:00 The Government Will Pay You to Build Drones in Your Garage1:44 Where to Find Opportunities: diu.mil (Defense Innovation Unit)2:42 Real Opportunity: Masten Modular Aircraft4:43 Former DoD Acquisitions Officer, $82B Managed6:01 Where to Find SBIR Opportunities: sbir.gov7:04 How to Track When SBIR Topics Drop by Agency8:22 Real Opportunity: Low-Cost Kinetic Defeat for Counter-UAS9:47 SBIR Phase 1, 2, and 3 Explained10:24 Phase 1 Pays Up to $300K for a Feasibility Study11:00 Phase 2 Can Reach $2 Million (or $30-40M in Super Phase 2)11:48 The Sub-$6,000 Counter-Drone Interceptor Target12:53 Real Opportunity: GBAM — Ground-Based Affordable Mass14:15 The DIU Challenge Barrier to Entry (and How to Beat It)16:56 Real Opportunity: Long-Range Listening Device for HUMINT20:06 The Secret Sauce: SBIR vs. STTR Explained21:24 Case Study: How Bryce Landed University STTR Partners23:15 Meet Bryce: Former Google Engineer Turned GovClose Consultant24:24 Real Opportunity: Asymmetric Collaborative Counter-Swarm AI27:36 Why These R&D Programs Matter (and How to Get Started)––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.comSTTR Partnership With Bryce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycessorensen/––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts. Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :

1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.

2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.

3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.The US government is the single biggest purchaser of goods and services in the world. They publish everything they buy, who they buy from, and how much they spend.

I pulled real federal contract awards for pressure washing and power washing services to show you exactly how one small business is making six figures a month, what specific jobs the government is paying for, and how to find opportunities like this yourself.0:00 One Man, One Pressure Washer 0:34 How to Read Federal Contract Data on USAspending.gov1:43 Real Award: $734,975 Pressure Washing Contract2:10 Why This Company's Revenue Declined After a $1.2M Year3:19 Who's Buying: Army, NIH, and DLA4:00 Real Awards — $420K Garage Job, $300K Airfield5:56 Inside the $300,000 Airfield Pressure Washing Contract7:00 How to Find the Exact Buying Office 8:13 The $163,173 Award for Buildings and Sidewalks9:42 Set-Asides vs. Just Being Great at Your Service10:04 The $4.3 Million Duct Cleaning and Solar Panel Contract12:00 Reading the FAR: Simplified Acquisition Procedures 19:19 How Small Businesses Actually Win These Contracts––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.com––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts. Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

The US government is the single biggest purchaser of goods and services in the world. They publish everything they buy, who they buy from, and how much they spend. I ran seven simple service categories through real federal spending data to show you market size, average contract values, competition levels, and who is buying.

One of these seven categories had 160,000 separate contracts. I saved that one for the end.

All of this data is public. You can verify every number yourself at usaspending.gov.

0:00 The Government Is Paying Small Businesses Millions for This
0:40 How to Read Federal Contract Data Yourself
1:07 Service 1: Landscaping and Groundskeeping — $5.9 Billion Market
4:27 Service 2: Vocational and Technical Training — $6.5 Billion, $3M Average Contract
5:36 Service 3: Janitorial Services — $9.1 Billion, 16,000 Contracts
6:57 Service 4: Facilities and Operations Support — $15 Billion Market
7:48 Service 5: Administrative Support Services — $1.6M Average Contract
8:54 Service 6: Guard and Security Services — $25.2 Billion Market
9:36 Service 7: Logistics and Support Services — $36.5 Billion, 160,000 Contracts
10:57 What All Seven of These Have in Common
12:18 How Small Businesses Actually Win These Contracts

Seven simple service categories. Over $115 billion in federal spending. Hundreds of thousands of contracts awarded every year. The companies winning this work are usually not bigger than you. They are just more organized and following a repeatable process.

Drop a service in the comments and I will pull the federal spending data and break it down in a future video.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.