To prosper in the complex, highly competitive federal marketplace, businesses of all sizes must create a competitive advantage (provide a better alternative than competitors), and create market value that can be monetized. These are achieved by making strategic choices about where to concentrate your efforts, how to succeed, and which core organizational capabilities and management systems to develop and leverage.
Strategy begins with a vision or purpose (e.g. to help federal agencies leverage accurate data to fulfill their mission to the American people) followed by the where ( which agencies, geographical reach, which products and services, market position), how (value proposition, competitive advantage, teaming partnerships), organizational capabilities (leadership, R&D, innovation, quality processes, industry certifications, recruiting, marketing, professional development) and management systems (operational software, structure, goal setting, measuring outcomes, providing performance incentives) that foster, support and measure strategies.
Each of these categories must be addressed within the context of a deep understanding of client and target agencies operations, systems, priorities, budgets, pressures and preferences. How are their needs currently being met? By whom? How are agency needs evolving? What acquisition strategies are they using now or will use in the future?
Developing a cohesive, executable strategy for a business operating in the high stakes, risk averse, highly regulated federal market requires multiple iterations with many moving parts, and making tough decisions. There is no single strategy that applies to most or all companies and a given company's strategy will morph as the needs of agencies change and competitors enter, grow, consolidate and leave the market. That's what makes determining the right strategy for a GovCon company at any given time so challenging ... and exhilarating.