Contracting Officer Podcast Episodes
As former Federal Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry’s shoes, Kevin and Paul share their expertise and perspectives in support of the podcast’s mission: Make government contracting better, one contract at a time.
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556 – The Shift Toward GSA
Government buying is changing but not in the way many people think. The rules are mostly the same, yet the choices contracting officers make are shifting. In this episode, Kevin and Paul look at the...
555 – Finding Signal in the Noise (How to Move Faster in GovCon)
This episode takes a close look at how fast federal contracting is changing. Many people in GovCon feel this shift every day. Policies update often, expectations rise, and answers that were right...
554 – In Review
Episode 554 is in review.
553 – The Thinking Part of the Job
Government contracting (GovCon) is not always simple. The FAR gives guidance, but there is rarely just one way to move from a mission need to a contract award. In this episode, Kevin and Paul talk...
552 – Energy Savings Performance Contracts: A GovCon Tool That Matters Right Now (with Matt Urbanic)
To explain how Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) work, Kevin talks with Matt Urbanic, a new member of the Skyway team. Matt is a retired Army veteran and a former Contracting Officer who...
551 – The Rewrite of FAR Part 19 (Part 3: HUBZones)
In this episode, we take a clear look at how Contracting Officers use small‑business set‑asides and why these choices matter. The rules in FAR Part 19 are changing, and these changes shape how...
550 – The FAR Overhaul Series: Navigating What’s Next with NASA’s Senior Procurement Executive Marvin Horne
In this episode, we continue our look at the FAR Overhaul. We’re now more than a dozen episodes into this journey, and today we’re taking a step back. Instead of focusing on the details, we’re...
549 – Why ‘Small Business’ Means Something Different in GovCon
The episode also walks through how contracting officers decide who qualifies as a small business and how those decisions shape the entire acquisition process. The rules may seem complex, but they...
548 – Warfighter Acquisition System: Pressure Points inside the FAR (w/ Hector Navarro)
How the DoD Acquisition System rewrite aligns with flexibility already in the FAR. The world of defense contracting is changing fast, and this episode breaks down what that means for you. Today, the...
547- Do’s and Don’ts of Capability Statements (w/ Shelley Hall)
In this episode, we take a clear look at capability statements and why they matter in government contracting. Many companies use them, but few use them well. A capability statement is often the...
546 – The Rewrite of FAR Part 19 (Part 2) – The SB Set Aside
Kevin and Paul continue their review of the FAR overhaul with Part 2 of their discussion of FAR Part 19. The focus of this episode is small business set asides. FAR 19 plays a major role in...
545 – The 2025 GovCon Review
Why 2025 Was a Wake‑Up Call for the Future of GovCon 2025 was a busy and unusual year for the GovCon world. Many teams felt pressure as rules shifted, workloads grew, and new processes arrived...
544 – The Rewrite of FAR Part 19 (Part 1: Reframing)
We’re back with another episode in our FAR Overhaul series. This time, we’re looking at FAR Part 19 – Small Business Programs. These rules matter because they shape how billions of dollars in...
543 – Not All Times Are Equal
Why timing, sequencing, and contract actions impact success in GovCon. In GovCon, not all times are equal. Aligning right action with the right time is the difference between creating or avoiding...
542- Opening the Box After the Shutdown—What Actually Changed
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history didn’t just stop work—it changed the way contracts move. For most people, it’s old news. But for those in government contracting, the impact is still...
541 – Another Way the Government Buys Services
Government contracting is changing fast, and Intergovernmental Support Agreements (IGSAs) are part of that change. These agreements let the Department of Defense work directly with state and local...