AI is changing government contracting. But what happens when it starts influencing who wins the work?

On this episode of #GovCom: It’s a Vibe, Alexa Tsui chats with David, Partner at Burr & Forman, about how AI is changing federal procurement, what contractors need to watch for, and the questions nobody can afford to ignore.

From AI-generated proposals to AI-assisted bid evaluations, they get into the growing conversation around transparency and what happens when contractors challenge a contract award involving AI.

They also talk about the bigger changes happening across GovCon, including the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO), procurement reform, contracting officer discretion, and proposed changes to small business size standards.

Beyond AI, David shares insights on bid protests, joint ventures, mentor-protégé programs, and mergers and acquisitions. He also explains why asking the right questions before submitting a proposal can save contractors time, money, and a lot of frustration.

What does all of this mean for contractors trying to stay competitive? Alexa and David break down the legal changes, real-world challenges, and practical considerations worth keeping on your radar as government contracting continues to evolve.

In this episode:

• Where AI is showing up in federal procurement
• What contractors should know about AI and bid protests
• Why transparency in AI-assisted evaluations matters
• What the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul could mean for contractors
• Potential changes to small business size standards
• When bid protests, joint ventures, and mentor-protégé programs come into play
• How mergers and acquisitions can affect government contracts
• Questions to ask before submitting your next proposal

#GovCom #ItsaVibe #GovernmentContracting #GovCon #FederalProcurement #ArtificialIntelligence #BidProtests #GovernmentContracts #AcquisitionReform #FederalContracting #GovTech #GovFORUM

Connect with FORUM
🌐 Website: https://www.govforum.io
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/govforum

Connect with the Host
🎙️ Alexa Tsui: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexatsui

Interested in more conversations on government contracting, federal technology, leadership, growth strategy, and the future of GovCom? Follow #GOVCOM: It's a Vibe for new episodes featuring the leaders shaping the federal marketplace.

Brett McLaren spent 13 years building Metaphase from the ground up—and then he walked away.

Not because the company failed. Not because he had to.

Because he was done in the way only founders understand.

In this episode of GovCom: It's a Vibe, Alexa Tsui sits down with Brett McLaren, Founder of Breakaway Consulting and former CEO & Co-Founder of Metaphase, for the kind of conversation that happens when two people who've spent years in the GovCon trenches finally hit the record button.

They talk about founder burnout, the challenge of going from generalist to specialist as a company grows, and why it's almost impossible to recognize burnout when you're living inside it.

Brett also shares how a backpacking trip across Europe with his teenage daughter helped him reset, reconnect with what energizes him, and ultimately led him to his next chapter: helping businesses build AI-powered organizational intelligence through Breakaway Consulting.

Along the way, Alexa and Brett dive into:

• Why founders often feel like fish out of water in the companies they built
• The difference between work that creates energy and work that drains it
• WIFO moments—and why every entrepreneur has them
• Building a "corporate brain" with AI
• Why most companies are still only scratching the surface of AI adoption
• The proposed SBA size standard changes and what they could mean for GovCon
• Niching down, standing out, and surviving in an increasingly competitive market
• Why branding may be more important than ever in the age of AI-generated sameness

From leadership and entrepreneurship to federal contracting and artificial intelligence, this conversation covers the challenges—and opportunities—facing GovCon companies right now.

Real talk. No press release.

Guest: Brett McLaren, Founder, Breakaway Consulting | Former CEO & Co-Founder, Metaphase

#GovComItsAVibe #GovCon #GovernmentContracting #FederalContracting #ArtificialIntelligence #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #GovTech #SmallBusiness #FORUMMediaNetwork #BreakawayConsulting

Connect with FORUM
🌐 Website: https://www.govforum.io
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/govforum

Connect with the Host
🎙️ Alexa Tsui: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexatsui

Interested in more conversations on government contracting, federal technology, leadership, growth strategy, and the future of GovCom? Follow #GOVCOM: It's a Vibe for new episodes featuring the leaders shaping the federal marketplace.

What does it really take to grow a federal contractor from a 50-person startup into a credible mid-tier competitor—without losing the culture that made it successful?

On this episode of #GOVCOM: It’s a Vibe, host Alexa Tsui sits down with Lucy Martin, Chief Growth Officer at PingWind, Inc., to talk about what it really takes to grow and scale a GovCon business in today’s competitive federal marketplace.

Lucy shares how PingWind grew from a small Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) supporting the VA market into a thriving federal technology company with more than 250 employees across 37 states and overseas locations.

They talk about why sustainable growth is about more than simply building a bigger pipeline, what it takes to successfully enter new federal markets, and the leadership decisions that help prepare a company for its next stage.

From acquisitions and innovation to staying aligned with customer missions and evolving as an organization, Lucy shares practical lessons on building a stronger, more resilient company—without losing sight of what made it successful in the first place.

Whether you work in government contracting, business development, capture management, or federal technology, this episode offers a practical look at growth, leadership, and scaling with purpose.

#GovCon #GovernmentContracting #FederalContracting #BusinessDevelopment #CaptureManagement #GovTech #FederalTechnology #Leadership #GrowthStrategy #SDVOSB #PingWind #GovComItsAVibe

Connect with FORUM
🌐 Website: https://www.govforum.io
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/govforum

Connect with the Host
🎙️ Alexa Tsui: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexatsui

Interested in more conversations on government contracting, federal technology, leadership, growth strategy, and the future of GovCom? Follow #GOVCOM: It's a Vibe for new episodes featuring the leaders shaping the federal marketplace.