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: More ways to find AI government contracting opportunities: https://youtu.be/nkeswSR54gsCould one of these five AI businesses be your path to a million-dollar government contract? The October 2026 research in this video covers 84 reported AI-related contract awards. Small businesses won 40 of those awards, representing approximately $80 million in obligated funding.But winning AI government contracts takes more than having a great product or submitting proposals. You need to understand which problems agencies are paying to solve, who buys what you sell, and how to position your business before the solicitation comes out.In this video, you'll discover five AI business opportunities backed by real federal contract awards, see how much small businesses are winning, and learn a four-step process for pursuing government contracts. You'll learn how to research awards on USAspending.gov, identify government buyers, find AI contract opportunities on SAM.gov, and recognize potential barriers such as contract vehicles and set-aside requirements. You'll also follow a real Sources Sought example to see how to respond with relevant capabilities and past performance, pursue meetings with government buyers, and compete before the RFP is released. Whether you're starting an AI business or growing an established company, these steps will help you identify opportunities worth pursuing.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––SAM.gov — https://sam.govUSAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.govGovClose — https://www.govclose.comSBIR.gov — https://www.sbir.govDefense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) — https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/loginCarahsoft — https://www.carahsoft.comDVIDS — https://www.dvidshub.netB-roll credit: Publicly available, public-domain footage sourced from DVIDS featuring military personnel and businesses supporting the military. Use of this footage does not imply U.S. government endorsement.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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.