The GovCon Grove - Good Government supported by Great Companies - October 30, 2023

Looking for a good partner? Want to help your Government client succeed in cloud adoption? 

• Shifting Federal Cloud Procurement to Meet Today’s Needs 
• ICYMI: It’s Time to Elev8 GovCon – 2024 Edition! Recognizing those Government Contracting companies who are Doing It the Right Way 

Featured Posts on OS AI last week: 

• US Navy focused Women-owned Small Businesses drawing attention in 2023 
• FDA focused Women-owned Small Businesses drawing attention in 2023 
• The Move to Zero Trust and the Opportunity for Automation: A SME Weighs In 
• DHS USCIS focused Women-owned Small Businesses drawing attention in 2023 
• DOT focused Women-owned Small Businesses drawing attention in 2023 
• Senior Industry and Federal Leaders on the move – Week ending Oct 27, 2023 

Events to have on your Radar:  

• Registration Closing Soon: Veteran Small Business Advocate Awards Gala - This mid-November National Veteran Small Business Coalition (NVSBC) event will include Executive leadership from 19 federal agencies, 35 of the largest GovCon prime contractors, and many top Veteran-owned small businesses. Details here.   
• Elev8 and Engage GovCon Event - The inaugural Elev8 and Engage GovCon social event kicks off the holiday season, bringing together the top government partners and industry and government leaders. Did we mention the event is being held at the historic Guinness brewery in Halethorpe? Details and registration here. A portion of the sponsorship dollars and ticket sales generated from this event will be donated to LETS GO Boys and Girls. Sponsorships are available. Contact @shelley mcguire for details. 

Looking for other events we are following? Check them out here. 

Included below we continue to shine a light on the good stuff, highlighting a few weekly examples of leading GovCon firms and executives who are proving that they understand it is not just about winning, but about building a lasting corporate culture and giving back.     

Culture 

• Infotrend Inc hosted a "Sip & Mingle" session that included a lunch buffet blending the best of North American and South Asian flavors, and a trip to Butler's Orchard Pumpkin Festival where colleagues and their families navigated the corn maze, enjoyed hayrides, and created memories.  
• The ICA, Inc. Book Club recently met to discuss Atomic Habits by James Clear. The overall group consensus was that the book offers a practical, easy to read guide on how to change small behaviors to achieve remarkable results and lasting change in any aspect of your life. 
• We love that Red Team Consulting sees and appreciates its team and who they are outside of the office. This post represents seeing and knowing your team, acknowledging them outside of work with friends, family, and loved ones. 
• Sabre Systems offers regular wellness opportunities for its team including, fitness and hydration challenges, lunch and learns on mental health, stress relief and healthy eating, as well as classes such as yoga, strength training and more. The latest, a Healthy Sleep Habits Challenge, also offers participants the chance to win one of ten $100 gift cards. 
•   Pluribus Digital brought its team and their families together for Bowling, food and fun – and a little competitive spirit. 

Ingrained in culture and giving back 

What does a week of service look like? 

• Dev Technology Group, Inc. completed its week of service with activities that include: supporting N Street Village, sorting and organizing clothing from a recent donation drive and visiting Homestretch, Inc. to help throw a Fall Festival party for preschoolers! Details on these organizations and activities here. 
• They also supported the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund by participating in Grave Rubbings for Veterans, and they supported the Northern Virginia Science Center and the Children's Science Center's Science Night at Ravensworth Elementary. Details on these groups here. 
• And, they supported Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation with walking dogs and helping with the basic needs of the shelter to support the staff and the animals. 

Giving back 

• ITC Federal announced a new program, ITC Cares. A chance for ITC to give back time and resources to surrounding communities, to kick it off ITC teamed with Fairfax United Methodist Church and U.S. Hunger to pack meals for those in need. They had the opportunity to pack over 90,000 meals to distribute to families in our community and worldwide. 
• Colossal, LLC hosted its 4th annual #22FORYOU Day 2023 – completing 22 push-ups on the hour every hour to raise awareness and fight against Veteran suicide. The event ended the day with a dunk, and CEO Anthony Closson,USAF Veteran getting dropped into the tank! 
• eTelligent Group joined the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Reston, Virginia, alongside nearly 1,000 participants and over 150 teams. The participating organizations collaboratively raised nearly $250,000 for Alzheimer's research and support.  

Get involved  

• Sparksoft Corporation joined several organizations, chartering a plane to bring much needed items to children in Israel in the aftermath of the tragic terrorist attacks on Israel. In addition to donated physical items, they collected over $10,000 that has gone towards purchasing needed items as well as help cover shipping costs. More support will be going out and you can get involved.  

Most Viewed Comments 

"One unique strength of ASG that makes us stand out as an employer is our dedication to continuous learning and development for all employees. We embody a learner-focused approach, striving to meet each employee “where they are” in their individual career journeys." See the listing here: A Square Group 

OrangeSlices Tip of the Week   

This week’s tip comes from Dignari, LLC ’s Celia de la Torre who shared an article focused on culture-building as a collective responsibility throughout the organization through a model that incorporates input from employees, customers, middle managers, and the CEO, creating a more holistic approach to shaping and maintaining company culture. Check out this Harvard Business Review article titled Company Culture Is Everyone’s Responsibility by Denise Lee Yohn.

Are you signed up yet to receive the new daily OrangeSlices AI newsletter, the Fresh Squeezed Daily?  Did you know people whose companies have signed up for Premium Membership receive a more inclusive and customizable newsletter? More on that here.  

Just a few of the topics covered in today’s edition include:  8(a)s nab DHS GFS/DOL Data wins; PACTS III & USDA Data drafts out;100M HRSA BPA/116M DOS GSS Protest News; TSA/NARA Digital SMEs exit; NASA SEWP notes

The GovCon Grove is compiled and published by Heather Seftel-Kirk , OrangeSlices AI’s Exec VP and our own Corporate Culture Champion charged with making sure we don’t just talk the talk, but we walk the walk. Follow Heather and connect if you are a leader passionate about employee experience and #doingittherightway     

About OrangeSlices AI               

OrangeSlices AI. Playful Name. Serious about Democratizing Data and Disrupting the GovCon Competitive Intelligence Market.             

The core mission for OS AI is to identify, share and create timely, actionable and responsible information and data products, tools and resources that 1) are accessible to all organizations and their teams, small to large; 2) will assist Federal government and Industry IT and consulting leaders.