The first quarter of the fiscal year may not be the busiest in terms of federal sales, but here are three areas contractors can focus on right now.

1.  Department of Defense:  Money allotted for research and readiness in the original Defense Authorization Act is being trimmed to meet objections raised by the President. Smart contractors may want to help service branch chiefs in managing their new reality by proposing studies that result in actionable advice on how to get the most out of money that is available.  DOD leaders want both readiness and research.  How can you help?

2.  Department of Veterans Affairs:  This agency needs help with benefits delivery, small business use, and has a new CIO who wants to move out quickly in several key areas.  While opportunities at the VA come with high public profiles, the agency is a target rich environment for contractors.

3.  General Services Administration:  Looking for new contract channels to reach your customers? Already on the street is GSA’s massive EIS contract for telecom services.  Next up are new contracts for cyber and cloud.  Also on deck is the Alliant II RFP for IT solutions.  You can’t reach your customers if you don’t have reliable vehicles with popular features.  Having the right options helps your business today and tomorrow.