Go-to-market support
How to sell to the Department of Defense.
The Pentagon plans its budget two years ahead and buys through program offices most founders never meet. We help you find yours.
What we work on with you.
Find the buyer
- Market fit
- Decide if the federal market is right for you, and which mission, customer, and budget line to go after first.
- Program offices
- Find the program offices that hold the keys to scale, and learn how to talk to them before there is a contract on the table.
- Unfunded requirements
- Get your capability onto a service's unfunded requirements list so Congress can add money for it.
Get on contract
- Contract paths
- Pick between SBIR and STTR, Other Transactions, Commercial Solutions Openings, and direct awards, and know when not to bid.
- IP and data rights
- Protect your data rights while you get on contract fast. Know what Government-Purpose Rights mean before you sign.
- Testing and certification
- Map the test, evaluation, ATO, and compliance steps that stand between a pilot and a production contract.
Win the room
- Messaging
- Say what you do in the words a program manager, a contracting officer, and a congressional staffer each use.
- Events strategy
- Pick the shows and conferences worth your money, and walk out with meetings instead of badge scans.
Who this is for.
- Startups with a pilot contract and no clear path to production.
- Commercial companies with a product the military already needs.
- Founders deciding whether defense is worth the time at all.
“End-user support, while necessary, is insufficient to winning production contracts with the government.”
From our survey of 859 companies on doing business with the U.S. government.
Questions we get asked
How long does it take to sell to the Department of Defense?
A first pilot contract can come in months. A production contract usually takes years, because the money must be planned in the budget cycle about two years ahead. A good go-to-market plan works both timelines at once.
What is the difference between SBIR, OTA, and CSO contracts?
SBIR and STTR are small business R&D programs with set phases. An Other Transaction (OTA) is a flexible agreement for prototypes that can lead to follow-on production without a new competition. A Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) is a fast way for the government to buy commercial products and services. The right choice depends on your product, your stage, and your customer.
What is an unfunded requirement (UFR)?
An unfunded requirement is a need that a military service or command has, but that the budget request does not pay for. Services send UFR lists to Congress each year. A capability that is on a UFR list can get money added in appropriations.
Why do I need to talk to a program office?
End users can tell you they want your product, but program offices hold the budget and the authority to buy at scale. In our survey of 859 companies, 43% said a program officer was the most helpful introduction, compared with 27% who said end users.
Bring us your pilot. We will help you plan production.
Tell us who uses your product today and which contract you are on.