GovCon Builders Brief

The construction industry is facing a crisis. More and more workers are entering retirement age, and few people are stepping up to take their place. The younger generations were raised in a digital era that promoted university and technology-based fields rather than the trades. Now, we’re seeing a labor gap in the construction industry.
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How to Protect Your Time Without Becoming a Jerk

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:02:17 GMT

Michael LeJeune, LinkedIn newsletter article

From the article:

One of my coaches asked me the other day if I had five minutes to talk about something. We were already at the end of a meeting. I had another call coming up. My brain was in transition mode, trying to wrap up one conversation and prepare for the next. My gut reaction was no, because I knew ex…

Why Character, Not Capital, Is the Real Currency in Construction Bonding

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:50:53 GMT

From the article:

Bonding capacity remains one of the most misunderstood growth constraints in construction. Contractors often assume that securing a surety bond is primarily a financial exercise; hit the right ratios, submit the right documents, and approval follows. But according to Gary Eastman, President of Swiftbonds and Axcess Surety, that assumpti…

Why Mission Critical Safety is Different

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:11:08 GMT

From the article:

In the safety profession, titles often look the same on paper. Safety Manager. EHS Manager. HSE Lead. But anyone who has stepped into a mission critical environment understands quickly that not all safety roles operate under the same conditions. Mission critical safety is not simply construction safety with tighter rules or more paperwork. It is an entirely different operating environment, one that reshapes how safety professionals think, lead, and make decisions.
Traditional HSE environments focus heavily on compliance, program management, and hazard control. These fundamentals matter and they always will. A strong Safety Manager ensures policies are followed, training is completed, hazards are mitigated, and workers go home safe. The system works through structure and consistency. Most projects allow time to plan, adjust, and correct course when challenges arise.
Mission critical work removes that margin. [emphasis added]

Click here to continue reading the article by Jarrod Tomassi, Mission Critical HSE Expert, at his LinkedIn newsletter Safety Evolution Media.

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The Lifecycle Blind Spot

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:51:57 GMT

eConverge, LinkedIn Post

From the article:

The construction industry operates in defined phases. Projects move from planning to design, procurement to construction, and finally to closeout. Each stage has contractual milestones, budget checkpoints, and measurable deliverables. When substantial completion is achieved, the project is declared finished.
For facility teams, that milestone represents the starting line.
Facilities are managed across decades, rather than in phases. The individuals responsible for maintaining public buildings inherit every system selection, material choice, and cost decision long after the project team has transitioned to the next assignment. While project teams often measure success by adherence to schedule and construction budget, facilities leaders measure success by durability, performance stability, and total cost of ownership.

Click here to continue reading the article by eConverge.

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Why Picking the Right and Competent Key Personnel Matters on Government Projects

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:40:30 GMT

From the article:

On government construction projects, success is rarely about just the plans and specs. More often, it comes down to personnel. Specifically, the people placed in key roles at the very beginning of the job.
Positions like the Quality Control Manager (QCM), Site Safety and Health Officer (SSHO), and Superintendent (SUP) are not ceremonial …

US Army Opens Registration for Sixth Annual Virtual Industry Engagement Event

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:11:36 GMT

US Army, Article Announcing Open Registration

From the article:

The Advance Planning Briefing for Industry, known as APBI, provides industry partners with early insight into the MICC’s mission, organization and projected acquisition requirements in support of Army Warfighters. The five-day event is designed to improve transparency, encourage competition and strengthen communication between the Army and industry during the acquisition planning cycle.
Brig. Gen. Freddy Adams, commanding general of the MICC, is among several distinguished speakers scheduled to participate in the 2026 APBI. Senior leaders and subject matter experts from across the Army contracting enterprise will outline upcoming requirements and discuss how industry may best support Army readiness.

For more information on the event and registration information, click here to read the article by Tish Williamson, Mission and Installation Command Public Affairs.

Click here to go straight to the registration page, or visit the SAM.gov MICC APBI announcement.

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Navy Continues Effort to Move Sailors Off Ships and Into Shore-based Housing

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:57:46 GMT

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Jan 29, 2026) - Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Indiana (SSN 789) returns to its homeport at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following a scheduled underway, Jan. 29, 2026. Indiana is assigned to Submarine Squadron 7 and is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations forces support, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas Russell) - The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.

From the article:

The Navy has moved nearly half of its sailors who had been living aboard ships year-round into shore-based housing as part of the service’s broader effort to improve quality of life for junior enlisted service members.
The service’s “No Sailor Lives Afloat” initiative aims to end the long-standing practice of requiring many junior sailors to live aboard ships even when they are back in port. A lack of barracks space — and the law restricting the Navy’s ability to provide basic allowance for housing to junior sailors to live off base — often forces them to continue living on the ship after they come home from extended deployments.

Click here to continue reading the article by Anastasia Obis, writing at Federal News Network, for more information.

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Weekly Update - Supplemental - Friday, February 27, 2026

Brandon Bartlett — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:05:14 GMT

In this week’s Update Supplemental:

News | BD/Marketing | Preconstruction | Operations | Legal

Professional Development | Opinion | Resources

News

From Previous Updates…

BD/Marketing

From Previous Updates…

Preconstruction

From Previous Updates…

Operations

From Previous Updates…

Legal

From Previous Updates…

Professional Development

From Previous Updates…

Opinion

From Previous Updates…

An Open Letter to Secretary Hegseth on his 8(a) “Sledgehammer”

Resources

From Previous Updates…

The Fatal Flaw When Hiring a Business Developer

Brandon Bartlett — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 03:24:03 GMT

From the article:

Contractors often hesitate to hire a business development resource, and I understand why: It’s a true overhead seat. It doesn’t pour concrete, set pipe, or run projects. When margins are already feel thin, it’s hard to justify adding more overhead into the equation—especially in a role where it can be difficult to measure the true ROI.
S…

Florida APEX Accelerator Announces Florida Panhandle Subcontracting Connections Event

Brandon Bartlett — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:23:00 GMT

Florida APEX Accelerator, Event Website Banner, cropped for formatting

From the event website:

Unlock Your Next Major Project
Are you a subcontractor looking to scale your business and navigate the complexities of government contracting? Join the Florida APEX Accelerator at UWF for a game-changing opportunity to bridge the gap between your aspirations and your next big contract.
The Florida Panhandle Subcontracting Connections event is specifically designed to bypass traditional barriers and give local subcontractors direct access to the decision-makers who drive the region’s economy. Whether you specialize in construction, professional services, or technical support, this event is your gateway to the Florida Panhandle’s most lucrative procurement opportunities.

Click here to learn more about attendance, the Event Agenda, and Registration.

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Provide Your Crew With Meaningful Performance Data

Brandon Bartlett — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:55:41 GMT

From the article:

No, this is not another shameless reflection on a certain National Championship basketball team. However, if you are a fan, feel free to insert those superstars in this scenario. Consider two major teams in basketball are playing a back-and-forth game. Scoring in this game will quickly escalate to triple digits for both teams. However, …

Weekly Update - Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:54:11 GMT

In this week’s Update:

News

From Previous Updates…

BD/Marketing

From Previous Updates…

Preconstruction

From Previous Updates…

Operations

From Previous Updates…

Legal

From Previous Updates…

Professional Development

From Previous Updates…

Opinion

From Previous Updates…

An Open Letter to Secretary Hegseth on his 8(a) “Sledgehammer”

Resources

From Previous Updates…

Space Force Needs to Double in Size

Brandon Bartlett — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:51:14 GMT

A Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-87 mission successfully launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Feb. 12, 2026. The USSF-87 mission delivers advanced national security payloads to orbit, enhancing space domain awareness and strengthening the resiliency of space-based capabilities critical to joint war fighting operations. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Becker) - The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.

From the article:

Space Force officials warn that the service’s current force is too small to meet growing national security demands.
Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that while “achieving a force of just over 10,000 uniformed guardians in 2025 was a landmark milestone, it is insufficient for the missions we have been assigned.”
“To confront the threats of today and tomorrow, doubling the size of the United States Space Force is a national security necessity,” Bentivegna told lawmakers on Feb. 12 during a congressional hearing on service member and family quality of life.

Click here to read more from the article by Anastasia Obis at Federal News Network.

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The Rise of the GovCon "Expert"

Brandon Bartlett — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:43:05 GMT

From the article:

LinkedIn used to be a professional space, a place where your network reflected your credibility, where your experience mattered, and where people came to learn from those who had actually done the work.
But lately, something has shifted.
The platform is being flooded with self‑proclaimed GovCon experts, and the claims are getting more absurd by the day.

Tammy Hester, Senior Executive Vice President of Operations at ACI Health, Inc., speaks about a recent rise in GovCon “experts” marketing their wares but who actually have little to no proven experience in the government contracting world. She also offers advice on how to vet potential consultants or subject matter experts before your company engages them on critical projects.

Click here to read more.

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Making Sense of Financial Ratios: The Metrics that Matter

Brandon Bartlett — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:08:59 GMT

From the article:

The concept of financial management can seem overly complicated with hundreds of different ratios that can be evaluated and tracked. Ratios can focus on people and culture, project level production, company liquidity, brand, billings, overhead effectiveness — literally every aspect of the business has its own key ratios and measurements…

Congress Orders DoD Past Performance Changes

Brandon Bartlett — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:52:32 GMT

Congress has ordered changes to the way the Pentagon accepts and uses past performance. Steven Koprince, The FedLift Launchpad article

From the article:

With the goal of increasing competition for Department of Defense contracts and expanding the DoD industrial base, Congress is directing that the DoD adopt three specific changes to how it uses past perf…

Advancing Preconstruction 2026

Brandon Bartlett — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:29:24 GMT

Advancing Construction, Advancing Preconstruction 2026 event guide page

Join more than 1000 Preconstruction leaders and more than 80 speakers across 6 educational tracks, attend workshops and earn ASPE PDUs, May 5-7, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona.

From the event guide:

High-value markets are thriving, but growing volatility is testing preconstruction teams with rising project complexity, economic uncertainty, and talent shortages exposing legacy processes and increasing risk. Firms must therefore innovate, build stronger teams, and accelerate digitization to stay agile, win work, and drive growth!
That’s why 1000+ Preconstruction leaders from Contractors, Clients and Designers across North America are attending Advancing Preconstruction 2026 to discover how preconstruction teams across all scales are innovating their strategies to drive efficiency, quality and cost certainty at every stage of the preconstruction value chain. From setting the foundations of estimating best practice, to innovation through AI, to more effective design phase collaboration and preconstruction management, discover how industry leaders are evolving their departments and processes to deliver world-class preconstruction services faster, more efficiently and with greater accuracy to win work and drive profitability.

Click here to learn more, download the event guide, and register.

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