Federal subcontracting opportunities on SBA's SubNet are one of the most underused tools in govcon, and most small businesses walk right past them. In this episode, Zack Golden breaks down a systematic, research-first approach to identifying large primes with subcontracting plans, getting in front of the right people, and positioning your business as the dependable boots-on-the-ground partner primes actually need.

What you'll learn in this episode:

How to use SBA's SubNet and the Directory of Federal Government Prime Contractors to identify large primes that are required by contract to subcontract to small businesses
Why deep research — including task order history, contracting officer contacts, and project manager outreach — separates vendors who get work from those who just get forwarded to a supplier portal
The exact line Eric borrowed from Ryan Atencio that consistently opens doors with large primes: "We answer the phone and we always give quotes"
How IDIQ and MAC vehicles in construction can become your leverage point to position your company as a regional subcontractor for primes operating outside their core geography
Why registering on a prime's supplier portal before your first meeting is non-negotiable and how skipping this step ends conversations before they start

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Mindy AI intro and Federal Help Center community welcome

0:53 - How to use SBA SubNet to find subcontracting opportunities

2:22 - Filtering SubNet by state, keyword, and industry type

2:52 - Directory of federal prime contractors with subcontracting plans explained

4:21 - Deep research strategy for targeting specific prime contractor projects

5:19 - How to reach project managers and what to say when you do

6:18 - How GE Hitachi became a real client through persistence and quotes

6:48 - Why large primes have mandatory small business subcontracting requirements

7:18 - Supplier portals and why registering before meetings is essential

8:44 - Using expiring contracts and NAICS codes to find targeted opportunities

10:12 - IDIQ and MAC vehicles as leverage for regional subcontracting in construction

12:34 - How to approach prime contractor project managers with subcontracting proposals

Mindy gives you the federal opportunities, agency signals, recompete intel, and pursuit briefs that tell you not just what contracts exist, but which ones to chase and how to win them.

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