Are relationships actually more important than the proposal in govcon?
Been seeing this come up a lot lately on here and in a few govcon Discords, so I’m curious where people actually stand on it.
There’s this ongoing debate.
Do contracts get won based on the proposal or based on relationships before the RFP even drops?
From what I’m reading and hearing, a lot of experienced contractors are saying the same thing. If you’re only engaging at the RFP stage, you’re already late.
Not saying the proposal doesn’t matter. It obviously does. But it sounds like by the time something hits SAM, a lot of the groundwork is already done.
Agencies already have an idea of who they trust
Incumbents usually have the inside track
Some teams have already been talking to the CO or program office
The scope can reflect prior conversations
Which makes it feel less like a blank slate and more like you’re stepping into something that’s already shaped.
On the other side, I’ve seen people argue that a strong technical and pricing proposal can still win if it’s clearly better.
So I’m trying to understand where the real balance is.
For people actually winning right now
Are you putting more effort into pre RFP positioning
How are you getting in front of agencies early
Or do you feel like the proposal itself is still the main driver