By Chris Crowder, executive vice president, GovCon, Unanet
For government contractors, the federal busy season isn’t just a sprint. It’s a marathon that tests your team’s agility, discipline and readiness. With contracts flying out the door in Q3 and Q4, success depends not just on hard work, but on working smart.
Here’s how to get ahead, stay focused and build a pipeline that converts.
See the Whole Pipeline Before the RFP Drops
A well-maintained pipeline isn’t a static spreadsheet. It’s a living, evolving road map. Don’t wait for solicitations to appear on SAM.gov. Find your teaming partners now. Finalize those teaming agreements. Start shaping your solutions and share them across teams early.
Pricing frameworks should be in motion before the final request for proposals lands. Even a simple plan outlining cost assumptions and labor categories can save critical hours later. Build a proposal calendar that includes contingency scenarios. What happens if turnaround times are tighter than expected?
Keep your pipeline up to date with a regular cadence. Make the updates part of your culture, not just a task for meetings. Leadership should have immediate visibility into opportunity status via a dashboard, not rely on chasing down updates.
Solutions like Unanet CRM, designed specifically for GovCon, help unify opportunity tracking, partner engagement and customer relationship management in one place.
“Government contractors need more than just contact management,” says Josh Cramer, vice president of customer experience at Unanet. “They need full visibility into opportunities, teaming structures, and capture activities. That’s why using a purpose-built CRM is non-negotiable.”
Know Your Capacity & Stay Flexible
Surprise requests for information are the canary in the coal mine. When you see them, expect RFPs to follow quickly. Be ready to respond, but disciplined enough to say no when you must. That means having a go/no-go framework everyone understands and trusts.
Your subject matter experts may already be billable on customer work. What hours do they truly have available? How can you help them start from a strong outline instead of a blank page?
And let’s be honest: asking your team to work weekends for three months isn’t sustainable. Set expectations early about who will support which proposals and when. Unexpected opportunities will surface. Map your criteria for quick assessments. Identify who’s comfortable pivoting to these last-minute bids.
“Unanet ProposalAI helps teams jumpstart responses using proven language from past submissions,” says Cramer. “It gives you a head start when time is short and quality still matters.”
Deliver Speed Without Compromising Quality
Everyone knows the saying: you can have something fast, cheap, or high-quality…but you only get to pick two. In the federal busy season, quality and speed are non-negotiable. You can’t afford to be slow, and you certainly can’t afford to submit something that misses the mark. This is your brand on the line with every proposal. Non-compliant proposals aren’t just a waste of time. They hurt your reputation and morale.
Your review cycles can’t be skipped, even under pressure. Make sure the right people are lined up and empowered to review at each step. And your tech stack should be locked down now. Implementing new tools in August is too late. Get your team trained and comfortable today.
Missed opportunities will sting most in hindsight. You don’t want to reach October and realize you had a real shot, but didn’t pursue it because the team wasn’t ready.
Unanet ProposalAI supports rapid, quality-driven response creation. The speed is a bonus. The consistency and compliance it brings to every submission is what truly sets teams apart.
Keep Everyone Aligned & Engaged
Busy season isn’t just about proposal managers. Pricing, talent acquisition, finance and technical teams all play a role. Know when to bring them in and what you need from them.
Finance often supports pricing. Give them time to do it right by integrating early. Technical teams may help with solutioning or reviewing demos. Be specific in your asks and realistic in your timelines.
Start a shared out-of-office calendar. Know your roster like a coach knows their players: who’s your first string, your backups and who can jump in if needed.
Above all, communicate often and with empathy. This is hard work. A little humanity goes a long way in keeping teams motivated and focused.
Get Ahead. Stay Ahead.
The federal busy season will test your systems, your strategy, and your stamina. But with proactive planning, GovCon-specific tools and a well-prepared team, it doesn’t have to feel confusing.
Use this time not just to win contracts, but to refine how your team operates under pressure. With the right foundation, you won’t just survive the season. You’ll thrive in it.
