WT 360: The market from all angles

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Amentum in the implementation phase of its strategy Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

Amentum as the market knows it today launched in early 2022 and has since been at work making and rolling out its strategy with the help of two large acquisitions.

How and where the global government services company has focused itself is the subject of this episode, where Amentum CEO John Heller explains to our Ross Wilkers what they are up to now.

This includes the identification and pursuit of opportunities in adjacent markets to extend beyond Amentum's core. Heller shares examples of those and how fast many of them are changing, including the energy market that Amentum views as part of national security.

Macrotrends and discussion starters poised to shape 2023 Jan 18, 2023

Show notes

What business and technology macrotrends are going to dominate the agendas of companies in the government market for 2023?

This episode is all about answering that question in the form of a discussion featuring our Ross Wilkers and Stephanie Smith, government contracting industry senior analyst and valuation services director at the global professional services firm RSM.

Analysts and reporters have similar jobs: take in information, find the larger narrative and context, then present their findings to the respective audiences.

Smith does that at RSM to help its government contractor clients make informed decisions on strategies. Consider this conversation between Smith and Wilkers as an exchange of notes on what they have heard across the industry regarding what is important and gaining in prominence.

Jack London's success driven by curiosity, integrity and entrepreneurship Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

As the long-time executive chairman and CEO of CACI International, Jack London became a legend in the government market for his leadership and vision.

He finished his new book "Ever Vigilant" before he died in January 2021. Two years later, the book has been published.

His wife Jennifer put finishing touches on the manuscript. This episode features Editor Nick Wakeman's conversation with Jennifer about the meaning and lessons lessons from Jack's life and career when it comes to curiosity, persistence, vision and entrepreneurship.

"Ever Vigilant" is a business book, but is also a personal memoir featuring stories about Jack's childhood and family. He also explains some decisions he had to make during his career.

All about ICF's physical and strategic moves Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

ICF sees its move to a new corporate headquarters in Reston, Virginia after nearly three decades at its former hub in Fairfax as helping tell the larger story of the company's evolution.

Chairman and CEO John Wasson has a unique vantage point given his career at ICF coincides with its time at the Fairfax headquarters campus.

That relocation is the launchpad for our Ross Wilkers' interview with Wasson in this episode of WT 360, which also goes over how ICF has added technology implementation to its offerings on top of the company's longstanding work in an advisory role at federal agencies.

The overall direction of federal technology and infrastructure spending was also a focal point of this discussion.

The Info Session picks up where 2022 ended and starts on 2023 Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

Episode number one for 2023 means the covers are off regarding a new name for our podcast, but with the same kinds of conversations as they have always been.

What is now WT 360 remains all about the business of government contracting and all about the technologies involved in it, from the perspectives of leaders across the public sector ecosystem and others who observe the happenings.

This premiere episode also introduces a new regular feature called the Info Session that brings together our reporters and others across our GovExec partner publications Defense One, FCW, Government Executive and Nextgov.

WT's own Nick Wakeman and Ross Wilkers, Frank Konkel of Nextgov and Carten Cordell of FCW go over the storylines they are watching in 2023 and reflect on the Defense Department (finally) awarding its big-ticket commercial cloud contract back in December.

For more on the mission of WT 360, click here to read Nick's article that introduces the new name and the kinds of conversations we look to steer through our podcast.

(NOTE: When we recorded this episode, no one had received enough votes to be the next Speaker of the House. Who knows when anyone will get the votes, we sure don't.)

A review of GovCon's 2022 and preview of its 2023 Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

Few observers in the federal market have the vantage point that David Berteau has in his role as CEO of the Professional Services Council, one of the main trade associations representing government contractors. He hears about the experiences of contractors of all sizes.

Berteau joins this episode of Project 38 to wrap up 2022 that was for GovCon and look ahead to what 2023 is shaping up to be for the industry.

Inflation, cyber and supply chain priorities, COVID vaccine mandates, and the connection between contracting and policy goals made the conversation led by our Ross Wilkers and Courtney Bublé of WT's sibling publication, Government Executive. Bublé is a staff correspondent who covers government management, which includes procurement matters.

NOTE: We just so happened to have recorded this episode on the very morning that lawmakers released the text for an omnibus bill to fund federal agencies More homework for everyone involved in this discussion, it seems.

Today's data challenge is tomorrow's opportunity Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

Data is a huge challenge for government customers. It is also a missed opportunity.

This episode of our podcast has Editor Nick Wakeman talk with Dominic Delmolino, vice president of field technology and engineering for Amazon Web Services' public sector business, about advances in cloud computing technology.

Delmolino explains how those advances can enable agencies to get better use out of the massive amounts of information they generate each day.

Inside the tech and business scouting strategy of Razor's Edge Ventures Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

The government and commercial technology ecosystem is full of venture capital investors searching for companies with promising futures and to help them grow.

In this episode, our Ross Wilkers speaks with two leaders at one of the market's most active venture investment firms that has been busy in putting its third fund at $340 million in capital to work after completing the raise in the fall.

Mark Spoto and Matt Robinson, respectively a managing partner and vice president, explain the Razor's Edge investment thesis and the kinds of companies they look for when determining who they should back.

Financial criteria is a significant component of their strategy, but so is the U.S. national defense strategy that was unveiled in the fall. Spoto and Robinson also detail how Razor's Edge uses that document to inform the firm's own strategy and decision-making on what to do with the capital.

ManTech's new CEO shares his vision and keys for growth Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

Much has changed at ManTech over recent months, namely a new owner and new chief executive. The company is now privately-held after 20 years as a public company.

But there is also stability with the transition to new CEO Matt Tait, formerly its chief operating officer. Tait shares his priorities with editor Nick Wakeman in this episode along with the marching orders he has from The Carlyle Group, the private equity group that acquired ManTech.

Put simply, Carlyle wants ManTech to be ManTech. That means focusing on the national security missions of its customers and delivering innovation. In turn, Tait’s focus is on the company’s people and differentiation from competitors.

He sees plenty of opportunities ahead for the company, both organically and with acquisitions.

Are you ready to leave your comfort zone? Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

Walter Barnes III, founder of PM Consulting, shares his small business journey with Editor Nick Wakeman in this episode and offers advice on overcoming the hurdles and challenges he’s faced in the federal market.

Many small businesses share the same challenges in achieving growth and success. Barnes shares his experiences and why he made some of the choices he made, including recently teaming with private equity firm Enlightenment Capital to fuel his company's next stage of growth.

All companies have to eventually decide if they want to race with stronger and faster runners, or stay in their comfort zone. Barnes has definitely chosen the former. He also knows big decisions lie ahead -- strategic hires, acquisitions and winning bigger contracts.

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