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Building a GovCon Market Intelligence Toolkit with Brian Lindholm & Brittany Winkler
Building a GovCon Market Intelligence Toolkit with Brian Lindholm & Brittany Winkler
On September 17, GovDash hosted a webinar designed for contractors who want to compete with sharper intelligence. The session brought together two perspectives that matter most in federal contracting:
Brian Lindholm, Founder and Managing Principal of FedSavvy Strategies, has more than a decade of experience leading competitive reviews.
Brittany Winkler, Senior GTM Manager at GovDash, focused on making intelligence practical, repeatable, and integrated into BD workflows.
Together, they outlined how to stop chasing data and start building a toolkit that drives measurable capture results.
Why Market Intelligence in Government Contracting Matters
There is plenty of federal data available. The real challenge is figuring out which information to trust, where to focus your efforts, and how to use insights to help your business grow.
What should GovCon teams ask before choosing tools?
“Stop right there. The first question is not what tools I use but what I’m solving for.” – Brian Lindholm
The message was clear: intelligence is not about stockpiling spreadsheets. It is about sharpening decisions that win contracts. For many small businesses navigating SAM.gov registration or searching NAICS codes and PSC codes, the ability to filter and apply intelligence directly to capture strategy is a competitive advantage.
Building a Competitive Intelligence Process in GovCon
1. Intelligence is a Process in Government Contracting
Brian shared a cycle modeled after the intelligence community: model, collect, analyze, and produce.
How do you handle mistakes in market intelligence?
“You’re gonna be wrong sometimes…comfort with iteration is key to getting it right in the long run.” – Brian Lindholm
2. Use Research Tools That Deliver Value
Brittany highlighted the resources that consistently deliver value:
USAspending for spending flows and contractor performance
Forecast reports to flag emerging priorities, with the caveat that not all materialize
LinkedIn to uncover competitor hiring and positioning
Acquisition.gov to track procurement policies and regulations, such as the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and DFARS compliance requirements
What tools make research valuable in GovCon?
“I love dashboards, Tableau, and tools that make trends easy to spot at a glance.” – Brittany Winkler
3. Research Must Lead to Actionable Capture Strategy
Both speakers aligned on a central truth: insight without action is wasted.
Why isn’t data enough on its own in GovCon?
“You’re not just collecting data to look at pretty numbers or spreadsheets; it’s about making a game plan to move forward.” – Brittany Winkler
How should capture teams think about timing and trends?
“Borrowing from Wayne Gretzky: Don’t analyze where the puck is now, analyze where it’s going.” – Brian Lindholm
4. Avoid Common Pitfalls in Federal Market Intelligence
Brian pointed out common mistakes, such as favoring outcomes you want, starting research without a plan, and relying too much on templates.
What’s a common pitfall in federal market intelligence?
“Ignoring inconvenient facts creates what I call the island of wishful thinking.” – Brian Lindholm
5. Stay Flexible in Capture and BD Workflows
Changing budgets and agency priorities mean you need to stay flexible.
What mindset helps BD teams adapt to shifting budgets and priorities?
“A great takeaway for researchers is readiness to pivot and embrace the unknown, Semper Gumby, always flexible.” – Brian Lindholm
6. Read Federal Budgets for Contract Opportunities with Discipline
Prominent budget figures often mislead contractors about what is truly available for contracting.
Why can federal budget numbers be misleading for contractors?
“A trillion-dollar budget doesn’t equal contract reality. Much of that is consumed internally.” – Brian Lindholm
Expert Takeaway for GovCon Business Development Teams
Top GovCon teams don’t judge success by the amount of data they gather. Instead, they focus on how well they use intelligence to make smart moves.
Brian Lindholm shared his expertise in competitive analysis, while Brittany Winkler explained how to use tools in business development workflows. Together, they offered a practical guide for building a focused and flexible GovCon market intelligence toolkit.
What kind of answers do capture teams need to embrace, even if uncomfortable?
“Sometimes, the answer you don’t want to hear is exactly what you need to make informed decisions.” – Brian Lindholm
How GovDash Helps You Build a Winning Intelligence Toolkit
If you’re ready to stop chasing spreadsheets and start capturing smarter, GovDash can help.
Whether you're building out your toolkit or refining your capture strategy, GovDash makes it repeatable, actionable, and aligned with how top GovCon teams work.
Do you want to learn more about how GovDash can transform your business? Stay tuned for more webinars and resources from industry experts like Brian Lindholm. Book a demo today to see how GovDash can help your business win more contracts and advance missions.
