Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries worldwide, and government contracting is no exception. In a recent webinar, industry professional Greg James and GovDash CEO Sean Doherty came together to discuss adopting AI as a small government contractor. The session was packed with actionable insights, invaluable lessons, and key strategies for leveraging AI in a highly regulated, compliance-focused environment.

During the webinar, Greg James, Senior Business Operations Manager at Albers Aerospace, shared achievements from his AI-centered initiatives. In this clip, Greg explains how GovDash has worked for his team and saves weeks to get to a red-team-ready proposal:

Operating as a Small Business with AI

Greg opened the session by explaining his motivations for exploring AI:

"As a small business in GovCon, or, frankly, anywhere, you’re burdened with the fact that business has its peaks and valleys… we're running fast with scissors and hoping that we don’t fall."

His priority was clear: scale operations effectively, protect his team from burnout, and maintain a loyal, family-oriented business culture while keeping pace with competitors. This set the stage for the discussion on selecting the right AI platform.

Evaluating AI Platforms

One of the session’s key takeaways was the need for a deliberate evaluation process before selecting any AI platform. Greg James emphasized the value of comparing options firsthand, noting, “I would encourage everyone to do demos of multiple platforms to include GovDash.” He also stressed the critical role of IT compliance early in the selection process. “Ask for internal documents,” he advised. “What are your current certifications? What’s your current road map to be FedRAMP or NIST, or CMMC?... So those are the two main steps I would definitely not skip.”

This methodical approach helped his team identify a platform that met both operational needs and stringent compliance standards. Through these careful evaluations, Greg and his team narrowed their choice to GovDash, which stood out as a platform specifically tailored to the needs of the GovCon industry.

Why GovDash Was the Clear Winner

GovDash proved to be a perfect fit for Albers Aerospace’s needs because it demonstrated a deep understanding of compliance considerations specific to government contracting. Unlike other platforms that seemed AI-engineered but lacked practical knowledge of GovCon’s challenges, Greg felt GovDash was built by GovCon professionals collaborating with AI engineers.

"It felt like GovCon professionals built this with AI engineering support. That was the biggest thing that kinda got through the hurdle… the buy-in through the business units and through IT."

Key features that helped solidify this decision included:

Context-Based Bid Matching: "The Bid Match feature knows how to scrub sam.gov and pick those NAICS codes that actually apply to us. It’s not just keywords, it’s context-based."

Customization for Compliance: "It can’t see anything until you tell it to open it, and then you actually confirm, does this document contain CUI or classified information? That was a huge concern for us."

These features addressed major compliance concerns while streamlining their business development processes and making them faster and more efficient.

Strategies for Adoption and Managing Resistance

Rolling out any new technology comes with its hurdles, and AI adoption is no exception. According to Greg, resistance at the team level was minimal since most employees were excited to use AI tools that made their work easier. However, the IT team and C-suite expressed significant concerns driven by compliance and cybersecurity risks:

"The resistance was from the overall C-suite and our IT team… people were scared that somebody might make a mistake and then we would have to self-report on compliance issues."

To navigate this resistance, Greg implemented a phased rollout strategy. He chose a small core group of three employees to test GovDash before expanding its use across the organization. This rigorous testing phase led to early problems being resolved:

"We used the three core people in our group to kinda try to break it, and I think we succeeded a couple times in the initial early days… Now it’s kind of bulletproof. I haven’t been able to break it in a while."

AI-Enabled Workflow Automation

Greg highlighted the immediate and long-term benefits AI brought to his organization. Beyond reducing manual effort and boosting proposal success rates, the tools opened doors for workflow automation: "The big thing I’ve been playing with is using AI agents to automate workflow." He described how automation is already improving their processes, such as generating business intelligence reports for sales teams without requiring manual input:

"A request for a business intelligence report on a company he just met… creates automation through the AI agent, enabling that person to access a full report without including a single person in the process."

What sets GovDash apart is its role as a force multiplier. Rather than replacing employees, it enhances their efficiency and capacity. “We still want the personal touch,” he explained, “but AI helps us push forward faster without burning our team out.”

AI To-Do List

This webinar provided an invaluable framework for government contractors looking to adopt AI responsibly and effectively. When creating your AI to-do list as a government contractor, here are some Key takeaways:

1. Prioritize Evaluations: Conduct demos, request compliance certifications, and understand platform functionality before committing to any AI solution.

2. Focus on Compliance: In GovCon, platforms must address cybersecurity concerns and align with government business regulations.

3. Adopt Phased Rollouts: Testing tools with a small team first can help mitigate risks and ensure a smoother transition.

4. Leverage AI as a Force Multiplier: Use AI to scale operations while retaining the personal, human touch your team offers.

AI is rapidly changing the business landscape. With insights from leaders like Greg James, organizations can confidently leverage AI for success in the highly regulated and competitive world of GovCon.

Do you want to learn more about how GovDash can transform your business? Stay tuned for more webinars and resources from industry experts like Greg James. Book a demo today to see how GovDash can help your business win more contracts and advance missions.

—> Watch the full webinar on-demand