Government contracting can feel overwhelming, with complex regulations, countless tools, and uncertainty about where to begin. In this episode of Behind the Shield, host Felisha Daemer is joined by Jeff Bivens of InfusionPoints and Nick Bernardo, President of MyGovWatch.com, to explore how businesses can enter and succeed in the government marketplace without overcomplicating the process.
Nick shares how MyGovWatch bridges the gap between low-cost but ineffective lead tools and expensive enterprise platforms, helping organizations identify the right opportunities without unnecessary complexity. The conversation covers how contracting works across federal, state, and local levels, how to build sustainable pipelines, and why reverse engineering your business development strategy is key.
They also discuss the real value of AI in opportunity matching, how subcontracting opens doors for new entrants, and common myths that hold companies back. Whether contracts are your primary focus or a supplemental revenue stream, this episode offers practical guidance to help you pursue opportunities strategically and confidently.
Chapters:
[0:00] Introduction and Guest Introduction
[0:26] How We Met and Introduction to MyGovWatch
[1:42] The Goldilocks Analogy and Target Users
[3:42] Comparison with Competitors and Bid Notification
[6:08] Customer Success Story
[7:44] Advice for Contractors
[10:12] GovWatch Coverage and AI Utilization
[16:16] Government Contracting Lifecycle
[20:08] Subcontracting Opportunities
[25:11] Common Myths in Government Contracting
[28:54] Fun Questions and Closing Remarks
What You’ll Learn:
• How to identify the right government opportunities without expensive enterprise tools
• Why reverse engineering your BD strategy saves time and resources
• The difference between federal, state, and local contracting pipelines
• When subcontracting is a smarter entry point than prime contracting
• How AI and smart data curation improve opportunity matching
• Common government contracting myths and what is actually true
• Ways to build relationships and position your company before an RFP is released
• How open records requests can reveal teaming and subcontracting opportunities
• Practical advice for companies adding government work as a supplemental revenue stream
Book Recommendations:
The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. and William D. Danko, Ph.D.
The First 90 Days - Michael D. Watkins
The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World - Shannon Huffman Polson
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead - Sheryl Sandberg
Guest Links:
Nick Bernardo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickthegovconguy/
https://www.mygovwatch.com/
InfusionPoints Links:
Felisha Daemer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felisha-daemer/
Jeff Bivens: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffbivens/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/infusionpoints/
https://www.InfusionPoints.com
https://infusionpoints.com/contact-us
About Us:
InfusionPoints is a trusted cybersecurity, cloud engineering, and compliance partner helping organizations Build, Manage, and Defend secure, mission-ready environments in highly regulated markets.
We specialize in FedRAMP, FedRAMP 20x, DoD, and enterprise security frameworks, supporting organizations from initial authorization through continuous monitoring and optimization. Our team brings deep technical expertise and real-world operational insight to every engagement.
Through our independent, security-first approach, we integrate people, processes, and technology to deliver scalable, compliant, and resilient solutions. From strategy and architecture to operations and defense, we help customers move faster without sacrificing security.
