How To Low-Bid

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. That's how one government contractor is approaching Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable contract awards. And its revenue will still increase.

BRTRC CEO Terri Thomas says the Vienna, Va., company, which graduated from the 8(a) program in ’99, is bidding on higher volumes of RFPs and targeting a broader base of customers so that it can maintain its growth despite the government’s need to trim costs. The 300-person company is also competing for full and open contracts against bigger players as it out-grows the small business category. The nearly 30-year-old company has traditionally supported DOD and Army but has recently expanded to Navy, DHS, and Justice. (All options are on the table. Even you, Merchant Marine.)

Terri, who’s been CEO since ’06, says several employees are in theater and some received this flag, which flew over one of the bases in Baghdad where they worked in ’10. Some of BRTRC’s recent wins include two Army projects: The company is providing acquisition and workforce analysis at Ft. Belvoir; the other is providing acquisition logistics and tech support for an assistant secretary of the Army. The company’s growth strategy also includes pursuing more prime IDIQs, particularly in DHS and Air Force. It’s won spots on DHS Eagle II and Air Force PASS II. 

Terri is a Northern Virginia native, whose Dad was in the Navy and whose family embraced technology early on. She says the best lesson she’s learned is to be technically strong and be confident in what you know how to do. When she first got the CEO job, she had two small kids but she pushed for the entire company--men and women--to embrace learning on the job and growing into more senior roles. Of the four business owners, two are women. The company also embraces giving back to the community and works closely with West Lawn Elementary School providing supplies. Terri is looking at years worth of holiday cards that the students helped design for the company’s annual greeting card.