Jane Edwards
The 2021 Gauge Report released by Unanet and CohnReznick has highlighted increased competition, cybersecurity, hybrid work and supply chain disruptions as some of the challenges facing government contractors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unanet and CohnReznick said Thursday they polled more than 1,400 GovCon representatives between January and May and found that respondents indicated that increased competition is their top concern.
According to the fifth annual Gauge Report, more than 70 percent of respondents cited several challenges to coming up with winning bids and those include issues with clarifying the scope of proposals, enhancing communications among contracting officers and preparers and streamlining bid management to meet deadlines.
The report noted that GovCon firms prepare an average of 62 bids per year.
The study found that 30 percent of GovCon executives reported that they are encountering difficulties in complying with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program and 70 percent of respondents said they plan to reach CMMC Level 3 compliance.
“Among the biggest insights from the Gauge Report are how the pandemic’s fall-out has shifted the marketplace,” said Kim Koster, vice president of GovCon strategy for Unanet and GovCon Expert. “In 2020, the political environment, budgets and talent recruitment ruled, but this year competition was the number one issue causing sleepless nights for executives and managers. Compliance costs also ranked high among GovCon concerns.”
ExecutiveBiz will host a virtual event about securing the supply chain on Oct. 26. Visit ExecutiveBiz.com to sign up for the “Supply Chain Cybersecurity: Revelations and Innovations” event.
