Not Sure if SLED Is the Right Move for You? Read This First.
Federal contracting is in a weird spot right now.
You’re seeing RFPs pulled at the last minute, indefinite delays, budget reshuffling, and long sales cycles getting even longer. And if your entire BD strategy is built on “wait it out and hope things pick up,” that’s not a strategy. That’s denial.
It’s time to talk about SLED.
State, Local, and Education markets aren’t new – but they’re being rediscovered by smart federal contractors who are tired of waiting on the chaos in D.C. to calm down. And unlike fed, a lot of SLED agencies are still buying.
But let’s be honest: SLED isn’t for everyone.
If you’re used to long-term IDIQs, centralized buying offices, and a defined rulebook… SLED might look a little disjointed. But that’s also the opportunity – because your competitors are too distracted to pay attention.
Why SLED Is Worth a Second Look
You’re not starting over. You’re repurposing what you’ve already built – experience, infrastructure, systems – to reach a broader market that desperately needs reliable partners.
Here’s why SLED should be on your radar:
- 🧭 Less Red Tape, Faster Wins: No three-year capture timeline. No 80-page compliance matrix. Many SLED opportunities move faster and require fewer hoops.
- 📈 Diversification = Stability: Adding a SLED revenue stream can keep your team billable when federal pipelines stall.
- 🎯 Your Fed Past Performance Still Counts: State buyers love seeing that you’ve delivered for DHS, DoD, HHS, etc. You just need to translate it.
How to Know if You’re SLED-Ready: A Quick Checklist
Use this to assess if pivoting to SLED makes sense – and if you’re ready to move.
✅ We have past performance that aligns with public-sector priorities (e.g. IT modernization, cybersecurity, infrastructure, education, justice, public health)
✅ We can adapt our proposal strategy to more nimble, less structured RFPs
✅ We can identify states/agencies where we already have relationships or local presence
✅ We’re willing to adjust pricing models or contract structures
✅ We have the internal capacity to build a new pursuit plan – or are willing to get help
If you checked at least 3 boxes: You’re more ready than you think.
If you checked fewer: That doesn’t mean stop. It means you need a focused go-to-market strategy – and that’s what we help with.
What This Doesn’t Mean
❌ Responding to random open bids on state portals.
❌ Chasing low-dollar projects to “test it out.”
❌ Wasting time with a shotgun strategy that spreads your BD team thin.
We’re not talking about hustle for hustle’s sake. We’re talking about using what you already know – how to win government work – and channeling it toward the right SLED agencies, in the right way, with the right message.
Bottom Line: Fed-only isn’t a Flex Anymore.
If you want to future-proof your pipeline, SLED needs to be in the conversation.
We’ve helped dozens of federal contractors assess their SLED potential, build a pursuit plan, and start landing real opportunities – without blowing up their federal strategy in the process.
Want to talk through what that looks like for your business?
Let’s map it out.
Krystn Macomber
CP APMP Fellow, LEED
There’s magic in disrupting the ordinary. This is the philosophy Krystn brings to working with and empowering her clients. With a 20-year track record of helping global professional services enterprises, Krystn is redefining what’s possible for companies looking to elevate their marketing, pursuit, and business development operations. She is an industry leader, award winner, mentor, coach, and highly sought-after speaker.
Government contracting doesn’t always feel or seem straightforward when you’re looking in from the outside. Even once you get past all the acronyms for different agencies, just trying to understand different contract types and their acronyms can be a lot. We get it. The good news is that once you understand the different contract vehicles the federal government uses, it gets a lot clearer AND you might even get excited when you see a specific type of contract vehicle pop up on an opportunity you’re interested in.
Every growth-minded company hits this moment eventually: You’re bidding more. You’re working harder. Your team is “busy”. But the wins? They’re not keeping pace. If anything, it’s getting harder to tell which opportunities are worth chasing — and even when you do bid, the process feels clunky, rushed, and exhausting.The problem usually isn’t effort. It’s the system.
We’ve always had a clear purpose: to provide integrated marketing + proposal consulting services that empower our clients to stand out and grow strategically and sustainably.
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