Winning in a New Federal Landscape: Capture, Proposals, and Source Selection - 4 PDH

Tuesday, November 3, 2026
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
Charlotte Convention Center | Room TBD

$149 for SAME Members / $199 for Non-Members

Register for SBC 2026

*Already registered for SBC? Contact registration@same.org to add this Workshop to your existing registration.*

Federal contracting has shifted under the RFO, new policy, and the arrival of AI, and it is easy to feel like the ground moved while you were mid-proposal. This workshop cuts through the noise. A former government contracting and source selection authority joins proposal and capture experts who have kept winning through every one of these changes, and together they separate what actually changed from what still wins the way it always has. You will look behind the curtain at how evaluators think and score, learn how to position earlier and more deliberately as opportunities move to new formats and vehicles, and sharpen the fundamentals that decide most awards. AI has a seat at the table without taking over the room.

Over four hours we follow a federal pursuit from first contact through award, updated for how the government buys today. We open with early positioning, including how to shape the conversation before a solicitation exists and how to respond when an RFI or down-select is the gate to the proposal. We move into building the proposal, where the durable skills still carry the day: reading the solicitation so every requirement ties to its evaluation, making defensible go/no-go and compliance decisions, and turning subject matter expertise into evaluator-focused narrative that earns the rating you want. Throughout, we bring the government's perspective to the table and give AI an honest treatment, showing where it strengthens your work and where it quietly adds risk. Expect real examples, candid discussion, and room for your questions.

Who Should Attend?

SMALL BUSINESS LEADERS responsible for:

• Federal Business Development
• Opportunity/Pipeline/Capture Planning
• Proposals and Marketing

Why Should You Attend?

• You have written proposals for a while and want to win more of them. 
• You feel behind on everything that has changed and want to know what matters and what is just noise. 
• You want to position before the solicitation drops instead of scrambling after. 
• You want the government's honest read on what earns a top rating. 
• You want tools you can use on your next bid, not theory.

Learning Objectives

• Identify key shifts in federal procurement and distinguish them from the proposal fundamentals that continue to drive successful awards.
• Apply early positioning strategies to shape opportunities before solicitation release, including RFIs, down-selects, and emerging acquisition formats.
• Align proposal content with evaluation criteria to improve compliance, responsiveness, and scoring potential.
• Assess appropriate uses of AI in capture and proposal development while recognizing risks related to accuracy, compliance, and strategy.

Presenters

Michele Atkinson, CF APMP
Founder and Managing Partner, Cavalry Consulting

Michele Atkinson knows how to win. As the founder of Cavalry Consulting, she’s helped clients secure more than $50 billion in federal contracts. She’s built her reputation on straight-talking proposal strategies that deliver results. With a background spanning more than a thousand competitive proposals across construction, architecture, engineering, defense technology, and professional services, Michele brings deep insight into what government evaluators actually want to see—and what they don’t.

Known for her lean, practical approach to proposal management, Michele teaches teams how to focus on what really matters: clear, compliant, and compelling proposals that speak directly to decision-makers. Her firm’s track record says it all: a 92% win rate by contract value and a 90%+ win rate on Phase 1 proposals.

Through Cavalry, Michele leads a team of industry pros, including veterans, military spouses, and former government insiders, who have become the go-to resource for companies chasing big wins in the federal space. She’s also a sought-after speaker, trainer, and mentor, regularly sharing lessons learned from the trenches to help others sharpen their skills and boost their win rates.

Jeff Duguid, CP APMP, GPCP
Federal Market Sector Leader, RLF

Jeff Duguid’s career began with a flop. His first proposal, submitted to his parents at age 16, was rejected. Fortunately, that early setback didn’t stall his trajectory. Since then, he has developed winning strategies for pursuits on five continents, supporting both primes and subs across design and construction teams. His 360-degree view of the A/E/C landscape gives him an uncommon insight into what it really takes to win.

Known for decoding complex federal processes and transforming technical detail into clear, compelling narratives, Jeff operates at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and structure. He blends deep industry knowledge with emerging tools, leveraging AI, data, and design thinking to help teams think smarter, move faster, and win more. As a forward-thinking leader in the proposal space, he mentors both marketers and technical staff, brings clarity to complexity, and challenges teams to rethink what a winning pursuit can be.

Outside the RFP grind, Jeff prefers his weekends analog. He loves being outdoors, has a passion for antique cars (ask him about the 1917 Buick or 1924 Franklin), and rides a high-wheel bicycle from the 1880s.
 

Shauna Weatherly
President and Founder, Federal Subcontract Solutions LLC

Shauna Weatherly is the President and Founder of Federal Subcontract Solutions LLC (FedSubK), a consulting firm focused on educating, coaching, and mentoring in support of small businesses as they navigate the Federal marketplace. Following almost 36 years of Federal service, Shauna retired in December 2022 and has since built a strong following by sharing her insights from behind the contracting office curtain on a variety of acquisition topics to benefit small businesses.

Shauna’s Federal career included time as a Chief of Contracting and FAR policy SME, developed training courses and instructing the acquisition workforce on topics like cost-reimbursement contracting, earned-value management, GSA schedules, writing sound requirements, formal source selection procedures, and small business utilization. She held key acquisition leadership roles at the US Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), before completing her career at the General Services Administration (GSA). Her expertise spans oversight of procurement programs for a variety of supplies and services, environmental cleanup, military and civil works construction, logistics management, facilities operation and maintenance, aerospace & civil medical support, contingency contracting, payments solutions, and other professional and operational products and services. She developed the requirements for the current $750B GSA SmartPay® program contracts and served as the Governmentwide COR and purchase card SME for 6 years. Her last Federal position was as a FAR policy SME and advisor to the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (CAAC) and Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), contributing to major initiatives affecting SAM.gov and transition of legacy systems to the Integrated Award Environment.