Getting that first award is one of the most exciting opportunities for a small business in government contracting. For new entrants or companies that have been struggling to get their footing in the government contracting and that first opportunity can seem like an almost impossible task. On this episode we discuss a couple of foundational elements, technical credibility and focus on a target market, to getting that first contract and continuing to develop your brand to sustain growth government contracting (GovCon).Director Calvin Mitchell was appointed to Senior Executive Service as Director of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in 2021. Mr. Mitchell is responsible for implementing the Department’s small business procurement programs across the $2.8 billion procurement operation; and implementing policies and initiatives throughout the Department to ensure that all socioeconomic categories of small business are afforded opportunities to compete for contracts. Prior to the OSDBU, Mr. Mitchell was the Deputy Director of Contracts and Acquisitions Management (CAM). As CAM Deputy Director, in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), he was responsible for overseeing the work of four contracting divisions that provide operational procurement services to the Department of Education.●     Check out Conversations with Cal on YouTube.●     Register in the U.S. Department of Education Small Business Database Registration Portal●     Request to join the Hive39 Community on Linkedin●     Help spread the word about Unveiled: GovCon Stories●     Do you want to be a guest or recommend a topic that you would like to learn or hear about on the podcast? Let us know on our Suggestion Form. Links:●     U.S. Department of Education Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)Sponsors:Twenty39 – simplifying the complexity in pursuing government contracts: https://www.twenty39.comIf your business is considering government contracting and need expert advisory, business development, proposal management, and/or operations support we are here to help. We provide end-to-end enablement for pursuing government contracts.Hive39 Community: https://twenty39.com/hive39-community/An inclusive online community for GovCon Small Businesses and Consultants to learn, share, and grow. Receive free resources to support your business in pursuing government contracts; and meet new partners, identify small business relevant events and cost appropriate vendor resources, stay up to date on policy and legal changes impacting small business, and share 1099 and partnership opportunities. Join today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.