Class 02 Government Market Research

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 2 | 1 CLASS 02 | PLAYBOOK AND WORKSHEET Government Market Research & Business Development 75-minute class companion | November 6, 2026 edition Existing lesson text and worksheet prompts, packaged for individual use. This playbook is separate from the reviewed AI transcript produced after a live class. FROM UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF TO UNDERSTANDING YOUR CUSTOMER See the vision. Mark your position. In Succeed Where You Stand, we looked at the work in front of you. Now turn your attention to the person on the other side of the purchase. What do they need done, and where does your business fit? Our job is to solve a problem and get the work done. A solicitation describes a purchasing need; your bid or quote explains how you propose to meet it. Read the documents, then understand the operational problem behind them. Understanding the customer helps you answer the actual requirements more clearly. 01 · VISION See the need. See your customer clearly. What do they need? What do they value? What would make the purchase useful to the people they serve? In any market, details matter. In government work, connect that curiosity to the specifications, service conditions and documented evaluation criteria. Does the customer need speed because this is an emergency? Is a scheduled delivery of high-quality goods at a reasonable price enough? Does the work require backup inventory, redundant supply or the ability to respond when ordinary systems fail? Ask what the price is paying for. A higher price might reflect readiness, difficult delivery, reserves or other obligations - but verify the actual scope and pricing evidence. Do not assume a premium exists or that it pays for a particular service. See past the bid to the person, the people they represent and the problem they need solved. Look beyond the paperwork to understand the need; keep the paperwork close when deciding what you are committing to. If the documents leave a material question open, use the stated clarification process. 02 · MARKET FIT Find your fit. Where do these orders come from? Where do the goods go? Where is demand concentrated, and which organizations create it? Look at established industries, emerging needs and the geography of delivery. Educational use only; not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Verify requirements and consult qualified advisers. No outcomes guaranteed. Personal learning and internal application allowed; redistribution, resale or teaching from these materials requires written permission, except as law permits. Rights reserved in Aegis Bellator LLC-owned original expression; third-party and public-domain rights remain unaffected. © 2026 Aegis Bellator LLC and respective rights holders. All rights reserved. Educational use only; not legal advice. WinGovCon Government Contracting Education & Consulting for Small Businesses

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 2 | 2 Locate the demand. Find the places where relevant orders occur. Connect the destination, delivery distance, frequency and quantity to your actual ability to serve. Identify the buyer. Determine which organization buys the product, what it buys and why. A place on the map becomes more useful when you know who is purchasing there. FICTIONAL ILLUSTRATION · NOT AN AWARD RECORD “They buy lumber in Kansas” is a starting point. Imagine research points to lumber orders in Kansas. Learning that a particular federal agency buys it for a documented requirement gives you a more useful lead. Now you can investigate the purchaser, destination, specifications and purchasing history. This illustrates the difference between geography and buyer intelligence. It is not a claim that the IRS or another named agency has made those purchases. Then check the size of the work against the size of your operation. Can you handle the quantity, timing, staffing, quality and cash required? Would a smaller package fit better? Could you serve as the prime contractor, or supply a prime as a subcontractor? A partner can change what is feasible, but only after you verify their capacity and agree on responsibilities. Keep ambition connected to evidence. 03 · POSITION Make your approach clear. You have studied the need. Now mark your position: this is what I will provide, this is how I will provide it and this is the evidence that supports my approach. 1. The offer: name the product or service, quantity and scope you are proposing. 2. The method: explain the people, suppliers, sequence and delivery plan. 3. The protection: identify the risks, safeguards and backup arrangements you have actually verified. 4. The price: explain what any requested allowance or charge covers, in the format the buyer permits. 5. The commitment: state realistic delivery and quality commitments, their assumptions and any limits the response must disclose. A backup plan reduces a specific risk; it does not make every problem impossible. Show what it protects against, how it works and what still needs attention. Do not promise an uninterrupted outcome simply because an alternative is on paper. Your response paints a picture of who you are. Be personable, respectful and clear. Let your character show through accurate claims, timely communication and a well-organized response. The language should fit the responsibility of the purchase, whatever its dollar value. Vision gives you direction. Position shows how you intend to deliver. © 2026 Aegis Bellator LLC and respective rights holders. All rights reserved. Educational use only; not legal advice. WinGovCon Government Contracting Education & Consulting for Small Businesses

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 2 | 3 What made you see the opportunity? Your interest may begin with a former job, a friend’s experience, an industry you know or a promising margin. That is a reason to investigate. Research turns the interest into a decision you can explain. See it clearly before you pursue it. Check what the buyer needs, what it costs to provide and whether your business can support the commitment. Compare the routes. Route What to explore Tradeoff to examine Local / municipal Nearby departments, purchasing pages, vendor enrollment and small-purchase procedures. Being close helps with distance. You still have to meet the competition, insurance and performance requirements. State Agency needs, supplier systems, statewide versus regional scope and relevant certifications. More territory can mean more freight, more people and more money needed before payment. Count that expansion. Federal Agency needs, SAM.gov, notice requirements and relevant qualifications. Registration gets one part done. You still need to respond properly, meet the requirements and deliver. Prime contractor A specific subcontract or supply package and the prime’s actual onboarding requirements. You are working with the prime. Verify who owes you payment, when it is due and exactly which work belongs to you. Keep grants in their own lane. They have eligibility rules, permitted uses and reporting obligations. Selling something to a government customer is a different transaction, and we need to understand which one we’re discussing. PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE A promising market. An honest boundary. A statewide opportunity stretches beyond your current delivery area. Character: State the area and capacity you can actually support. Grit: Read the requirements carefully and follow through on the missing facts before deciding. Ingenuity: Compare a regional scope or a verified partner if the opportunity permits it. A wider map still needs a workable route. Use the original source. Go to the agency’s own purchasing page first. For federal research, start with SAM.gov; for California explore Cal eProcure. Read the current instructions, dates and amendments each time you consider actual work. Yesterday’s information needs checking today. © 2026 Aegis Bellator LLC and respective rights holders. All rights reserved. Educational use only; not legal advice. WinGovCon Government Contracting Education & Consulting for Small Businesses

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 2 | 4 Class 02 Worksheet Government Market Research & Business Development Name or classroom ID: ____________________________________ Use these pages for your own planning. Keep passwords, bank details and confidential information out of your class notes. Who buys, who uses the product and who ultimately benefits? What problem must be solved - and what original evidence supports that view? What matters most: response time, quality, price, reserves or another stated requirement? Hot spot · Where do the orders originate and where must they be delivered? © 2026 Aegis Bellator LLC and respective rights holders. All rights reserved. Educational use only; not legal advice. WinGovCon Government Contracting Education & Consulting for Small Businesses

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 2 | 5 Class 02 Worksheet - continued Hot market · Which buyer purchases what, why and how often? Does the scope fit my capacity and cash? Prime, subcontractor or pass - and why? My position · what I will do, how I will do it and the evidence behind it My safeguards · verified backup, covered risk, additional cost and remaining limits The product or service I can deliver © 2026 Aegis Bellator LLC and respective rights holders. All rights reserved. Educational use only; not legal advice. WinGovCon Government Contracting Education & Consulting for Small Businesses

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 2 | 6 Class 02 Worksheet - continued One local buyer or department to research One state agency with a relevant need One prime contractor or supplier route to verify Which route best fits my present capacity - and why? © 2026 Aegis Bellator LLC and respective rights holders. All rights reserved. Educational use only; not legal advice. WinGovCon Government Contracting Education & Consulting for Small Businesses

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 2 | 7 Class 02 Worksheet - continued Which requirement needs an original-source check? Character · What commitment must I keep, clarify or correct? Grit · What action will I follow through on, and when will I check it? Ingenuity · What alternative can I verify while honoring the requirements? © 2026 Aegis Bellator LLC and respective rights holders. All rights reserved. Educational use only; not legal advice. WinGovCon Government Contracting Education & Consulting for Small Businesses