Class 04 Opportunity Research

Terry A. Lucas | Character. Grit. Ingenuity. Class 4 | 1 CLASS 04 | PLAYBOOK AND WORKSHEET Contract Opportunity Research & Solicitation Review 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. Use the lesson and worksheet now. Live workshop dates and enrollment are being finalized; this page does not reserve a seat. LESSON 04 · SEARCH & RESCUE Find the work. Understand the need. The fastest way to start searching is to start today. From broomsticks to bombers, public purchasing covers an extraordinary range of needs. Think of everyday supplies for libraries and offices alongside highly specialized equipment and technology. The range is broad; your search should be specific to what you can responsibly provide. Searching takes effort. You have to uncover the work, read the details and follow the evidence. We’ve looked at your vision and position, then your readiness. Now put them to work in the search. The full 101 class introduces this process. The practical workshop gives you more room to research and assess an example. Workshop dates, duration and pricing must be confirmed before purchase. 01 · FOLLOW THE DEMAND Follow the requests. Unearth the fit. Where do relevant requests keep appearing? Which buyers purchase the kind of product or service you offer? Look at actual notices, comparable purchases and recurring needs. A pattern can give your search direction; verify that the current work fits your business. 1. Name the work. Use product names, service descriptions and the language buyers use, including relevant categories. 2. Find the source. Start with official purchasing pages and notices. Use search services to discover leads, then return to the original documents. 3. Follow the history. Examine comparable awards or orders where available. Record the buyer, scope, quantity, dates and source - not just a headline dollar amount. 4. Read what changed. Check amendments and the current deadline. An older copy may no longer describe the opportunity you are considering. 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 4 | 2 A SIGNAL TO INVESTIGATE The deadline moved. What does that tell you? A repeated extension can make an opportunity worth another look. It does not establish why the deadline changed, how many competitors are involved or whether the work is easy to win. Read the amendment and available clarification. Look for changed scope, unresolved requirements or delivery issues. If the reason remains unclear, record it as unknown and use the stated inquiry process where appropriate. Qualification, cost and performance still need a careful check. 02 · PLAY OR PASS A big number still needs a good reason. Your capabilities matter. So do your goals, available time, appetite for the work and the obligations you would accept. Ask whether the opportunity is worth pursuing for the business and life you are building. - Fit: do the scope, qualifications, quantity and delivery demands match your evidence? - Funding: what startup spending, supplier deposits, payroll and fulfillment reserves are needed before payment? - Return: what remains after the relevant costs, and what owner time, risk and capital does it require? - Commitment: how long does the work last, and what other opportunities or responsibilities would it displace? - Unknowns: which facts must be confirmed before you can make a responsible offer? HYPOTHETICAL ARITHMETIC · NOT AN AWARD OR FORECAST Ten million dollars. What stays with the business? Assume actual sales total $10 million over three years, and the project leaves $180,000 after the costs included in your estimate. That is 1.8% of sales and an average of $60,000 a year. Any omitted owner time, taxes or other obligations still need their own treatment. Now ask what funding, effort and risk were required to earn it. A $10 million ceiling is different: without actual order expectations and costs, it tells you neither your sales nor your return. Does the result justify the commitment for you? The point is to ask the question before being impressed by the number. Choose play when the evidence supports the pursuit, investigate when a decision-critical fact is missing, or pass when the work does not fit. Grit includes learning from a responsible pass and continuing the search. 03 · RESCUE WITH INTENT © 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 4 | 3 Bring a solution to the conversation. When I say rescue, I mean relieve a specific problem or responsibility through dependable work. The buyer may need routine replenishment, timely service or a response to an emergency. Understand which it is before presenting your solution. Approach a purchaser, supplier or prime with intent. Explain the need you understand, the part you can handle and the evidence behind your ability. Ask a clear question or propose a specific next step through the appropriate channel. Receiving a reply does not mean the other party is in distress, wants a sales pitch or has committed to you. Respect their role, stated process and contact preferences. Use the conversation to determine whether there is a useful fit. 1. Name the need. Refer to the specific public request or appropriate business context. 2. Show the fit. Describe the product, service, supply package or support you can actually provide. 3. Support the promise. Identify relevant experience, confirmed resources and realistic timing. 4. Make the next step clear. Ask a focused question or request the appropriate onboarding or response instructions. 5. Follow through. Keep records, meet agreed next steps and respect a request to stop contact. Search for the fit. Rescue with intent. Let your character show in what you deliver. Three principles. One responsible pursuit. Character: tell the truth about your fit and keep your communication professional. Grit: do the research and improve your approach after setbacks. Ingenuity: investigate a better search term, supplier route or appropriate subcontract package when the first path does not fit. Your assignment: find one. Explain your decision. Find one relevant opportunity. Save its original source and latest amendment, identify the buyer’s need, assess the funding and fulfillment demands, then write your play-or-pass decision. If a critical fact is missing, state what you need to investigate. Draft a short, professional contact outline for the appropriate purchaser, supplier or prime. Name the problem, your verified contribution and the next step. This is a learning draft; the worksheet does not send messages. © 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 4 | 4 Class 04 Worksheet Contract Opportunity Research & Solicitation Review Name or classroom ID: ____________________________________ Use these pages for your own planning. Keep passwords, bank details and confidential information out of your class notes. My search routine · sources, search terms and review dates What changed in the latest amendment - and what remains unknown? Startup obligations, payment timing, required reserves and available funding Estimated return · included costs, owner time, duration, risks and missing facts © 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 4 | 5 Class 04 Worksheet - continued Play, investigate or pass · my decision and supporting evidence Rescue with intent · the specific problem and the part I can handle My unsent contact outline · need, verified fit, proof and next step Search words and product/service descriptions © 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 4 | 6 Class 04 Worksheet - continued Buyer / need / official purchasing link / evidence of purchase One notice: exact identifier, original URL and date checked Mandatory requirements, deadline and latest amendment Play, investigate or pass? Explain the evidence and missing facts © 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 4 | 7 Class 04 Worksheet - continued 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