Federal Contracting and Business Growth with Michael Niggel
About this Event
Michael Niggel is coming to City Garage for two days of practical, no-slideware sessions for founders, executives, and small business leaders in Baltimore.
Mike founded ACT1 Federal (Advanced Concepts and Technologies International) and grew it from a one-person small business into a mid-tier government services firm serving DoD, DHS, the Intelligence Community, and allied governments. He has testified before Congress on how continuing resolutions and shutdowns hit small contractors, and he now advises early-stage and growing companies through Second Venture LLC.
This is a follow-on to the February session at The LaunchPort, which covered program management and fundraising fundamentals. This round goes a level deeper into the mechanics of actually winning and executing federal work. We will also be about three weeks from fiscal year end, so the timing is live.
Session 1: How to Bid and Execute a Federal or Defense Contract
Wednesday, September 9, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Responding to an RFP
- Building a team: prime and sub roles and responsibilities
- Submitting the proposal: technical, management, cost, compliance, and what makes your firm stand out
- Kickoff after award: meeting your government PMs and POCs, a resource-loaded integrated master schedule, CDRLs, acceptance, and getting paid
- Communication with the government PM, the PCO, and the payment agency
- Getting audit ready, and working through CRs and shutdowns
Lunch and networking
Wednesday, September 9, 12:00 to 1:00 PM
Light lunch provided. Please register so we get the count right.
Session 2: How to Grow Your Business from Small to Mid-Tier
Wednesday, September 9, 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
- What counts as a small business in federal and defense work, and what is changing (NAICS consolidating from roughly 1,000 to 138, with size thresholds likely rising)
- From one person to $50M: the leader, people, resources, and outside help each stage requires
- From $50M to $100M+ mid-tier, and what has to change about you as a leader to make that jump
1:1 Office Hours
Thursday, September 10, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Thirty-minute private sessions with Mike. Bring a live problem: a proposal you are weighing, a teaming decision, a growth bottleneck, a hiring call. Eight slots, first come first served.
Who should attend
Founders and executives of small and growing businesses, particularly those selling or hoping to sell into federal and defense markets. City Garage and LaunchPort tenants, Maryland and Baltimore economic development partners, and anyone in the local ecosystem weighing a first federal pursuit.
Free to attend. Registration required for room count and lunch.
Questions: Andrea Pais, [email protected]
Speaker Bio
Michael Niggel is the Founder & CEO of Second Venture, L.L.C., providing advisory services to venture capital and technology firms across the national security, space, cyber, and healthcare sectors.
He previously founded and led ACT1 Federal, L.L.C., a mid-tier defense contractor recognized among Virginia’s Fastest Growing Companies and Inc. 1000 honorees.
Mr. Niggel’s national security experience spans over 35 years, managing major DoD, DHS, and Space programs, including international defense programs such as F-35 Foreign Military Sales and F-18/EA-18G Direct Commercial Sales.
He has served as Industry Commissioner on the Atlantic Council’s 2023–2024 Defense Innovation Adoption Commission, co-chaired by former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and former Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James.
Mike has also held leadership roles with SAIC, the Department of Defense, and served as a Presidential Management Fellow during the Reagan Administration.
He serves on multiple boards, including the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and Novel Microdevices, Inc., and is a member of the Economic Club of Washington and Reagan Foundation’s National Leadership Council.
He holds an MPA in Finance and Policy Analysis from Indiana University and a BA with Distinction in Political Science & History from Hendrix College.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
