Welcome to Indy-Pendent Insights

I'm launching this Insights section to share what I've learned from 20+ years in defense acquisition - from writing requirements as an acquisition officer, to flying combat rescue missions, to managing programs, to capturing business.

What You'll Find Here

This isn't going to be generic GovCon content you can find anywhere. Every article comes from actual experience:

• Capture Management - Real gate review templates, competitive analysis frameworks, and win strategy development approaches that have actually won contracts.
• Cost Estimating - Pro Pricer tips, WBS building techniques, and the pricing mistakes I see small contractors make repeatedly.
• Proposal Development - How to structure winning technical volumes, compliance matrix best practices, and what source selection teams actually look for.
• Small Business Growth - What I learned growing a business unit from $2M to $10.6M and helping a company scale from $20M to $62M.

The Perspective I Bring

I've sat on multiple sides of the government contracting table:

1. Government side - Wrote requirements, managed test programs, evaluated contractors
2. Large prime side - Systems engineering, program management, $60M portfolio
3. Small business side - Capture manager to BD director to business unit director
4. Consultant side - Over 60 capture deliverables in the past year

That perspective means I know what makes proposals win, what makes cost estimates credible, and what makes capture processes actually work.

Coming Soon

I'm working on articles covering:

• The six-phase capture process and why most companies skip the phases that matter most
• How to build Pro Pricer cost models that don't fall apart during negotiations
• What I learned leading capture for an $87M contract win
• Why your BD pipeline spreadsheet is costing you opportunities

If there's something specific you'd like me to cover, reach out at contact@indypendentsolutions.com.

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Josh Parker is a former Air Force HH-60G combat rescue pilot, defense program manager, and capture strategist. He founded Indy-Pendent Solutions and flowState Software to help small government contractors compete with the discipline of large primes.