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The Optimize Podcast

The Optimize Podcast

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 The Optimize Podcast brought to you by VisibleThread. We bring you the best and latest insights for everything from government contracting on topics such as BD, capture, proposal management, and business writing.2023 - VisibleThread Economie Politique et gouvernement Sciences politiques
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    • Protests, Production OTs, and SBIR Mills: A Candid Look at DoD Acquisition

      Protests, Production OTs, and SBIR Mills: A Candid Look at DoD Acquisition
      Dec 17 2025
      In this episode of the Optimize Podcast, host Chris Hamm sits down with David Rothzeid — Principal at Shield Capital, U.S. Air Force reservist, and former acquisition lead at Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) — for a candid look at how protests, OTAs, and SBIR policy really shape DoD innovation.David walks through his journey from ROTC and early Air Force contracting roles to DIU, where he helped stand up the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) model and use Other Transaction Authority (OTAs) to pull non-traditional tech companies into defense. He explains how a high-profile production OT for Raincloud was protested and sustained on a “ticky-tacky” issue — and how that single GAO decision effectively froze enthusiasm for production OTs and hurt both the company and the mission.Chris and David then connect that experience to today’s landscape: new “speed of delivery first” guidance from the Secretary, the FORGE and SPEED Acts, and why schedule — not cost or performance — must become the sacred variable for defense acquisition.In the second half, David talks about leaving active duty to join Shield Capital, what he actually does as a venture investor for dual-use startups, and why he’s been pushing hard on SBIR/STTR reform to shut down “SBIR mills” that live off endless grants with no commercialization intent. He shares his work supporting the INNOVATE Act, his view of how SBIR should work, and how he helps founders decide when (and when not) to pursue DoD.They close with a lighter segment on Sweat Equity, David’s early-morning workout and networking group on the National Mall — a healthier, more human way for the national security community to connect.In this episode, you’ll learn:How OTAs evolved from NASA’s early days to DIU’s CSO model — and why their flexibility and collaborative nature matter so much.What actually happened in the Raincloud protest, why GAO sustained it, and how it chilled production OT usage across DoD.Why protests and cultural risk aversion make it harder for leaders to override decisions, even when they believe they were right.How new guidance and legislation aim to make speed of delivery the primary success metric for defense acquisition.What “SBIR mills” are, why David calls them exploitative, and how the INNOVATE Act could reset incentives toward commercialization.How a national-security-focused VC like Shield Capital works with startups on capability gaps, GTM strategy, and when to tackle DoD.Why leaving uniform actually made it easier for David to engage Congress and senior leaders on acquisition reform.The story behind Sweat Equity and why he thinks we need new ways to build community in the defense innovation ecosystem.Timestamps (approximate)00:00 – 04:10 – Meet David Rothzeid: ROTC, discovering acquisition, early Air Force contracting roles, and the road to DIU.04:10 – 08:10 – Joining DIU, DIUX 2.0, and the push for new authorities like OTAs and CSOs.08:10 – 12:30 – OTAs 101: NASA origins, DARPA, codifying prototype authority, and why DIU built the CSO process.12:30 – 16:30 – “Being right but early is the same as being wrong”: institutional pushback, being called a heretic, and the Raincloud production OT.16:30 – 20:30 – The Oracle protest, GAO’s decision, and how one sustained protest killed momentum for production OTs.20:30 – 24:30 – Secretary’s memo, FORGE/SPEED Acts, and elevating schedule over cost and performance.24:30 – 28:30 – Leaving active duty for Shield Capital, staying in the reserves, and discovering how accessible Congress and senior leaders can be.28:30 – 32:30 – SBIR/STTR, SBIR mills, the INNOVATE Act, and why perpetual grants are “asinine.”32:30 – 35:30 – What David actually does as a VC for founders: government translator, strategy coach, and talent advisor.35:30 – 36:30 – Sweat Equity workouts and closing thoughts.Resources & links🔗 Optimize Podcast hub: https://www.visiblethread.com/podcasts/🔗 Connect with host Chris Hamm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hamm-304103/🔗 Connect with guest David Rothzeid on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rothzeid-7a116961
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      36 min
    • From Clauses to Chaos- Where Acquisition Systems Break Down

      From Clauses to Chaos- Where Acquisition Systems Break Down
      Dec 3 2025

      In this episode of the Optimize Podcast, host Chris Hamm (CEO, FIN Acquisitions & former SES at GSA AAS) sits down with Robert (“Bob”) Niewood, a career GSA acquisition and systems leader turned consultant, to unpack how federal procurement actually works under the hood.

      Bob walks through his 20+ year journey at GSA — from intern and contracting officer to director of systems and HCA for the Multiple Award Schedules program — and explains why the uniqueness of federal appropriations and fund flows keeps breaking commercial tools. He argues that in many mission spaces, custom-built solutions still beat COTS and low-code, and that focusing only on contract writing systems badly mis-frames the real problem.

      Chris and Bob dig into the executive order on centralized procurement and OCAS, the push to move GWACs and MACs into GSA, the coming explosion of BPAs under FAR changes, and AI’s emerging “cottage industry” of one-off pilots. Throughout, Bob stresses business architecture, financial integration, and workforce capacity as the real constraints — and offers pragmatic advice for both agencies and GovCon teams trying to navigate what’s next.

      In this episode, you’ll learn:

      Why “the financial tail wags the dog” in federal procurement — and what that means for system design and data.

      How GSA’s mission and revenue model make it fundamentally different from a “back office” contracting shop.

      The real trade-offs between COTS, low-code, and custom-built acquisition systems in a legacy-heavy environment.

      Why contract writing is just one small piece of a much larger business system (funds, audits, oversight, post-award).

      The hidden complexity of OCAS and centralized procurement for “simple” common goods and services.

      How GWACs, MACs, and new BPAs will stress current data models and legacy systems.

      Why AI in acquisition today looks a lot like the early days of dashboards and RPA — and what might actually scale by 2026.

      Timestamps

      [00:00] Meet Bob Niewood – Philly sports, early GSA days, and how he fell in love with government contracting.

      [06:30] Lotus Notes, paper files, and the first attempt to move GSA into a commercial ERP — and why it failed.

      [10:00] Why federal money “is not commercial” – appropriations rules, one-year vs multi-year funds, and custom finance logic.

      [14:00] Custom vs COTS vs low-code: when GSA must build its own mission systems and where commercial tools still fit.

      [18:20] Can GSA still be its own integrator? Workforce constraints, DRPs, and the tax of transformation on 1102s.

      [21:00] “It’s not about clauses” – reframing acquisition systems as end-to-end business systems, not just contract writing tools.

      [27:20] Why “one system for everything” usually fails — and how GWACs and MACs complicate any consolidation strategy.

      [29:10] Moving contract vehicles from NIH or NASA into GSA: practical realities, data migration, and integration pain.

      [33:40] OCAS and centralized procurement: why making simple buys “more complex” can create a false economy.

      [38:50] Enterprise pricing vs local buys – how timing, specs, and IDVs could solve more problems than new central offices.

      [40:55] What will work by 2026? A more focused procurement ecosystem, incremental modernization, and better alignment inside GSA.

      [42:30] AI as the next “wild west” – pilots, cottage industries, and finding use cases that scale across agencies.

      [44:50] BPA boom, legacy data problems, and why intelligent automation still has huge headroom in acquisition workflows.

      [46:00] Bob’s parting advice and why experiencing life as a contractor (yes, register in SAM) can be eye-opening.
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      47 min
    • Hallucinated Bid Protests and the Future of Federal Buying

      Hallucinated Bid Protests and the Future of Federal Buying
      Nov 19 2025

      Rob Burton brings over three decades of legal and procurement experience to this candid episode of the Optimize Podcast. In conversation with host Chris Hamm, Rob dives into the growing use of AI in bid protests—some of which are generating “hallucinated” claims that frustrate GAO reviewers.

      They break down the scope of the FAR overhaul, the implications of GSA’s OneGov consolidation effort, and how current acquisition trends could impact competition, pricing, and policy for years to come.

      From protest reform to the OEM reseller debate, this is a must-listen for GovCon professionals navigating a wave of change in federal acquisition.

      📌 Topics & Timestamps:

      Rob’s federal background & GSA happy hour banter (00:30)

      Bid protest reform under Trump & Biden (04:20)

      AI-generated protests and GAO pushback (06:40)

      Executive orders and procurement strategy (10:45)

      OneGov and GSA centralization risks (18:30)

      OEMs, resellers, and the pricing squeeze (23:00)

      FAR overhaul and the “600-page” rule change (26:00)

      Debriefing breakdowns and protest drivers (42:30)

      What needs fixing next in acquisition (48:00)
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      51 min
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