News & Insights

A Blue Dress, an Old Apron, and a Little Ribbon This Halloween, I went to my closet rather than buying a new costume. A bright blue dress I already owned. An old white apron from a hook off the kitchen The only thing missing was a signature blue headband. A quick trip to Michael’s later, and suddenly: Alice in Wonderland. Just the right pieces, put together with intent, and a little something new that made the whole thing really work. Why it matters: That's exactly how the be

Fifteen years ago, I started Hollywood & Associates to support good people doing good work. I wanted to do it my way: every engagement tailored to what the client actually needs. I’ve been incredibly lucky to spend my career doing just that - and bringing along a truly amazing group of fellow consultants and partners on that journey. Why it matters: Our quality work has enabled us to be selective about who we work with: mission-focused organizations whose work or research tha

Why it matters: Your budget is constrained - and every cent of pursuit effort has to raise your probability of win. How we work: Our expert capture advisors and capture managers drop into pursuits at any stage. We're plug-and-play. Within days, we assess the capture. We usually find some weak spots - and often gaps. The triage: Not every weakness deserves equal attention. We weigh the expected competitiveness of the bid and what we know about the client. Then we decide how mu

Why it matters: Social impact works best when the whole ecosystem is in the same room, and SOCAP last week in Chicago was worth the trip. The mix was the point. The conference was well curated, with learning sessions, panels, and lots of real networking time. New York and Silicon Valley impact investors, family office reps, major (and smaller) foundations, nonprofits across a wide range of causes, social impact for-profits, B Corps, and the organizations who support them all

It may be back to school season, but it is also nearly Federal fiscal year end. Every year as September 30th approaches, the same pattern plays out across federal contracting: agencies are sitting on appropriated funds they have to spend before the Federal Fiscal Year closes, and their contracting offices are stretched thinner than ever while trying to spend it. The result: a Q4 full of contract modifications, bridge contracts, and sole source awards. For contractors who know

Small and mid-size company leaders don't have a safety net for growth. Hollywood & Associates offers experienced counsel with a focus on adaptability, practical insight and real follow-through.

Federal fixed-price is already here. The recent EO on Promoting Efficiency, Accountability, and Performance just gave it teeth.

Most GovCon teams think they have a bid/no-bid strategy. What they actually have is a checklist—and often a bit of “management mojo.” That works…until it doesn’t. It also doesn’t operate at today’s speed of govcon. A better way: empower your pipeline with an LLM-friendly context graph—connecting what you pursued, what you won, and why decisions were made.

America's 13 principal statistical agencies are losing staff, funding and public trust — threatening the data infrastructure that research institutions and policymakers depend on for critical decisions.

While most industry attention is going to DOD/W acquisition reform, civilian contractors who learn the new acquisition pathways will find shorter timelines, fewer compliance gates, and more room to compete.

In federal contracting, credibility isn’t built on what you say you can do. It’s built on what you can prove you’ve done. Strong case studies remain one of the most underutilized strategic tools in Federal BD.

After working on Federal government procurements for more than 20 years, I’ve learned a simple truth: capability may get you in the room, but credibility can get you the award.

I often get asked why would we hire an outside reviewer? We know our technical area, we know the customer, so what do you bring to the table? Here’s a short list. 1) No rose-colored glasses. Teams often have been immersed in the bid, revised 18 drafts, recall wording no longer included, and know too much about their own solution. External reviewers, on the other hand, judge as an evaluator would: skeptically, based only on what’s provided in writing. 2) Real clear di

When markets shift, projects stall, or funding doubts ripple through your world, relationship management becomes more important. People crave steadiness. They remember who showed up when things got messy. That’s your moment to stand out.

Thoughts on GovGon pricing strategy from the 2025 APMP Mid-Atlantic Conference.

How FAR 2.0 is shaking up the contracting world

Capture management—when done right—is part art, part science, and part endurance sport. But too often, it’s treated like a checklist exercise or a paperwork sprint that starts way too late in the game.

A veteran proposal manager recently exclaimed that I was the best proposal reviewer he had seen in two decades in the industry. This particular compliment got me thinking: What actually makes a proposal reviewer good?