The 90-Day Bid Challenge
Turn Years of Bidding Into90 Focused Days
Bid more consistently. Build a stronger pipeline. Create a repeatable path to your next federal award.
Applications for the November Cohort close November 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
Derek gets in the trenches with you. You still have to do the work.
The 90-Day Bid Challenge
Who It’s For
Different industries. different experience levels. The same goal: reach your next level in federal contracting.
Who it’s for
Meet the Challenge where you are
We meet you where you're at.
You may be learning to bid or building on multiple awards. The work is shaped around your company, scope, and experience.
Where you are now
GovCon experience
What you pursue
How you perform
Industries represented
A strong fit
You will research, build relationships, bid consistently, and own the work.
Not a fit
You want a promised award, skipped steps, or someone else to run the business.
Applications for the November Cohort close November 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
The 90-Day Bid Challenge
What the Program Does
Move from random bids and hard-to-repeat wins to strategy, focused systems, and a stronger federal pipeline.
Five common GovCon problems
Build the process behind your next level.
The Challenge helps small government contractors replace scattered effort with a clear offer, consistent bidding, stronger proposals, and a working pipeline.
Where you may be now
Your winning offer is unclear
NAICS codes, capabilities, competencies, and target agencies do not line up.
How you level up
Define what you sell, where you fit, and which agencies to pursue.
Where you may be now
You do not bid consistently
Bid capture is uneven, and teaming partners are hard to match.
How you level up
Use a repeatable plan to find bids and build the right relationships.
Where you may be now
You bid but do not win
Proposal compliance, competitiveness, or pricing may be holding you back.
How you level up
Improve live proposals, pricing, and bid decisions with direct feedback.
Where you may be now
Your wins are hard to repeat
You have won small contracts, but the next win still feels like chance.
How you level up
Turn what worked into focused systems you can use on the next bid.
Where you may be now
Your pipeline needs the next award
Current work is growing, stalled, or nearing its contract end date.
How you level up
Keep new SAM.gov opportunities, outreach, bids, and follow-up moving.
Awards are never guaranteed. The verified 21% figure reflects students actively bidding who won within the 90-day window.
The 90-Day Bid Challenge
How It Works
Follow a proven path. Take clear action. Use the training on real federal bids.
Hear it from Derek
See the work before you apply.
Derek explains the work, support, and effort required.
How it works
The 90-day semester
Move from learning to action.
Start with a proven path and clear action steps. Then use the training on real SAM.gov opportunities that fit your company.
Research agencies. Build relationships. Match teaming partners. Get quotes. Price the work. Write compliant proposals. Direct guidance, community, and accountability keep each bid moving.
Everything included
Two weekly calls
Meet Tuesday with the Cohort and Thursday with Derek.
Monthly one-on-one
Book Derek during the Monday–Friday window at month end.
Direct access
Use Telegram and voice messages when you get stuck.
Proposal review
Get a screen-recorded review before you submit.
Email help
Get help with key contracting officer emails when needed.
Teaming calls
Derek may join a call with a teaming partner.
90-day curriculum
See the work from start to finish.
Student portal
Follow lessons, tasks, and bid progress in one place.
The GovCon Operating System
Install it. Then operate it.
This isn't a course you watch on your own. You do the real work. Derek invests his personal time reviewing it, giving you direct feedback, and providing the strategy to dial it in for your business.
- 1Weeks1–2
Weeks 1–2
Phase 1 · Install
Install the 6 assets
You build each asset into your business. Derek reviews your work and gives feedback and strategy to dial it in.
01Search
Finding real agency demand.
You research your codes and pull opportunities. Derek reviews your search setup and gives you the strategy to target agencies actively buying what you deliver.
02Select
Your go / no-go decision filter.
You evaluate solicitations against your company's capacity. Derek reviews your selections and gives feedback so you stop spending effort on bids you can't win.
03Contact
Teaming and vendor outreach.
You identify prospective partners and draft your outreach. Derek reviews your approach and suggests adjustments so established companies take your small business seriously.
04Quote
Gathering costs and pricing.
You collect partner costs and build your numbers. Derek reviews your pricing strategy and gives feedback on protecting your margin before you set your bid price.
05Proposal
A compliant proposal packet.
You write the narrative and assemble the required forms. Derek reviews your work and gives direct feedback to close gaps and stay compliant.
06Pre-Award
Award readiness and next steps.
You prepare for post-submission requirements and debriefs. Derek gives guidance, feedback, and strategy for agency communications and the move into delivery.
- 2Weeks3–4
Weeks 3–4
Phase 1 · Install
Sample proposal
You work a federal proposal end to end. Derek reviews it. Once it's dialed in, the install is complete.
Install complete
- 3Weeks5–13
Weeks 5–13
Phase 2 · Operate
Live bidding through day 90
You run your system on real SAM.gov opportunities. Derek reviews your proposals before you submit.
Week numbers count active weeks. The Thanksgiving-to-New-Year pause is not counted.
Free download
Get the full 90-day curriculum.
Every week, call, and milestone — laid out start to finish.
Included every week
See your Cohort calendar.
Pick a date. See calls, portal work, and one-on-one booking days.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
- 6 PM ETOrientation
Kick off the Cohort, meet the group, and get set up in the portal.
- All weekOngoing work in the structured student portal
Complete portal lessons and keep your bids moving.
Orientation
Wednesday, November 11 at 6 PM ET. Applications close Tuesday, November 10.
Thanksgiving pause
Derek's check-in moves to Tuesday, November 24. The program pauses Thursday, November 26 and recommences Monday, January 4.
Day 90
15 days before the pause + 75 days after it. The Cohort finishes Friday, March 19, 2027.
The 90-Day Bid Challenge
What It’s Done for Others
See the verified 21% figure and hear from students who went through it.
Proof & context
Student results
Real results in real time.
Important context
A win can happen. It is not promised.
The goal is to build a bid process you can keep using. Awards depend on the agency, the bid, the price, and the competition. No award is guaranteed.
Student transformations
Hear the student stories.
Each Before and After comes from that student’s video.
New to government contracting and looking for a reliable way to write proposals correctly.
Won her first contract, moved close to a second, and gained experienced review before submitting proposals.
Wanted a fact-based way to understand federal contracting instead of relying on other people’s opinions.
Learned to research the FAR, understand the reason behind decisions, and earned her company’s first Air Force contract.
Had researched on his own but felt stuck, lacked answers to specific questions, and was nervous about bidding.
Began bidding regularly with confidence and won two contracts while working with Derek.
Was watching videos and responding to solicitations without knowing whether he was doing it correctly.
Learned how to read solicitations and assemble proposals, then began performing on multiple contracts.
Saw federal contracting as complex, daunting, and difficult to understand.
Finished 90 days understanding the federal contractor role and how to break down contracts and the bidding process.
Wanted to build a career in federal contracting but did not know where to start.
Gained an organized foundation, guidance through the bidding process, and support to keep moving forward.
Felt like an imposter when talking with teaming partners and was unsure of his own decisions.
Has won 15 contracts to date, makes decisions without fear, and has a record of winning deals and performing on them.
Could not find a clear proposal example online and was unsure what to submit or how to move forward.
Left equipped to submit proposals, won early contracts, and grew to roughly $8 million in contract value through consistent action.
Found plenty of information but lacked a clear first, second, and third step.
Followed a clear sequence and submitted two proposals faster than she believes she would have on her own.
Had little confidence and struggled to interpret government contracting language and requirements.
Gained clarity on requirements, contracting-officer conversations, and putting proposals together.
Needed clarity on how to move through government contracting and what deserved his focus.
Cut through the noise, focused on the right work, and moved forward with greater confidence.
Felt like a beginner and an imposter, intimidated by bidding and talking with contracting officers.
Submitted bids on real opportunities and became confident speaking with contracting officers.
Felt overwhelmed taking in GovCon information from many sources, like drinking from a fire hose.
Learned through structured, layered lessons and live bidding, and gained the confidence and foundation to keep going without feeling intimidated.
Found it easy to get discouraged navigating opportunity websites and the paperwork and attachments behind each one.
Learned a simpler way to find opportunities and pull out what matters, put bids together, and began teaching the process to his team.
The 90-Day Bid Challenge
Class Tuition: One Focused Semester
A short-term small business incubator built to shrink the GovCon learning curve from years into months.
Skills you keep using
Spend less time guessing. Build faster.
Save the time and frustration of piecing it together alone. Tuition covers mentorship, live bid work, and a process you can keep using after the semester ends.
Hours spent on SAM.gov bids that do not fit.
Bid labor at risk · $X,XXX+
Agency research and a clear bid/no-bid check.
Research + selection system · $X,XXX+ value
Searching without a clear offer or target agency.
Search time lost · $X,XXX+
A focused offer tied to real agency needs.
Positioning + agency focus · $X,XXX+ value
Starting key relationships after the bid is live.
Late outreach cost · $X,XXX+
Earlier outreach to contracting officers and teaming partners.
Relationship support · $X,XXX+ value
Late quotes and pricing rebuilt for every proposal.
Quote + pricing rework · $X,XXX+
A repeatable quote and pricing process.
Quote + pricing process · $X,XXX+ value
Missed requirements and proposal hours at risk.
Proposal labor at risk · $X,XXX+
A compliant proposal system plus review before submission.
Proposal system + review · $X,XXX+ value
Lost follow-ups, pre-award work, and next steps.
Lost follow-up time · $X,XXX+
One place to track bids, actions, and pre-award work.
Portal + pipeline process · $X,XXX+ value
Class tuition
Credit-card payments include a $150 processing fee. Payment plans are discussed during the enrollment call.
The $X,XXX figures show categories of possible cost and value. They are not exact appraisals, savings, or guarantees.
Derek’s story
In federal contracting since 2013.
By his 30th birthday, Derek had won 32 contracts worth over $15M for a small business across various U.S. federal agencies. Now he helps small contractors learn the work he knows.
He does not bid now because he does not compete with students. He helps them find good-fit bids, build relationships, and write stronger proposals.
The Challenge gives serious contractors direct help with real GovCon work.
“I’ll get in the trenches with you. But you have to do the work.”
Class tuition
$3,000 for a 90-day semester.
No award is promised. You get a clear bid process, live feedback, and help with real federal work.
Credit-card payments include a $150 processing fee.
Payment plans are available and discussed during the enrollment call.
- You are serious about government contracting
- You can commit 10–15 hours each week
- You want feedback tied to your actual business
- You are prepared to own the work
4 seats currently available
The 20-seat cap protects your access to Derek.
Be honest with yourself
Who this is not for.
The 20-seat cap means every seat matters. If any of these describe you, this is not the right time to apply.
You want passive income
If you win as the prime, you must stay involved in and in control of the key work. This is not a hands-off industry.
You cannot commit the hours
Plan on 10–15 hours each week for research, outreach, pricing, and writing. Less than that and the 90 days will pass without results.
You want a guaranteed award
No award is promised. What you build is a bid process you can keep using long after the 90 days end.
You want someone to bid for you
Derek reviews, guides, and gets in the trenches with you. He does not write or submit your proposals for you.
You are not ready to invest
Class tuition is $3,000. If that is not workable right now, start with the free GovCon Operating System training instead.
You are looking for a shortcut
The Challenge compresses the learning curve. It does not skip the work, the compliance, or the relationships.
If none of those describe you, and you are ready to bid consistently for 90 days, you are the person this was built for.
Program logistics
Common questions.
What happens if I miss a live weekly call?
Every call is recorded and posted in the portal along with the resources from that session, so you can catch up on your own schedule and still bring questions to the next one.
How much time do I need each week?
Plan on 10–15 hours: finding the right opportunities, reaching out, building relationships, pricing, and drafting. Students who protect that time get the most out of the 90 days.
Does Derek personally review my proposals?
Yes. You get direct feedback on your live proposals, pricing, and bid decisions during the program — not generic templates.
What if I do not have past performance yet?
That is common. The Challenge covers teaming and subcontracting so you can build a record through partners while you pursue work you can prime yourself.
What if I do not have an active SAM.gov registration?
Bring it up on your enrollment call. You will need an active registration to submit bids, and Derek will tell you honestly whether to sort that out first or join now.
What are the payment options?
Class tuition is $3,000. Credit-card payments include a $150 processing fee, and payment plans are discussed on your 1-on-1 enrollment call.
What happens after the 90 days end?
You keep the systems, templates, and process you built. The goal is that your next bid does not depend on Derek being on the call.
The 90-Day Bid Challenge
How to Get Started in Four Steps
Apply. Get a reply within 48 hours. Schedule a call. Enroll if it fits.
Apply
Share your federal contracting work.
Review
Get a reply within 48 hours.
Schedule a Call
If it may fit, choose a call time.
Enroll
If both sides agree, enroll on the call.
Applications for the November Cohort close November 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
Disclaimer
Derek’s primary product is proposal writing and proposal reviews, offered through his courses and coaching services.
Derek is not a lawyer and does not have a professional designation to interpret the law or federal regulations. He shares his experience working in the industry, and you operate at your own risk. Derek does not propose “set it and forget it” middlemanning. His discussion of regulations is intended to increase awareness and encourage small government contractors to follow them.
If you win a contract as the prime, you must remain involved in and in control of its key and vital tasks. You must stay actively involved when managing teaming partners and should share in as much of the work as possible so you can learn and grow your own business. This is not a hands-off or passive industry. It requires substantial work and can also be rewarding.