Only 4 of 20 seats left · Starts November 11, 2026
The 90-Day Bid Challenge
Have Derek James as YourPersonal GovCon Coach for 90 Days
The 90-Day Bid Challenge gives you the highest level of access to Derek you will find on the market. Text Derek directly, get live proposal reviews, and gain the speed and structure you cannot get on your own.
Final cohort of 2026. Applications close November 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. The next cohort opens in 2027.
Direct text access, 1-on-1 calls, and live proposal reviews with Derek James.
Who it's for
We meet you where you're at.
Most people who join are at one of these three points. Wherever you are, the work gets shaped around your company.
You just got your CAGE code
You're registered and ready, but you don't know which bids to chase or where to start. We set the foundation the right way so your first bids count.
You're bidding but not winning
You're putting in the hours and submitting proposals, but the awards aren't coming. We find what's holding you back in your pricing, compliance, and bid decisions.
You won, but you're not sure how
You landed a contract or two, but the next one still feels like a guess. We turn what worked into a process you can repeat on purpose.
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.
Final cohort of 2026. Applications close November 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. The next cohort opens in 2027.
The core of the Challenge
Compare 1 year on your own vs. 3 focused months with Derek.
How much more progress could you make and speed could you gain in your business if you could have Derek as your personal GovCon coach?
Imagine being able to text Derek when you need help. Getting on scheduled 1-on-1 Zoom calls or weekly check-ins. Having Derek review your proposals before you send them to a contracting officer.
Imagine Derek is the same coach who has helped hundreds of other new contractors bid and win their first or next contracts. From winning 32 federal contracts worth over $15M since 2013, to helping students win more than $100M since 2019, Derek is well versed to meet you where you are at.
Spend days digging through forums, YouTube, and regulations, second guessing whether the advice fits your business.
Text Derek directly and get clear answers fast so your momentum never stalls.
Waste weeks hesitating over whether to bid, who to team with, or how to price, letting opportunities slip by.
Walk through your live opportunities with Derek and make confident bid decisions fast.
Learn the hard way through costly compliance rejections, bad pricing, and months of lost bids.
Derek reviews your proposals and numbers before you submit, so you skip years of expensive trial and error.
Look like an unproven rookie to contracting officers while you try to figure out what they want to see.
Position your business the right way on day one so agency buyers and prime contractors take you seriously.
Chase random solicitations with no repeatable system for growing revenue.
Mirror the growth structure Derek used to win 32 federal contracts and help students win over $100M.
Won by Derek for a small business since 2013.
Won by students since 2019.
Everything included
Weekly check-ins with Derek
Live weekly check-ins with Derek to review your live bids, answer questions, and keep your progress on track.
Scheduled 1-on-1 Zoom calls
Book private 1-on-1 time directly with Derek so you can dive deep into your specific strategy and opportunities.
Direct text access to Derek
Text Derek directly when you get stuck or need quick advice on a live deal.
Derek's live proposal reviews
Derek reviews your real proposals before you submit them to a contracting officer so you never bid blind.
Growth structure from Derek's top students
Derek has seen what works and what fails. You mirror the training structure used by his most successful students.
Teaming and industry guidance
Whether you are entering a new industry or want to learn how to team, Derek draws on 32 federal wins to guide your approach.
Contracting officer communication
Get Derek's direct guidance on what to say when reaching out to agency buyers and small business specialists.
Derek's 90-day bid curriculum
A structured, week by week curriculum built from 13+ years in federal contracting so you always know what to do next.
Hear it from Derek
See the work before you apply.
I walk through the work, the support, and the effort it takes.
Real people building real businesses
Real people. Real businesses. Real wins.
No shortcuts, no get-rich-quick promises, and no overnight success. Just real contractors putting in the work. Researching agencies, pricing jobs right, submitting compliant proposals, and building companies that last.
Verified contractor results
A win can happen. It is not promised.
The goal is a bid process you can keep using. Awards depend on the agency, the bid, the price, and the competition. No award is guaranteed.
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.
Derek's story
In federal contracting since 2013.
By my 30th birthday, I had won 32 contracts worth over $15M for a small business across a range of federal agencies. Nobody handed me a playbook. I learned it by bidding, losing, fixing, and bidding again.
I don't bid anymore because I don't compete with my students. I help them find good-fit bids, build relationships, and write stronger proposals.
"I'll get in the trenches with you. But you have to do the work."
Schedule and curriculum
See your Cohort calendar.
Pick a date to see calls, portal work, and 1-on-1 booking days.
Free download
Get the full 90-day curriculum.
Every week, call, and milestone laid out start to finish.
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 picks back up Monday, January 4.
Day 90
15 days before the pause plus 75 days after it. The Cohort finishes Friday, March 19, 2027.
Class tuition
$3,000 for 3 focused months.
You're paying for direct access to me, live feedback on real bids, and a process you keep long after the 90 days end. No award is promised.
Credit-card payments include a $150 processing fee.
Payment plans are available and discussed on your enrollment call.
4 seats left
I cap every Cohort at 20 so I can actually review your work and answer your texts. More seats would mean less of me for you.
Be honest with yourself
Who this is not for.
Every seat matters. If any of these describe you, this isn't 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 looking for free help
Class tuition is $3,000. If you are not ready to invest in yourself yet, my free YouTube channel (youtube.com/@govkidmethod) and the free GovCon Operating System guide are the place to start.
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're ready to bid consistently for 90 days, this was built for you.
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.
Final cohort of 2026. Applications close November 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. The next cohort opens in 2027.
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.