When President-elect Joe Biden took the stage in January and recited the oath of office, he became the 46th president of the United States. With the inauguration comes not only a new president and vice president, but a new administration. This means that policy priorities and spending habits may change, and as a result, so will the government marketplace.

At the height of the Cold War in 1962, U.S. officials conducted the Starfish Prime Test where they detonated a 1.4 megaton bomb above the Pacific Ocean causing irreparable damage to electronics over 870 miles away. This is when everyone started to realize the detrimental effects Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs) could have on our technologically dependent society. Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs) are short bursts of electromagnetic energy that can swiftly damage or destroy electronics. They can come in many different forms whether manmade as a weapon of war or natural from a rare super storm, but the big picture is the same – they can pose as a great threat to our nation.

Supporting American-made products and services is a Bipartisan effort. Within his first week in office, President Biden has shown he wants to invest in the U.S. economy by signing an Executive Order to strengthen the 'Buy American' rules established by the Federal Government. A similar Executive Order was signed by the previous administration to support the 'Buy American' agenda, but Biden's plan has more specific regulations. President Biden’s 'Made in America' Executive Order outlines the exact requirements moving forward in federal procurement with hopes to spur the U.S. economy.

If you look back at your 2020 plans and goals from last January, they probably don’t mention anything about a global pandemic. 2020 was an incredibly unpredictable year for all of us. Despite the economic uncertainty, government spending continues to steadily increase as agencies spring to action to make sure national, state, and local organizations have the resources they need to provide COVID-19 relief.

The first presidential transition occurred in 1797 when President George Washington handed over the presidency to his replacement, John Adams. Since that first transition, the handoff of power from one sitting President to a newly elected replacement has worked soundly in some cases, while other transitions have not gone as smoothly.

If you’re new to the world of government contracting, you may have little to no experience with writing and responding to a government solicitation. This may seem like a daunting task for those who haven’t crafted many solicitations. However, if you are armed with the right information, responding to a government solicitation can be a breeze for you and your company.