The Future of GovCon

Government contracting is changing fast—driven by foreign policy shifts, new technology, and major talent moves. The Future of GovCon is your front-row seat to the leaders shaping what’s next. Hosted by Jake Frazer, CEO of Precision Talent Solutions, the show features candid conversations with CXOs, Flag Officers, diplomats, and innovators across defense, intelligence, space, and cybersecurity. Most of us only see from our own foxhole—this podcast pulls the camera back to show the whole battlefield, offering clear insights without spin or partisanship.

The Future of GovCon is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 51 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Future of GovCon, a business show with 51 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #45

  CEO of Yulista Josh Herren on ANCs, Culture, and the Argument Nobody in Washington Is Making

  Aug 10, 202646 min

  On this episode of The Future of GovCon, Jake Frazer sits down with Josh Herren, CEO of Yulista Holdings, one of the leading Alaska Native Corporations in the government contracting space. Josh grew up in Nenana, a town of 300 people in the middle of Alaska, joined the Air Force as an EOD operator after watching Keanu Reeves in Speed as a kid, was recruited by the FBI and CIA coming out of the military, and eventually found his way into GovCon through Yulista. He also sits on the board of the EOD Warrior Foundation, founded Versus Data, a GovCon M&A platform, and runs Land Mindset, a leadership philosophy initiative. In this conversation Josh shares his philosophy on culture and leadership, makes the case that nobody in Washington is making on ANCs and natural resource development, breaks down his approach to M&A, and shares what GovCon looks like in 2029. Subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more people in the GovCon community find the show. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Hook: Happy teams deliver for customers and happy customers come back 00:36 – Welcome and introduction 01:39 – Who is Josh Herren: CEO of Yulista Holdings, EOD veteran, Alaska native 02:21 – Huntsville is booming: why everybody is moving there 03:30 – Bringing GovCon CEOs onto the show 04:11 – Growing up in Nenana, Alaska: a town of 300 people 05:02 – Driving past Denali as an adult and seeing it differently 05:52 – Rural Alaska values: quiet, resourceful, planning for everything 06:17 – Dad building a 69 Chevelle from scratch in rural Alaska 06:57 – The Athabaskan community and traditional Alaska heritage 07:31 – Running an ANC: blending the soldier and the shareholder 08:45 – Board members getting emotional seeing Yulista's work for national defense 09:53 – The Yup'ik people: 40,000 shareholders across 56 villages 10:18 – The most remote region of Alaska: you cannot drive there 11:14 – Joining the Air Force: Keanu Reeves and the movie Speed 11:55 – EOD training: the best mentorship Josh ever had 12:54 – Staying connected: board of the EOD Warrior Foundation 14:38 – How Josh fell in love with business 15:01 – Recruited by the FBI and CIA — but ended up in GovCon 15:48 – Getting his first BD job at Yulista without really being qualified 16:40 – The competitive nature of business development and what hooked him 17:07 – Taking EOD operator mindset into business 18:00 – Growing Yulista and the M&A philosophy 22:00 – Culture eats strategy: why most M&A fails 26:00 – Chicago Booth, continuous education, and leadership development 28:00 – Versus Data: building a bridge in GovCon around M&A 32:00 – The 8(a) debate: what the administration is missing 35:00 – The argument nobody is making: ANCs, national security, and natural resources connected 38:00 – ANCs own the subsurface rights to Alaska's oil, gold, and precious metals 39:17 – Weakening ANCs weakens the administration's own resource development priority 40:45 – ANCs as the strongest GDP producers in the state of Alaska 41:38 – Framing the argument correctly: national security not shareholder sympathy 42:03 – Land Mindset: Josh's leadership philosophy platform 42:22 – Versus Data: the new M&A venture worth watching 42:38 – Fast forward to 2029: forming, storming, norming in GovCon 43:24 – Nontraditional contractors will have stronger footing by 2029 44:17 – New opportunities, new companies, new ways into government contracting 44:35 – One word on the future: "Opportunity" 45:27 – Closing thoughts

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  Episode #44

  How Do You Win Air Force Contracts Right Now? | Nancy Andrews, SES-3 (Ret.)

  Aug 3, 202647 min

  On this episode of The Future of GovCon, Jake Frazer sits down with Nancy Andrews, recently retired SES Tier 3 from the U.S. Air Force, former Program Executive Officer for Services overseeing 51% of the Air Force budget, former Director of Administration overseeing $5 billion at the headquarters level, and one of PTS's own Precision Experts. Nancy climbed from GS-2 intern to one of the highest ranking civilians in the Air Force, spending her career across Los Angeles Air Force Base, Patrick Air Force Base, the National Reconnaissance Office, Hanscom Air Force Base, Air Command and Staff College, and Air Force Materiel Command. In this conversation she breaks down the shift from PEOs to Portfolio Acquisition Executives, what AFCAP VI means for industry, how to build trust with the Air Force acquisition workforce, why RFIs are one of your most powerful tools, and what Air Force contracting looks like in 2029. Subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more people in the GovCon community find the show. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Hook: 2029, new skill sets, and AFCAP VI 00:31 – Welcome and introduction 01:35 – Who is Nancy Andrews: SES-3, former Air Force PEO for Services 03:18 – From GS-2 intern to overseeing 51% of the Air Force budget 05:00 – Growing up in Grantsville, Utah: small town to big city 06:00 – First assignment: teaching acquisition to operators at Patrick Air Force Base 08:47 – The moment she knew acquisition was her calling 09:32 – The pilot who said thank you — and why it changed everything 10:43 – Career path: LA Air Force Base, Space Systems, NRO 11:32 – Source selection after source selection: becoming a FAR 15 expert 12:22 – Becoming the first GS-12 to earn an unlimited contracting officer warrant 13:11 – Air Command and Staff College: ten months in Montgomery, Alabama 13:55 – Moving to the NRO and earning her warrant in two months 15:03 – Standing your ground: knowing your value and making them understand it 16:00 – Hanscom Air Force Base: leading 200 acquisition professionals 17:00 – Moving into senior SES roles and headquarters-level oversight 20:00 – The trust factor: why it matters more than ever in Air Force acquisition 22:00 – How to engage the Air Force acquisition workforce as an industry partner 26:00 – RFIs and draft solicitations: one of your most powerful tools 28:00 – The difference between good and bad industry engagement 30:49 – Respond to RFIs: it signals engagement and helps the government get it right 31:56 – The shift from PEOs to Portfolio Acquisition Executives explained 32:57 – How many PAEs are there and how do you get access to them 33:36 – Follow the money: how to find and approach the right people 34:20 – AFCAP VI: what is new, what is different, and the LPTA issue addressed 35:13 – Why AFCAP VI is bigger and what that means for industry 36:07 – Task order competitions and how pricing strategy is evolving 37:16 – A bigger industry base means more competition — and that is a good thing 37:39 – Fast forward to 2029: Air Force acquisition and AFCAP VI 38:59 – Speed, adaptability, and a different skill set in the acquisition workforce 39:29 – What industry needs to do: get on board early and often 40:14 – How does the Air Force fare in the current budget cycle vs Navy and Space Force 41:08 – UAS, counter UAS, Golden Dome, and the Air Force's role 42:15 – Epic Fury and the proof that air power still matters 42:42 – One word on the future: "Adaptable" 44:27 – Closing thoughts: humbled by the heroes and warfighters alongside her

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  Episode #43

  The Companies That Get to the Trough First Will Win | LTG Paul Chamberlain, Former Army Comptroller

  Jul 27, 202644 min

  On this episode of The Future of GovCon, Jake Frazer sits down with Lieutenant General (Ret.) Paul Chamberlain, former Army Comptroller overseeing a $185 billion budget, former Army Budget Director, former Commanding General of the Soldier Support Institute at Fort Jackson, Ranger, Special Forces officer, and one of PTS's own Precision Experts. Paul spent the last eight years of his 37-year Army career in the Pentagon, going before Congress on a regular basis to make the case for the Army's budget. In this conversation he breaks down the $1.5 trillion defense budget request, where the Army's money is actually going, how the CR and government shutdown risk plays out, when the money actually hits the street for contractors, and what companies need to do right now to position themselves to win. If you work in GovCon and the defense budget is on your radar, this episode is essential listening. Subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more people in the GovCon community find the show. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome and introduction 01:00 – Who is LTG Paul Chamberlain: Ranger, SF, Army Comptroller 02:15 – From New Jersey to Clemson: meeting his wife and joining the Army 03:17 – Signal officer in Germany and the pivot to Special Forces 04:02 – Ranger school as a senior captain and the SF battalion commander who changed his career 04:51 – The Pentagon in 2001 and how 9/11 changed the next 20 years 05:51 – Eight years managing the Army's $185 billion budget 06:17 – Special forces background and how it shaped his Pentagon approach 07:35 – Commanding General, Soldier Support Institute at Fort Jackson 08:21 – Training 10,000 soldiers, officers, and NCOs across finance and AG 09:26 – Going to Capitol Hill: the budget cycle from February to reprogramming season 11:21 – The dynamic between the Pentagon and the Hill: mission vs. politics 12:38 – Competing with the other services for scarce resources 13:52 – Space Force, nuclear forces, and the balancing act 15:10 – The $1.5 trillion request: a generational investment explained 16:00 – The reconciliation bill and the Army's $37 billion 17:00 – Missiles, drones, command and control, and new helicopters 18:00 – $100 billion for the industrial base and scaling production capacity 22:33 – The CR and shutdown risk: what does the legislative calendar look like 24:28 – When does the money actually hit the street for contractors 25:38 – Nine to twelve months out: how to position now before the money flows 26:44 – First to the trough: put your skin in the game before the contract is awarded 27:43 – How Paul helps companies navigate the noise 28:29 – Government shutdown risk: Paul's honest assessment 30:51 – The $39 trillion debt and how long the spending can continue 31:20 – Where to focus in the Army portfolio: missiles, drones, C2, housing 32:21 – Speed vs. risk: the acquisition dynamic and what companies need to know 33:51 – Industry bringing solutions to government: the new BD model 34:16 – Companies that can scale up and scale back down will win 35:15 – How long does the budget bulge last 36:01 – FY2029 budget outlook: staying at $1.5 trillion or contracting 38:04 – O&M and personnel: where the bulk of the budget always goes 39:19 – One word on the future: "Dynamic-Unknown-Opportunities" 40:30 – The unprecedented openness between government and industry right now 41:30 – Closing thoughts and how to engage Paul as a Precision Expert

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  Episode #42

  BG Terri Borras on CMMC, Insider Risk, and Why Your Adversary Is Not Waiting

  Jul 20, 202651 min

  On this episode of The Future of GovCon, Jake Frazer sits down with Brigadier General (Ret.) Terri Borras, 40-year Army veteran, former Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff at the Army G2, veteran of CJTF-HOA in Africa, and one of PTS's own Precision Experts. Terri brings a perspective that is almost impossible to find in the GovCon market: an intelligence professional who started as a PV1 enlisted soldier and climbed all the way to brigadier general, spending her career understanding exactly how adversaries think, what they target, and how companies can protect themselves. In this conversation she breaks down the CMMC pause and why it absolutely does not mean stop, the three lenses she uses to think about CMMC, how insider risk is far broader than most companies realize, why zero trust is no longer aspirational, and what the defense industrial base looks like as a battlespace in 2029. Subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more people in the GovCon community find the show. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Hook: Three lenses for CMMC — modernization, Intel, and insider risk 00:42 – Welcome and introduction 01:36 – Who is BG Terri Borras: 40 years, Army G2, Precision Expert 03:04 – Joining the Army in 1985: the "Be All You Can Be" moment 05:01 – Leaving college on a scholarship to join the Army 06:27 – Growing up in a military family: dad was a Marine, furious she enlisted 07:13 – Family of service: husband and oldest son both combat veterans 08:28 – Basic training: the bug she could never get rid of 09:19 – Calling home from basic: "I'm not sure I made the right decision" 10:15 – The moment she knew she was graduating no matter what 10:34 – Starting as an intelligence analyst: the puzzle and the critical thinking 11:27 – How the Intel job evolves from analyst to general officer 13:17 – The defining moment: the chief of staff of Special Forces Command says become an officer 14:41 – Green to Gold scholarship and George Washington University 15:23 – CJTF-HOA in Africa: serving as DCG under General Rohling 17:08 – The tyranny of distance across 52 countries and what that means for Intel 17:49 – Using Africa as a testbed for modernization in real operations 18:25 – Moving to the Pentagon: Assistant DCOS at Army G2 19:37 – Transformation in Contact: changing the Army while continuing to operate 23:14 – The shift from traditional adversaries to insider risk 24:28 – Modernization will be judged by survivability, not speed 25:30 – AI governance and ethics: is AI driving the train or are we 26:28 – Modernization is the adversary's target: delay, disrupt, destroy 28:05 – Your workforce is the first layer of defense 29:41 – Insider risk is much broader than a malicious employee stealing secrets 30:11 – The CMMC pause: what does it actually mean for industry 31:08 – Three lenses for CMMC: modernization, Intel, insider risk 32:23 – The compliance burden seesaw: too heavy and companies walk away 33:49 – The pause signals to adversaries: do not wait for requirements to protect 34:51 – The land of exceptions: why waiting is itself a risk 35:48 – How BG Borras helps companies from an advisory perspective 36:46 – The adversary is not trying to build what you built — they want to take it 37:21 – Protecting the road to market, not just the end product 39:04 – Fast forward to 2029: five lanes for the defense industrial base 40:14 – Lane one: modernization judged by survivability 40:47 – Lane two: Intel as the foundation of everything 41:20 – The defense industrial base becomes the primary battlespace 42:20 – Lane three: compliance alone will not be enough by 2029 44:04 – Lane four: zero trust is the baseline, not the aspiration 45:43 – Lane five: AI and the trust question — can you trust the model 47:59 – One word on the future: "Protection" 49:18 – Closing thoughts and how to engage Terri as a Precision Expert

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #40

  Bharath Gopalaswami: The Space Domain Is the One You Cannot Afford to Lose

  Jul 6, 202647 min

  In this episode of The Future of GovCon, Jake Frazer sits down with Bharath Gopalaswami, CEO and Founder of Mission Resilient Solutions, former Atlantic Council senior fellow, PhD from Trinity College Dublin, and one of the most credentialed space and national security thinkers in the GovCon ecosystem. Bharath has spent his career at the intersection of aerospace engineering, international security, and government contracting. In this conversation he breaks down Golden Dome and what it would actually take to build it, why losing the space domain means losing land, sea, air, and cyber, how adversaries are already targeting US space infrastructure through soft kill mechanisms, and where the GovCon space sector is heading in 2029. If you work in defense, space, or GovCon broadly, this one will open your eyes. 🔔 Subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more people in the GovCon community find the show. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Hook: How much of your life depends on space right now? 01:07 – Welcome and introduction 01:54 – Who is Bharath Gopalaswami: Mission Resilient Solutions, Atlantic Council, PhD 03:56 – Growing up in Chennai, Bombay, and Oman: a true internationalist 05:55 – The Indian Space Research Organization and an accidental career in space 06:52 – What made Chennai a hotbed of science and engineering 08:10 – The International Space University in Strasbourg: a master's in space studies 08:54 – Astrium (today's Airbus): satellite design in Germany 10:36 – Trinity College Dublin PhD: modeling noise out of rockets and airplane engines 11:52 – How watching WMD inspections in Iraq led him to international security 12:17 – Cornell postdoc: infrasound, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and missile detection 14:34 – Research in Kazakhstan: tracking atmospheric events through infrasound sensors 16:07 – Vision without resources is hallucination: the operational reality of research 16:54 – Moving to the US and the Atlantic Council: five years shaping space policy 18:00 – Founding Mission Resilient Solutions: quantifying space dependency and vulnerability 20:00 – How much of your daily life actually depends on space infrastructure 22:00 – The commercial and national security angles of space resilience 24:00 – Golden Dome: infrastructure or weapons platform? 26:00 – What price do you put on defending the homeland? 28:00 – One year funding is a promise, not a program 30:00 – The $1.5 trillion defense budget and where the space priorities are 33:36 – Golden Dome: 7,800 satellites just to intercept 10 ICBMs 35:00 – Sensor layers, detection, categorization, and the interception problem 35:51 – If you don't win the space domain you can forget the rest 36:20 – Kinetic warfare in space: soft kill and hard kill mechanisms 37:44 – Iran switching from GPS to BeiDou: what that signals 38:34 – Nobody has done it yet but there is no international law preventing it 39:25 – Fast forward to 2029: constellations, launch capacity, and data centers in space 41:25 – Mirrors in space reflecting solar energy: is this the future? 42:50 – One word on the future: "Adaptability" 44:11 – Why you no longer need the traditional primes in the space domain 44:56 – Closing thoughts and what is next for Bharath and Mission Resilient Solutions

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