The Peel

CMS Industry Day is getting a major upgrade in 2026. This year's event promises more access, more collaboration, and a closer look at the technologies and acquisition priorities shaping the agency's future. On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire, chats with Doug Bergevin, Director of CMS's Office of Acquisition and Grants Management (OAGM) and Head of Contracting, and Suman King, Business Operations Analyst, OAGM, for an inside look at the upcoming CMS Industry Day on December 2 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, Maryland. This year's theme, "SI in Action: Crushing Fraud, Powering What's Next," brings together CMS leadership, federal decision-makers, and industry partners to explore how superintelligence, SI, emerging technologies, and acquisition strategies are transforming the agency's approach to program integrity, fraud prevention, and mission delivery. Doug and Suman share why CMS is taking Industry Day beyond its traditional headquarters setting to create a larger, more interactive experience. With expanded networking opportunities, increased access to CMS and HHS leadership, and candid discussions about agency priorities, the event is designed to strengthen connections and give industry a clearer understanding of what CMS needs from its partners. The conversation also previews an agenda featuring technology leaders from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, AWS, and Microsoft, discussions on SI adoption and fraud prevention, and insights from CMS leaders on how emerging technologies can address real mission challenges. And for contractors looking ahead, the afternoon's acquisition forecast sessions with four OAGM groups will offer a closer look at upcoming opportunities, procurement priorities, and changes that could shape business development strategies in the year ahead. Whether you're an established CMS contractor, a new entrant exploring opportunities, or a technology provider looking to support the agency's evolving mission, this episode explains why CMS Industry Day 2026 is an event you'll want to be part of. Join CMS in person or virtually on December 2 for a day focused on innovation, collaboration, and what's next for the agency. ⁠Click here⁠ for more information and to register. To connect with Doug, follow him on LinkedIn ⁠here⁠. To connect with Suman, follow her on LinkedIn ⁠here⁠.

Financial success is about more than access to capital. For small businesses, it's about making informed decisions, building a strong foundation, and developing strategies that support long-term growth. On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire welcomes Lauren Masters, Special Events Director at the National Veteran Small Business Coalition (NVSBC), for a preview of the upcoming 2027 Finance Symposium, taking place February 17 at the FUSE Center at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia. Designed for small businesses navigating the challenges of financial growth and sustainability, the symposium goes beyond traditional lending and financing discussions to explore the legal, tax, accounting, operational, and strategic considerations that can make or break a business. Lauren shares what attendees can expect from three educational tracks covering financial readiness and capital access; growth, scale, and operational excellence; and strategic growth, M&A, and wealth creation. She also explains why this event isn't just for CFOs and finance professionals; business owners, executives, and growth leaders all have something to gain. The conversation highlights opportunities for one-on-one matched networking with subject matter experts, a new mentorship component, and practical takeaways that attendees can put to work immediately. Plus, with registration now open and the call for presentations closing November 11, Lauren shares how industry experts can help shape the conversation and why small businesses should make plans to be in the room. Whether you're looking to strengthen your financial foundation, prepare for growth, or explore what's next for your business, this episode offers a preview of an event designed to turn financial knowledge into actionable strategies. Learn more, register, or submit a presentation at nvsbc.org. To connect with Lauren, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about NVSBC at their website here.

The Digital Services Coalition (DSC) is entering a new chapter—with new leadership, an expanding voice, and big ambitions for helping government rethink how technology, procurement, AI, and digital services come together. On this episode of The Peel Podcast, Shelley McGuire sits down with On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Nico Ojeda, President of the Digital Services Coalition, and Crystal Philcox, who joins the conversation on her very first day as the DSC’s new Executive Director. Nico shares what the coalition was looking for in its next leader and why Crystal’s experience across technology, procurement, policy, strategic planning, and government made her the right fit for where the organization wants to go next. Crystal discusses her vision for helping the DSC become an even stronger voice on the technology issues facing government. With member companies working across federal, state, and local government, the coalition has an opportunity to bring an experienced, technology-agnostic perspective to conversations around AI policy and governance, outcome-based procurement, agile development, budgeting, and modernization. The goal? Move beyond talking about agile and modernization and help government make them real—from procurement and budgeting to program execution and citizen-facing services. The conversation also offers a preview of what’s ahead for the DSC, including The Great Digital Debate on November 5 at District Winery, where government and industry leaders will come together to challenge assumptions, exchange ideas, and have candid conversations about the future of digital government. For more information about the event and registration, click here. To connect with Nico, follow him on LinkedIn here. To connect with Crystal, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about DSC on their website here.

The way government contractors compete, pursue opportunities, and grow is changing, and the next wave of technology could reshape the GovCon growth landscape in ways we're only beginning to understand. OrangeSlices founder and CEO David Blackburn recently connected with Matt Simonson of Unanet for a forward-looking conversation about where the GovCon growth technology market is headed, the expanding role of AI, and what these changes could mean for contractors over the next five years. Unanet brings an interesting perspective to this discussion. As a leading provider of purpose-built ERP and CRM solutions, supporting more than 3,200 project-driven organizations, the company has deep roots in helping GovCons connect their people, projects, financials, and growth strategies. And as the market evolves, Unanet is evolving alongside it, with an expanding focus on the emerging GovCon growth software marketplace. But this conversation goes well beyond Unanet. What does the future of GovCon growth software actually look like? How should contractors be thinking about frontier AI models and their potential role in business development and growth? And as new technologies and capabilities emerge, what will distinguish the companies that capitalize on these changes from those that struggle to keep pace? Matt shares his perspective on where the market is moving, how Unanet is positioning itself within that changing landscape, and what GovCon leaders should be paying attention to as they plan for the years ahead. If you're a GovCon executive thinking about how technology will change the way your company competes and grows, this is a conversation worth your time. To connect with Matt, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Unanet on their website here.

Winning a major government contract has never been just about what you put on paper. Increasingly, teams have to walk into the room, own the solution, work together, and perform under pressure. And as Vericol’s Kate Parkinson knows firsthand, there may be more in common between building a winning orals team and running a high-performing kitchen than you might think.   OrangeSlices CEO David Blackburn recently connected with Parkinson, Principal Consultant at Vericol, to explore what it takes to prepare teams for that moment. Parkinson brings more than 25 years of GovCon growth experience and, for the past five years, has led Vericol’s Orals Coaching offering. An ICF-certified coach, she helps teams strengthen the collaboration, messaging, credibility, and delivery required to perform when the stakes are high.   That expertise is part of Vericol’s broader work helping government contractors grow and compete more effectively, from business development and capture through solutioning, proposals, pricing, and orals. The company works alongside clients as an extension of their teams, bringing experienced practitioners into the challenges and pursuits that matter most.   Blackburn and Parkinson dig into what is driving the growing emphasis on orals, how requirements are evolving, what Parkinson looks for when she first begins coaching a team, and what separates a group of capable individuals from a team that can confidently deliver together.   And then there’s the chef connection. Midway through her career, Parkinson took an unexpected detour from GovCon and became an award-winning chef before ultimately returning to the industry. What does that have to do with how she coaches GovCon teams for high-stakes orals today?   You’ll have to listen in for that one. But for GovCon leaders with a major pursuit ahead, there may be more worth taking from the kitchen into the orals room than you think.   To connect with Kate, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Vericol on their website here.

Forget the traditional panel discussion. The Digital Services Coalition (DSC) is putting government and industry on opposite sides of the conversation—and asking them to debate some of the biggest questions facing digital services and procurement today. On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Nico Ojeda, President of the Digital Services Coalition, for a preview of The Great Digital Debate, taking place November 5 at District Winery in Washington, D.C. The event will bring together federal, state, and local government leaders alongside industry experts for a lively debate on the future of digital services and digital procurement. Is digital services still a distinct discipline, or has it evolved into something entirely different? How should government procurement evolve as technology changes rapidly? And where do government and industry see things differently? The conversation also explores issues DSC members will tackle in a more intimate government-industry session, including “AI as an FTE,” what happens when AI-driven efficiencies significantly lower proposed costs, and how agencies should balance innovation against traditional past-performance requirements. The goal isn't simply to debate—it’s to create the kind of candid government-industry dialogue that can uncover concerns on both sides and help everyone get closer to “yes.” Add audience participation, tabletop discussions, networking and a waterfront happy hour, and The Great Digital Debate promises a very different kind of GovCon conversation. For more information about the event and registration, click here. To connect with Nico, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about DSC at their website here.

A new federal fiscal year is underway, and GWACs could play an even bigger role in how agencies buy in FY27. But which vehicles should government contractors be watching—and what can companies do if they don’t already have a seat at the table? On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire welcomes back Eric Nusbaum, Founder and CEO of ENcompass Consulting Group, for his monthly GovCon check-in and a look at the GWAC outlook for FY27. Eric breaks down the major vehicles shaping the market, including SEWP VI, Alliant 3, Polaris, 8(a) STARS III, VETS 2 and OASIS+, along with what FY26 utilization may signal for the year ahead. With SEWP VI expanding beyond its traditional IT product focus and OASIS+ continuing to gain momentum, contractors could see significant opportunities as agencies increasingly turn to familiar governmentwide vehicles. Not already a prime? Eric explains why traditional GWACs can be difficult to enter after award—and why OASIS+ stands apart with its continuous on-ramping, broad scope and ability to add domains over time. His message for companies looking for a prime position is clear: OASIS+ deserves serious attention. The conversation also explores what happens after you win a vehicle. With OASIS+ task orders sometimes carrying extremely short proposal windows, early intelligence, teaming, customer research and positioning become critical long before the RFP drops. If GWACs are part of your FY27 growth strategy—or you’re wondering whether they should be—this episode provides a practical look at where the market is headed and how to position your company for what comes next. To connect with Eric, visit him on LinkedIn here. To learn more about ENcompass Consulting Group, visit their website here.

AI can answer a question. But what happens when AI starts making decisions and taking action on your behalf? On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Jason Balser, Senior Director of AI and Data Strategy at RELI Group, to break down one of the hottest topics in technology today: agentic AI. Jason explains the concept through a simple travel analogy—traditional AI can help with individual pieces of planning a trip, while agentic AI is more like handing the entire itinerary to a travel agent and giving them the autonomy to make decisions to accomplish your goal. But with greater autonomy comes greater responsibility. Jason explores what happens when AI agents make unexpected decisions, why hallucinations and weak controls can create significant risks, and why organizations need the right governance and guardrails in place before turning over too much control. The conversation also tackles a critical question every leader should ask before deploying an AI agent: What’s the worst thing that could go wrong? From managing an email inbox to decisions affecting healthcare or national security, not every use case carries the same consequences—and not every decision should be automated. Jason shares three considerations for responsible agentic AI: define the outcome, understand the consequences, and make sure a real person remains accountable. As agentic AI evolves, the challenge won’t simply be adopting it—it will be determining where autonomy makes sense and building governance that matches the risk. To connect with Jason, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about RELI Group at their website here.

What if crossing a finish line could mean more than completing a race? For Athletes Serving Athletes (ASA), it’s about creating community, belonging, friendship, and the opportunity for athletes with limited mobility to experience the excitement of accomplishing something together. On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Julia Kardian, Chief Operating Officer of Athletes Serving Athletes, to share the mission behind an organization that has spent 18 years helping individuals with disabilities participate in running events throughout Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, and Northern Virginia. From 5Ks to full marathons, ASA provides the specialized equipment, race registrations, practices, and volunteer “WingMen” needed to help its athletes get to—and across—the finish line. But ASA is about much more than running. Julia shares how the organization creates an inclusive community where athletes who may otherwise experience isolation are surrounded by people who know their names, celebrate their accomplishments, and make sure they know they belong. The conversation also offers a challenge to the GovCon community: get involved. ASA needs volunteer runners, joggers, and even those who prefer a slower pace to help more athletes participate. Speed doesn’t matter. As ASA’s tagline says, “Together We Finish.” ASA will also be featured as a giving-back organization at the upcoming Looking Ahead at CMS for 2027 event on October 21 in Columbia, Maryland. To connect with Julia, follow her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about ASA at their website here.

On this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Wagish Bhartiya, Chief Growth Officer at REI Systems, to explore what federal agencies need to get right before AI can truly transform how they operate. At the center of the challenge is data. Agencies often have enormous amounts of information spread across disconnected systems—and AI can confidently deliver an answer even when it’s working with incomplete data.  Wagish also shares how REI Systems is applying AI internally throughout the software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering and coding to testing, while learning firsthand why governance, standards, training and human expertise remain critical. But perhaps the biggest challenge is moving AI from pilot to production. Wagish explains why government AI must go beyond producing an answer—it needs to produce an answer that can be defended. That means explainability, traceability, and repeatability, because in government, as he says, “every answer needs a receipt.” To connect with Wagish, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about REI Systems at their website here.