Government Projects:- Government contracting is highly competitive, with many companies vying for the same contracts. [NewsGram]
Margarita Howard’s journey began with significant personal and professional challenges. Facing the dual burden of studying and working, Howard turned to the Air Force, where she gained invaluable experience and benefits that supported her education.
After completing her bachelor’s degree, Howard learned the nuances of government contracts from the ground up, particularly in the implementation of Tricare, the military’s managed health care system. This experience provided her with a solid foundation in government procurement processes and regulations. “I really saw that process of bidding, contract award, implementation, and then the transition,” Howard says.
Howard’s ambition to start her own business was fueled by her extensive experience and a desire to leverage her knowledge in a more entrepreneurial way. Naming the company HX5, which stands for Howard times five, in honor of her family, she embarked on a journey to build a company that would stand out in the highly competitive government contracting arena.
Strategic Partnerships as a Cornerstone of Success
HX5’s success has been significantly bolstered by its ability to forge and maintain strategic affiliations. It’s important to build relationships with both government agencies and other contractors. “Building strong relationships with government agencies is an invaluable asset for successful government contractors as it can serve to provide the contractor with positive performance appraisals and sometimes even lead to new or additional business,” says Margarita Howard.
One key strategy the firm has employed is extensively networking within the government contracting community. Howard and her team regularly attend industry events and government-sponsored outreach programs to establish connections and stay informed about upcoming opportunities. This proactive approach has enabled HX5 to position itself favorably for prime contract awards.
“When pursuing work as a subcontractor, you tend to focus on specific specialization areas, you network regularly with multiple prime contractors, and try to demonstrate the value you bring as a partner to the prime’s team by offering the specialized skills and competitive pricing you can bring,” says Howard. “On the other hand, when pursuing work as a prime contractor, the company has to invest in comprehensive proposal development, form teaming arrangements, which can sometimes be very complicated, manage client relationships, and prioritize the various competitive risks that may affect any of a number of potential outcomes. Ultimately, as a subcontractor, you aim to complement prime contractors’ capabilities, but as a prime contractor, you bear all the responsibility for project execution, client satisfaction, and overall contract management.”
Howard’s commitment to strategic partnerships extends to working with larger contractors as both a subcontractor and a prime contractor. This dual role has allowed the company to build a robust portfolio of past performance, enhancing its credibility and competitiveness in the eyes of government agencies. “We have won some, for our size company, very large prime contracts. And we have large businesses as our subcontractors. And then we’re a very good subcontractor as well,” Howard says.
Margarita Howard’s HX5 Navigates NASA and Defense Projects
One of HX5’s significant achievements is its extensive work with NASA and the DoD. Howard’s background and the company’s strategic location in a defense community have played crucial roles in this success. “The motivation for focusing with NASA was generated through our past performance work. We were attractive to a large business, and they approached us about teaming with them on a NASA contract,” Margarita Howard says.
HX5’s work with NASA involves supporting various scientific and engineering initiatives, including projects that are pivotal to the agency’s mission. “Once we started our first NASA contract, it just built on more NASA work,” says Howard.
In the defense sector, the firm has secured and executed projects critical to national security. The company’s ability to navigate the stringent regulatory environment and adapt to changing mission priorities has been key to its success. It has an internal facility security team responsible for coordinating with government defense systems to ensure that personnel are properly cleared, trained, and monitored. This process is a crucial part of HX5‘s recruitment strategy and is managed entirely in-house.
The company’s growth trajectory in the NASA and defense sectors is marked by several notable achievements. The company has been awarded large prime contracts, a testament to its capabilities and reputation in the industry.
“Those [contracts] were highly competitive, a lot of competition. So we’re very proud of those,” says Margarita Howard.
HX5 has been involved in key projects that advance NASA’s mission to explore space and develop new technologies. The company’s role includes providing professional mission support services, all of which are critical to NASA’s success.
For the DoD, HX5’s contributions span a range of areas, including logistics, engineering, and support services for various defense programs. Howard emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high level of readiness and adaptability to meet the ever-changing demands of defense contracts. The company is adept at identifying which programs to contact and which individuals to prepare in anticipation of potential budget issues.
The company ensures that all contingency plans are in place well in advance, ready to be implemented at a moment’s notice. Even when situations come down to the wire, they are prepared to manage the transition smoothly. Similar to government operations, it continues to operate efficiently, knowing that once the budget is approved, all financial matters will be settled accordingly.
The Path Forward: Continued Growth and Excellence
Howard’s leadership and vision have set a strong foundation for HX5’s future success. She envisions continued growth for HX5, driven by the company’s commitment to excellence and its strategic approach to government contracting. The focus remains on maintaining strong relationships, delivering high-quality services, and expanding HX5’s footprint in both the NASA and defense sectors.
“Success is never guaranteed, and regardless of the fact that HX5 is a women-owned company, we must always prove our ability to meet and exceed contract requirements and deliver value to the customer, just like any other government contractor regardless of size or ownership,” says Margarita Howard.
