Field notes.
Practical writing on building digital tools for small Defense contractors — program management, compliance, proposal ops, and software craft.
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SAM.gov / DSBS Hygiene for New Entrants
A practical hygiene checklist for making SAM.gov and DSBS profiles searchable, defensible, and useful to prime contractors.
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Color-Team Reviews When You Only Have Three People
A scaled pink/red/gold review system for small proposal teams that need real critique without prime-contractor ceremony.
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WBS Dictionary Essentials: The Document Nobody Writes That Saves Your Variance Reviews
A practical guide to building a work breakdown structure dictionary that survives DCAA review. Minimum viable artifact, real-world structure, and why it's the single highest-leverage document in earned value management.
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CMMC Level 2 for $5M–$50M Shops: What to Build, What to Buy, What to Skip
A pragmatic build/buy/skip framework for small Defense contractors approaching CMMC Level 2 — honest cost ranges, what off-the-shelf tools actually solve, and where custom tooling earns its keep.
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DCAA-Compliant Timekeeping for Small Defense Contractors (Without Deltek)
DCAA timekeeping audits aren't really about the software. Here's what compliance actually means at small-business scale — and the affordable tools that get you there without a Costpoint license.
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Earned Value Without Deltek: A Pragmatic Setup for Small DoD Contractors
You don't need a $100K/year ANSI-748-compliant EVMS to run earned value on a $3M contract. Here's a small-shop setup that actually works — and what to do when it stops being enough.
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