
TEAMINGJul 19, 202608:09
3 Subcontracting Mistakes That Can Bankrupt a Small Government Contractor Fast
Your host
Eric Coffie
Eric Coffie built a construction company from zero to $20M+ in federal sales, then founded GovCon Giants to teach everyday people how to win government contracts.
About this episode
Government contracting subcontracting rules can make or break your first federal deal, and this episode breaks down exactly what small business owners need to know before signing with a large prime. Eric Coffie walks through real lessons learned from being subcontracted, being burned by big companies, and eventually building his own subcontracting strategy from the ground up. Whether you are new to govcon or already chasing your next teaming agreement, this conversation covers the details most contractors only learn the hard way.
Key discussion points: Why working with oversized prime contractors can financially bury small businesses without proper safeguards How building a real relationship inside a company gives you leverage most subcontractors never get Why FAR clauses only bind the company that holds the prime contract, not automatically the subcontractor
Show notes & timestamps
- 0:00Introduction and Mindy AI sponsor message
- 0:48Why avoiding oversized prime contractors matters
- 1:51Building an ally inside the company you sub for
- 2:26Real subcontract example with Tavin and a prime
- 4:18How working relationships become real business friendships
- 6:05FAR flow down rules explained for subcontractors
- 6:32Subcontracting to a large business under a set aside


