[GOVCON ROUNDUP LIVE] Teaming, Joint Ventures, and the Hidden Edge in Federal Contracting
April 15, 2026 @ 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Special Guest: Nicole Pottroff (Koprince, McCall, Pottroff LLC)
On the next episode of GovCon Roundup Live, Carroll Bernard and Steven Koprince tackle one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — strategies in federal contracting: teaming.
For many small businesses, the biggest barrier in GovCon isn’t capability — it’s contract size. Some opportunities are simply too large to pursue alone. Teaming allows contractors to combine strengths, share resources, and compete for work they couldn’t win independently. But done wrong, teaming arrangements can create risk, confusion, and missed opportunities.
In this 90-minute GovCon Roundup Live session, Carroll and Steven will walk through the essentials of teaming — from how it works to how to use it strategically — then open the floor for live Q&A with the audience.
Bring your questions on teaming agreements, partnership challenges, joint venture structure, or anything else you’re working through right now.
What We Will Cover:
What teaming really means in the federal marketplace — Why teaming is so widely used across agencies and contract types, and what it actually involves day to day.
Common teaming structures — The key differences between prime/subcontractor arrangements and joint ventures, and when each approach makes sense for your business.
Why contractors take on the complexity of joint ventures — Joint ventures require more coordination and legal structure, but the upside can be significant. We’ll explain what drives contractors to pursue them.
How teaming opens doors — From accessing larger contract vehicles to breaking into new agencies and markets, teaming can fundamentally change what’s possible for a small business.
The SBA Mentor-Protégé Program — A closer look at how this program works, who qualifies, and an often-overlooked rule exemption that gives small businesses a real competitive edge.
Whether you’re new to GovCon or looking to level up your growth strategy, this session will give you practical insights you can apply right away.
“Ignorance isn’t bliss—it’s expensive.”
GovCon Roundup Live is your survival guide to the wild world of federal contracting, where the acronyms are endless, the rules are ever-changing, and staying competitive means being sharp and adaptable. We break down policy changes, legislative updates, and industry shifts that signal strategic opportunities to pivot, reposition, and stay one step ahead of the chaos.
Whether you’re a small business, a consultant, or someone who accidentally became a government contractor and decided to roll with it, this show helps you stay informed, make smarter decisions, and maybe even enjoy the ride.
Speakers
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Carroll BernardCARROLL BERNARD, Co-Founder & Managing Member, Waypoint America LLC dba GovologyCarroll Bernard is the Co-Founder and Managing Member of Waypoint America LLC dba Govology. He brings deep government contracting expertise from serving as a government buyer, small business contractor, and procurement advisor. His career includes acquisition roles in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps, the City of Vancouver (WA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs as a warranted Contracting Officer. He later served at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as a Business Development Specialist supporting 8(a) firms, and also as the SBA Portland District’s Veteran Business Development Officer and Primary HUBZone Liaison. After federal service, Carroll helped small businesses compete for government contracts as a Procurement Counselor with the Department of Defense APEX Accelerator program (formerly PTAP). In 2015, he and his team launched Govology’s online training platform, which has trained over 20,000 business professionals through partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, universities, and corporations.
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Steven KoprinceFaculty Instructor and Legal Analyst, GovologySteven J. Koprince is a Faculty Instructor and Legal Analyst at Govology. Before joining Govology, Steven founded and served as the Managing Partner of Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC, a law firm devoted exclusively to providing comprehensive legal services to federal government contractors.
Steven is the author of The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts (AMACOM Books, 2012) and co-author of three GovCon Handbooks providing in-depth information on discrete government contracting topics. Steven also founded the blog SmallGovCon (smallgovcon.com), where he has written more than 1,100 posts on government contracting legal issues. Steven has been quoted in several national news outlets and has appeared on numerous radio programs and podcasts. A frequent featured speaker at the national conferences of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, Steven was honored as a “Friend of APTAC” at the Spring 2016 APTAC National Conference.
In addition to his work for Govology, Steven volunteers for and serves as a Director of a nonprofit organization providing wrap-around services to disadvantaged families. He is also a co-founder and Director of a nonprofit organization promoting the great sport of pickleball in Lawrence and the surrounding area.
Steven is a graduate of Duke University and the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. Steven lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, two children, and two cuddly cats.
Steven welcomes APEX Accelerator counselors to contact him by email at skoprince@govology.com and connect with him on LinkedIn.
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Nicole PottroffEquity partner, Koprince McCall Pottroff LLCNicole D. Pottroff is an equity partner with Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC. Nicole’s practice focuses exclusively on federal government contract law. She helps clients understand and comply with the complex regulatory provisions unique to federal contracting, including the FAR, DFARS, and SBA small business, 8(a) Program, WOSB/EDWOSB, SDVOSB/VOSB, and HUBZone regulations, among others.Nicole also assists clients by drafting, reviewing, and negotiating joint venture agreements, mentor-protégé agreements, teaming agreements, subcontracts, social disadvantage narratives, and other critical documents.
On the litigation side, Nicole has also played a key role in numerous GAO bid protests, Court of Federal Claims protests, SBA size and status protests, appeals before the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals, matters before the Boards of Contract Appeals, and even a protest appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Nicole graduated from the University of Kansas and the Washburn University School of Law. A lover of animals and all-things outdoors, Nicole lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with her husband and sons. Nicole covers government contracting legal topics regularly on SmallGovCon.com. You can contact Nicole by phone at (785) 200-8919 or by email at npottroff@koprince.com.
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