Margarita Howard, the sole owner, CEO, and president of HX5, a company that provides mission-critical services to the Department of Defense and NASA, has built the company with a focus on integrity, reliability, and a deep understanding of government processes. Under Howard’s leadership, the firm has grown from a small organization to an enterprise with over 1,000 employees across 34 states and 90 government locations. This growth has been driven by its ability to secure major contracts and build long-standing trust with government agencies.
One key to Howard’s success has been her focus on understanding the complexities of government contracting. From her time in the military, combined with her professional work experience in the federal contracting industry, Howard gained a keen sense of how government agencies operate and the challenges they face.
Howard’s company initially found success by securing contracts through the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program, which helped the company gain valuable experience and credibility in the highly competitive field of government contracting. Margarita Howard says, “After becoming an 8(a) company, we were awarded very quickly, several contracts in one year.”
But even while participating in the program, Howard decided not to rely solely on set-aside contracts. “I had that competitive edge or desire,” she notes. “And I knew that I didn’t want to depend on just sole-source awards.”
The firm has steadily built a solid track record of past performance, bolstering its ability to secure government contracts and expand its presence in the industry. Howard explains, “Those initial contracts we received provided a strong foundation for us to build from.”
Strategic Partnerships and Subcontracting
To successfully compete for and win prime government contracts, HX5 employs a multifaceted method that focuses on understanding the needs of government agencies and building strong relationships within the contracting community. Conducting thorough research on government agencies’ specific requirements is central to crafting winning proposals. “We try to always highlight our expertise, past performance, certifications, and other specialized capabilities,” Margarita Howard says.
Attending industry events and networking functions allows the company to stay informed about upcoming opportunities while fostering relationships with key players in the government contracting space. Howard says, “We’ve found that in some situations, effective collaboration with companies whose services are complementary to our own allows the combination of companies to offer the best overall comprehensive solutions.”
Maintaining long-term relationships with government agencies has been essential for growth. Howard credits much of the success to the integrity and credibility it has built with its government clients over the years. “Large businesses and the government have to meet small business goals,” she explains. “So when they find a small company that understands the industry and performs well, that makes for a very positive long-term relationship.”
In addition to building relationships and partnerships, HX5 ensures its proposals are comprehensive and competitive by aligning its capabilities with the government’s specific requirements.
This approach has helped it build solid, long-term relationships with prime contractors and led to new opportunities. The company’s subcontracting work has helped expand its portfolio and solidified its standing as a reputable partner within the industry.
How Margarita Howard and HX5 Ensure Compliance and Accountability
Compliance is a significant concern in government contracting, and HX5 has always prioritized this. The company maintains a team of advisers who specialize in the policies and regulations that govern defense contracting. These experts help the business understand and deal with the complicated regulatory environment, ensuring the company complies with all applicable laws and standards.
Margarita Howard recognizes the importance of compliance, especially in an industry as highly regulated as government contracting. “Being prepared for it, knowing our financials are always in order, is critical,” she says. “As a government contractor, our financials can be audited at any time, at a moment’s notice.”
Whether it’s meeting cybersecurity requirements, maintaining financial transparency, or adhering to labor laws, Howard ensures that her team is always ready to meet the rigorous standards set by their government clients.
The quality of its workforce is critical to HX5’s ability to maintain strong ties with government agencies. Margarita Howard is committed to hiring experts who understand the complexities of working with the DOD and NASA. “We prefer to hire experienced individuals,” she says. “Experience in their respective fields while supporting these agencies is very different from experience gained from working in the commercial world.”
To ensure that its employees remain current on the latest industry standards and best practices, HX5 invests heavily in ongoing professional development. Regular training sessions on cybersecurity, compliance, and other critical areas are integral to keeping it competitive.
One of the most critical factors for HX5’s success is assembling the right team. Although this may sound like a common principle, executing it effectively can be challenging. It must find individuals who demonstrate honesty, integrity, and loyalty — people who are committed to the company’s mission.
Many employees have been with HX5 for years, drawn to the sense of community and purpose of working for a smaller, tight-knit team. “We could not do what we do without them,” Howard points out.
Margarita Howard takes a proactive approach to hiring at HX5. “That’s an area that we always stayed very involved in,” she says. However, as HX5 expanded, the company delegated some of its hiring responsibilities. While the leadership remained involved in the early stages, contract support personnel were later hired by program managers. These managers are responsible for conducting face-to-face interviews and ensuring that each candidate meets the necessary qualifications for the job, allowing the company to maintain high standards even as it grows.
Howard says, “With our corporate staff, especially for management positions, to this day, company leadership remains involved in the hiring process.
Learn more about Margarita Howard here: https://m.doyoubuzz.com/margarita-howard
Founder Dinis Guarda
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