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The Future of Government Procurement Part II: Top 5 Adjustments to Make In AI World

Kristina Tanasichuk
By Kristina Tanasichuk
September 22, 2025

Considering how AI will change the face of procurement, in my first installment I focused on a simple conversation between AI and a procurement specialist tasked with finding a company to provide body-worn cameras.  If market research is moving in this direction (which it is!), can your future clients “see” you?  Have you considered your online profiles, website, and content to attract the people you want?  Have you re-oriented your marketing to be sure you show up?

Here are the top 5 things you need to do NOW to stay ahead of your competitors.

  1. Optimize for “Machine Readability” and AI Indexing.

Think of this as your “JOBS USA” resume. Do you have the right words and phrases to compete? Is your company getting “pinged” and seen by AI tools?

  • Structured data & digital presence: Ensure your capabilities, NAICS codes, past performance, and differentiators are clearly structured online (e.g., SAM.gov, company site, capability statements). AI-driven tools often scrape or aggregate from public data.
  • Consistent keywords: Use the language government market research tools use — aligning with FAR categories, NAICS, PSC codes, and common solicitation terms — so your company is more likely to surface.
  • Metadata strategy: Keep profiles updated on supplier databases, SBA Dynamic Small Business Search, GSA, etc.
  • AI may shortlist vendors, but humans will weigh risk, trust, and compliance. Emphasize certifications, clear risk mitigation strategies, and audit-readiness. Make these visible and easy to verify.
  1. Shift from Pure Relationship Marketing to Relationship + Discoverability”

Relationships are still critical but if AI doesn’t shortlist you, you may never get in the door.

  • Traditional government contracting relies on relationships with program managers and contracting officers. That remains critical.
  • But with AI surfacing a shortlist before a human even sees vendors, you must position to get through the algorithmic filter first, then use relationships to reinforce trust and reliability.
  1. Differentiate with Clarity and Specificity. Know the BUZZ words.
    Contractors have always been told to have concise capability statements. Now you need concise and unique specialties and proof points.
  • Micro-differentiators: AI tools are designed to spot general “capabilities.” Contractors should highlight highly specific competencies (e.g., “cyber compliance for defense supply chains at CMMC Level 2”) instead of broad categories like “cybersecurity.”
  • Proof points: Make past performance measurable and machine-friendly (e.g., “reduced response time by 23%” vs. “improved efficiency”).
  • BUZZ words: Assure that you have the proper buzz words but back to “micro-differentiators,” clarify your experience and specialty with them to show how you are better than others.
  1. Content Strategy that Targets Both AI and Humans

You need to show up in the algorithm and win over the reviewers.

  • Public content: White papers, case studies, press releases with technical depth — all crawlable by research systems.
  • Contextual credibility: Agencies will still validate selections with human review. Clear narratives, customer stories, and mission-focused messaging help at that stage.
  • Explainability/Risk reduction: Procurement officers may need to defend why a contractor was selected. Contractors who frame their differentiators in easy-to-justify terms (“only small business with XYZ certification in region”) make it easier for agencies to choose them.
  1. Invest in Visibility Across Ecosystems

The more places you show up, the more likely AI — and buyers — will find you.

  • Engage in OTAs, industry days, GWACs, and consortia where AI-driven shortlists may draw their baseline data.
  • Assure your company is visible in more places than your website: increase visibility in thought leadership journals, speaking engagements, and opportunities where its someone other than your marketing team highlighting your brand.
  • More visibility in structured environments equals higher likelihood of AI capture.

Similarly to how we’ve always done, but on steroids, success in an “AI world” requires adapting your strategies to follow advice given for MANY years: make sure your capabilities are accurate, neat, and clear. AI systems doing the initial market research are looking for structured, keyword-aligned, data-rich content. Humans still make the final judgement and they need compelling, credible, trust-based narratives and relationships. As always.

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From terrorism to the homeland security business enterprise, for over 20 years Kristina Tanasichuk has devoted her career to educating and informing the homeland community to build avenues for collaboration, information sharing, and resilience. She has worked in homeland security since 2002 and has founded and grown some of the most renowned organizations in the field. Prior to homeland she worked on critical infrastructure for Congress and for municipal governments in the energy sector and public works. She has 25 years of lobbying and advocacy experience on Capitol Hill on behalf of non- profit associations, government clients, and coalitions. In 2011, she founded the Government & Services Technology Coalition, a non-profit member organization devoted to the missions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and all the homeland disciplines. GTSC focuses on developing and nurturing innovative small and mid-sized companies (up to $1 billion) working with the Federal government. GTSC’s mission is to increase collaboration, information exchange, and constructive problem solving around the most challenging homeland security issues facing the nation. She acquired Homeland Security Today (www.HSToday.us) in 2017 and has since grown readership to over one million hits per month and launched and expanded a webinar program to law enforcement across the US, Canada, and international partners. Tanasichuk is also the president and founder of Women in Homeland Security, a professional development organization for women in the field of homeland security. As a first generation Ukrainian, she was thrilled to join the Advisory Board of LABUkraine in 2017. The non-profit initiative builds computer labs for orphanages in Ukraine and in 2018 built the first computer lab near Lviv, Ukraine. At the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she worked with the organization to pivot and raise money for Ukrainian troop and civilian needs. She made several trips to Krakow, Poland to bring vital supplies like tourniquets and water filters to the front lines, and has since continued fundraising and purchasing drones, communications equipment, and vehicles for the war effort. Most recently she was named as the Lead Advisor to the First US-Ukraine Freedom Summit,

a three-day conference and fundraiser to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of Ukrainian war veterans through sports and connection with U.S. veterans. She served as President and Executive Vice President on the Board of Directors for the InfraGard Nations Capital chapter, a public private partnership with the FBI to protect America’s critical infrastructure for over 8 years. Additionally, she served on the U.S. Coast Guard Board of Mutual Assistance and as a trustee for the U.S. Coast Guard Enlisted Memorial Foundation. She graduated from the Drug Enforcement Agency’s and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Citizens’ Academies, in addition to the Marine Corps Executive Forum. Prior to founding the Government Technology & Services Coalition she was Vice President of the Homeland Security & Defense Business Council (HSDBC), an organization for the largest corporations in the Federal homeland security market. She was responsible for thought leadership and programs, strategic partnerships, internal and external communications, marketing and public affairs. She managed the Council’s Executive Brief Series and strategic alliances, as well as the organization’s Thought Leadership Committee and Board of Advisors. Prior to this, she also founded and served for two years as executive director of the American Security Challenge, an event that awarded monetary and contractual awards in excess of $3.5 million to emerging security technology firms. She was also the event director for the largest homeland security conference and exposition in the country where she created and managed three Boards of Advisors representing physical and IT security, first responders, Federal, State and local law enforcement, and public health. She crafted the conference curriculum, evolved their government relations strategy, established all of the strategic partnerships, and managed communications and media relations. Tanasichuk began her career in homeland security shortly after September 11, 2001 while at the American Public Works Association. Her responsibilities built on her deep understanding of critical infrastructure issues and included homeland security and emergency management issues before Congress and the Administration on first responder issues, water, transportation, utility and public building security. Prior to that she worked on electric utility deregulation and domestic energy issues representing municipal governments and as professional staff for the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce. Tanasichuk has also worked at the American Enterprise Institute, several Washington, D.C. associations representing both the public and private sectors, and the White House under President George H.W. Bush. Tanasichuk also speaks extensively representing small and mid-sized companies and discussing innovation and work in the Federal market at the IEEE Homeland Security Conference, AFCEA’s Homeland Security Conference and Homeland Security Course,

ProCM.org, and the Security Industry Association’s ISC East and ACT-IAC small business committee. She has also been featured in CEO Magazine and in MorganFranklin’s http://www.VoicesonValue.com campaign. She is a graduate of St. Olaf College and earned her Master’s in Public Administration from George Mason University. She was honored by the mid-Atlantic INLETS Law Enforcement Training Board with the “Above and Beyond” award in both 2019 – for her support to the homeland security and first responder community for furthering public private partnerships, creating information sharing outlets, and facilitating platforms for strengthening communities – and 2024 – for her work supporting Ukraine in their defense against the Russian invasion. In 2016 she was selected as AFCEA International’s Industry Small Business Person of the Year, in 2015 received the U.S. Treasury, Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization Excellence in Partnership award for “Moving Treasury’s Small Business Program Forward,” as a National Association of Woman Owned Businesses Distinguished Woman of the Year Finalist, nominated for “Friend of the Entrepreneur” by the Northern Virginia Technology Council, Military Spouse of the Year by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2011, and for a Heroines of Washington DC award in 2014. She is fluent in Ukrainian.

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