GCU

04/18/2026

| Defense Innovation at the Speed of Relevance

Innovation isn’t waiting.

And neither should federal contractors.

In this episode of GovCon Unscripted, Graham Plaster and Chelsea Roberts explore the growing gap between long procurement cycles and the urgent need for speed in defense.

If you work in:
- Defense technology
- Maritime or shipbuilding
- Federal contracting
- Venture-backed startups

This episode will help you understand where the industry is heading and what you should be doing now.

04/18/2026

| Speed Isn’t a Talking Point. It’s Infrastructure.

Defense leaders are calling for speed.

But we’re still operating within procurement cycles that take years to design, fund, and deploy. That’s the disconnect.

If the government needs “speed of relevance,” industry needs:
• Earlier insight
• Clearer pathways
• Scalable production capacity

One area ripe for acceleration?
The maritime and shipbuilding industrial base.

Speed isn’t just about AI or software.
It’s about industrial readiness.

04/15/2026

Most GovCon “growth strategies” aren’t actually strategies.

They’re wish lists.

If your plan doesn’t connect:
• Revenue targets
• Agency priorities
• BD investment
• Contract vehicles

…it’s not a strategy. It’s noise.

That’s exactly why I built these 18 AI prompts that force structure into your growth plan

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

1. Build a real annual GovCon growth plan (not aspirational goals)
2. Map agencies based on spend plus alignment
3. Align BD capacity with actual pipeline reality
4. Build a milestone calendar that drives ex*****on

This isn’t theory because it's designed to produce decision-grade outputs you can actually use.

If you’ve ever said:

“I know we should be more strategic…but where do we start?”

Start here:

https://collaborativecompositions.com/18-ai-prompts-for-govcon-growth-strategy/

04/15/2026

A lot has changed in GovCon over the past year… and most people haven’t caught up yet.

The way contracts are being competed, awarded, and even defined is shifting fast.

Some big ones:
- OTAs and CSOs are becoming the norm
- The FAR is being rewritten
- The old requirements system? Gone
- The workforce handling all of this? Smaller

If you’re still doing things the same way you did in 2024, you might already be behind.

Chelsea breaks it all down in a way that actually makes sense.

What’s one change you’ve noticed lately?

The defense acquisition system has changed more in the past 12 months than it did in the previous 12 years. If you are a government contractor still operating on your…

04/15/2026

Defense Innovation at the Speed of Relevance with Graham Plaster

The future of defense isn’t just about technology. It’s about how quickly it can be deployed.

Explore how AI, venture capital, and emerging innovators are redefining the pace of government contracting.

In this week's episode of GovCon Unscripted, Chelsea Roberts interviews defense technology consultant Graham Plaster to discuss how innovation is accelerating across the defense sector. The episode explores the growing influence of venture capital, the disruption of traditional defense primes, and the increasing role of AI, drones, and advanced manufacturing.

Graham shares insights from his extensive experience in the Navy, the Pentagon, and the defense innovation ecosystem, including his work with Silicon Nation. Listeners will gain practical advice on navigating the GovCon landscape, building strategic networks, and positioning their companies for future growth.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Welcome to GovCon Unscripted
• 00:00:30 – Graham Plaster’s background
• 00:03:30 – Emerging defense technologies
• 00:05:00 – Venture capital in defense
• 00:07:30 – The AI ecosystem
• 00:11:30 – Silicon Nation and networking
• 00:14:00 – Disruption of defense primes
• 00:16:00 – Maritime manufacturing innovation
• 00:19:30 – Advice for innovators
• 00:21:00 – Closing remarks

🎧 Listen now on:
🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482
🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHy

Like and follow us:
🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govconunscriptedpodcast/
🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/

Join our :
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/

New to GovCon? Here's a guide:
https://share.hsforms.com/288nO18bsRCCmdJZL66pClwbzmvx

21 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your GovCon BD Engine:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/21-ai-prompts-to-supercharge-your-govcon-bd-engine/

AI Prompt Guide for Federal Contractor Marketing:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/ai-prompt-guide-for-federal-contractor-marketing/

18 AI Prompts to Build Your GovCon Growth Strategy:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/18-ai-prompts-for-govcon-growth-strategy/

The future of defense isn’t just about technology. It’s about how quickly it can be deployed.Explore how AI, venture capital, and emerging innovators are red...

04/14/2026

| Networking Drives Success in Defense Innovation

Innovation in defense isn’t just about cutting-edge technology. It’s about moving fast enough to stay relevant.

In this week's episode of GovCon Unscripted, I sat down with Graham Plaster to unpack how AI, venture capital, and emerging tech are transforming the defense landscape. From disruptive startups to the recalibration of major primes, this episode reveals what it takes to compete in today’s rapidly evolving GovCon environment.

Why it matters:
Companies that fail to keep pace with innovation risk being left behind. Understanding how venture funding, networking ecosystems, and advanced manufacturing shape the market is essential for long-term success.


🎧 Listen now on:

🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482
🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHy

Like and follow us:

🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govconunscriptedpodcast/
🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/

Join our :
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/

New to GovCon? Here's a guide:
https://share.hsforms.com/288nO18bsRCCmdJZL66pClwbzmvx

21 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your GovCon BD Engine:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/21-ai-prompts-to-supercharge-your-govcon-bd-engine/

AI Prompt Guide for Federal Contractor Marketing:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/ai-prompt-guide-for-federal-contractor-marketing/

18 AI Prompts to Build Your GovCon Growth Strategy:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/18-ai-prompts-for-govcon-growth-strategy/

04/11/2026

AI Can Hurt You in GovCon

Yes, you read that right. AI isn’t just a productivity tool in GovCon. Used incorrectly, it can create compliance risks.

That’s the part most people aren’t talking about.

There’s a difference between using AI casually…and using it responsibly within federal contracting workflows.

We’re getting into that in this session.

https://ohioapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/3294

04/10/2026

| Doctrine can’t keep up with innovation.

“Doctrine is probably one of the slowest to adapt.”

When tech evolves faster than strategy, gaps start to form, and those gaps impact real-world readiness.

This week, we unpack what happens when innovation moves ahead…but systems don’t.

What needs to evolve faster, technology or doctrine?

04/10/2026

| Imagining the Fight: How Storytelling, Simulation, and Strategy Drive Real-World Outcomes

What actually drives success in national defense and government contracting?

It’s not just technology.

In this Success After Service episode, Daniel Gomez shares how human decision-making, adaptability, and simulation-based training prepare leaders to navigate complex, real-world challenges.

If you're in GovCon or federal contracting, this is a conversation worth listening to.

Watch or listen now and let us know your biggest takeaway.

🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482
🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHy

Like and follow us:
🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/

Join our :
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/

New to GovCon? Here's a guide:
https://share.hsforms.com/288nO18bsRCCmdJZL66pClwbzmvx

21 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your GovCon BD Engine:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/21-ai-prompts-to-supercharge-your-govcon-bd-engine/

AI Prompt Guide for Federal Contractor Marketing:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/ai-prompt-guide-for-federal-contractor-marketing/

18 AI Prompts to Build Your GovCon Growth Strategy:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/18-ai-prompts-for-govcon-growth-strategy/

04/09/2026

We’ve got something worth celebrating!

Chelsea Roberts has been nominated for The Echo Awards as a top podcast host in the public sector space.

This isn’t just about recognition, it’s about the conversations shaping GovCon every day.

Voting is open through April. You can cast your vote through the link below:

https://theechoawards.com/voting/

If GovCon Unscripted has ever helped you gain clarity or perspective, now’s your chance to support it.

04/09/2026

Modern warfare isn’t just about AI, drones, or next-gen systems.

It still comes down to human will, adaptability, and decision-making under pressure.

🎧 Listen now:
🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482
🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHy

Like and follow us:
🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govconunscriptedpodcast/
🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/

Join our :
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/

New to GovCon? Here’s a guide:
https://share.hsforms.com/288nO18bsRCCmdJZL66pClwbzmvx

21 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your GovCon BD Engine:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/21-ai-prompts-to-supercharge-your-govcon-bd-engine/

AI Prompt Guide for Federal Contractor Marketing:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/ai-prompt-guide-for-federal-contractor-marketing/

18 AI Prompts to Build Your GovCon Growth Strategy:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/18-ai-prompts-for-govcon-growth-strategy/

04/08/2026

Strategy is storytelling with consequences.

Military planning isn’t guesswork, it’s structured imagination designed to create a future state.

🎧 Listen now on:
🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482
🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHy

Like and follow us:
🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govconunscriptedpodcast/
🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/

Join our :
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/

New to GovCon? Here’s a guide:
https://share.hsforms.com/288nO18bsRCCmdJZL66pClwbzmvx

21 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your GovCon BD Engine:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/21-ai-prompts-to-supercharge-your-govcon-bd-engine/

AI Prompt Guide for Federal Contractor Marketing:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/ai-prompt-guide-for-federal-contractor-marketing/

18 AI Prompts to Build Your GovCon Growth Strategy:
https://collaborativecompositions.com/18-ai-prompts-for-govcon-growth-strategy/