Heather Kirk October 16, 2023 2 Comments

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Elev8GovCon Honorees. Details here.

The Federal GovCon sector continues to be one of the most complex and competitive marketplaces in the world and the consistent and long-term winners of today and tomorrow are those companies that understand they must not only bring to the table efficient and effective solutions, but also a culture that demonstrates their own excellence, making them a beacon for talent, for partners, and for clients.

The defined characteristics of these winners which we summarize as being drivers to Elev8 GovCon, provide a major competitive edge, to include in higher levels of employee and customer engagement and loyalty which translate into higher growth and profits. The companies recognized, and the leaders guiding these teams forward, understand what it takes and are models of #doingittherightway. #Elev8GovCon  

We are pleased to announce the 2024 Elev8 GovCon Honorees, a list of companies that have demonstrated they met higher standards for culture, engagement and giving back which were corroborated by both an employee and partner submission.

Updated October 16, 2023 – Adding to a select list of companies that have demonstrated they meet higher standards for culture, engagement and giving back which were corroborated by both an employee and partner submission, the final list of Elev8 GovCon Honorees for 2024 has been released:

OS AI Note: The only path for the identified large firms to be selected for this list was to be nominated and referred by small and mid-sized company peers for being good partners, and reviewed by an eval committee. When it comes to inside intel, these recommendations speak volumes.  

The 2024 Elev8 GovCon honorees include an outstanding group of companies that clearly stand out from the competition based on their actions and the impact they and their leaders have on their employees, and as part of the larger GovCon community.   

Congratulations to all of these firms for being recognized by their employees, partners, and customers for the high standards they set and maintain.  #elev8govcon 

Elev8 companies are evaluated and stand out based on their outstanding characteristics in 8 key areas:  

Good Partner    

Partners come in many shapes, sizes and with different purposes but those who do it the right way are sought after and are partners anyone would happily engage again. Other words that may define this category include ethical, reputable, moral, upright, and exemplary. Partners that are exceptional not only uphold the ‘letter of the law’ when it comes to teaming agreements, but they also find ways to go above and beyond to provide support, mentorship, engagement, to collaborate, and to bridge the divide, building one successful team to deliver for their client. 

Growing Your Talent  

Taking care of people means helping them be and do better than they did before. Whether that is through internal or external training, certifications, mentorship programs, or opportunities to take on leadership roles, companies that take care of their teams find ways for them to excel, and they support and encourage those efforts. Growing talent may mean helping people evolve and grow into opportunities outside of the company as they seek fulfillment, or may help develop the next level of leadership within the company. Either way, the focus is on what is best for the individual. 

Exemplify Innovation  

Whether it is through technology, culture, mission or approach, companies that succeed do not stand still. Innovation signifies life, implies thought and forward movement, and is critical as the world becomes increasingly complex and challenging. Innovation must exist in how teams come together, in benefits and compensation offered, in ways business engages with partners and clients in order to drive true forward motion. Companies must be guided by principles that understand the status quo is not enough and they must demonstrate they are doing more and doing better. 

Philanthropy    

Narrowly defined as the donation of money, philanthropy implies a generosity that can also translate to money, pro-bono work or in-kind donations that underlies it is not all about the bottom dollar but about the bigger picture.  True philanthropy is not a checkbox or cheque that is signed based on company profits, but rather is driven by its team, by its focus, and by what is happening the world and communities it works in. 

Industry Engagement  

Whether it is hosting or driving the development of events and activities intended to support the industry as a whole, companies that ‘do it right’ all seem to have some component of giving back to the industry that sustains them that is authentic and appreciated. True engagement is not a one-day-a-year activity, and is not focused on a single act or single organization. Industry engagement looks at the whole of the community and will include multiple aspects including mentorship, giving of time or services, sharing of intel, will involve people from across the company and will be driven by a desire to give back. 

Inclusive and Diverse  

Better for the diversity we bring, unique for the ideas of the individual, variety is the spice of life, are terms that all drive home the value of inclusivity, of hiring people who are different. More than that, inclusive and diverse teams find ways to have those voices heard, for combining those personalities on shared efforts for the betterment of all involved.   

Sustainability Practices   

Not just a recent buzzword, sustainability is important for industry and is becoming increasingly important for government. We know sustainability may be harder to define for smaller businesses but those that are #doingitright understand that everyone must do their part and they have identified and defined ways they can #dobetter for themselves and their government clients. 

Investment for the Sake of Betterment 

Investing to grow is natural. Investing to do better is exceptional. Whether it is investment in internal systems and processes, adding to the team to lighten workloads, adding SME support focused on the softer side of business, seeking external counsel aimed at improving the company, maturing processes and customer delivery through certifications or process standards companies that #doitright are willing to put money behind their commitment to improving the work environment and experience for both internal teams and as it relates to customer delivery. 

The list of 2023 Elev8 GovCon Honorees is available here.

 


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Leave a Reply

  1. Kristina Moore

    When will nominations open for this award in 2024? How do we apply? Do we need to be a premium member to apply?

  2. Heather Kirk Listing Owner

    Details are not yet available but any open nominations/details will be announced in our newsletter. You do not have to be an OS AI partner.