OS AI caught up with Deana DePaz, Vice President of Sales & Operations at RHO, a WOSB specializing in IT staffing. Despite being a WOSB, RHO proved to be strategic partner on the winning teams for the $23B VA ICSP and $60B T4NG2 IDIQs. Deana shares her company’s philosophy on retention, emphasizing the value of people as assets, and how this WOSB is positioned to help support companies, large, small, and mid-tier in securing contract wins.
Founded to be Unique
Established more than 40 years ago, RHO has always approached its talent acquisition and retention from a different lens. While the company has pivoted slightly over time, shifting from a commercial company about a decade ago into the government space, its commitment to its staff, its clients and partners, remains. “We learned all our experience in the commercial world an became one of the best vetting companies in the industry.
From its earliest days RHO applied a personal touch, building relationships with its internal and external teams that went beyond the work environment. Today there are personal check-ins to see how people are, whether they need anything, what’s happening at home, with their families. Then there are project check-ins through which everyone is brought together to meet each other and share ideas. The one brings us intimate knowledge of who are people are and the other keeps them connected to the larger community and effort. Both of these are valuable in ensuring good people stay.”
“We have always known that people are the real asset. When they leave a company, they take with them a breadth of knowledge and insight. We value all of our people as core assets and ensure we treat them that way, part of our work family. It shows in our turnover rate which is next to nothing.”
Unlike some subcontractors, and also unique, RHO intends always to serve as a partner within any business relationship. It does not hold its own contract vehicles, will never seek to Prime. “We decided early on to be who we are. Our goal is to continue to be the support arm, to be part of the team, not lead the team. Our strength is in our people but also our processes, our ability to quickly onboard and scale up as needed to support our partners. What we do, we do really well. That is our focus and commitment.”
Intimacy Breeds Success
Always looking ahead to how it can be ready, improve and refine, RHO launched an incubator program, a waiting room of sorts that can help new projects ramp up quickly and effectively. Starting with an internal database that stretches back over four decades, the program looks for connections and to build relationships with new potential talent. “Connecting with former employees of an incumbent contractor can be a wonderful opportunity. They can share valuable insights into the people, processes, and challenges with the previous contract. Not only do they offer valuable intel, but they might also introduce you to others who share similar experiences and knowledge. These relationships are a pathway into gaining a deeper contract understanding providing an opportunity to increase your Pwin.”
RHO is uniquely positioned to support recompete bids by leveraging its extensive talent pool and relationships to provide valuable contract and program intel, while also seamlessly sourcing and bringing top-notch talent onboard. “People forget that the greatest insight comes from the people doing the work, grinding it every day, who see what is working, what isn’t, and that information can be invaluable to a recompete.”
Partner Opportunity
As a WOSB, RHO can be attractive to teaming partners for a number of reasons, not the least of which is its robust recruiting infrastructure that can help Large, small and mid-tier companies ramp-up quickly and as needed . Not exactly a new kid in the neighborhood, they are still a new name to many and a competitive option worth getting to know. “Building long-lasting relationships is crucial but committing to a partner without ongoing assessments may not be strategic. Regularly evaluating both current and potential partners fosters strategic awareness and prevents challenges down the road. We always maintain open communication with our teaming partners to ensure we consistently deliver the highest quality service. We have come in more than once near the end of a contract when someone was struggling because of turnover to carry a contract towards the finish line.”
Looking to partner with companies who are strategic thinkers, RHO looks to become an extension of their partners, not merely a vendor. Attending meetings as part of the team, there is an opportunity to identify areas of support, additional options to be leveraged.
The Culture Fit
While it can satisfy partner needs in many ways, RHO is selective about who it will partner with, and which of its team will fit within a certain environment. Using multiple approaches, including an interview with the partner company to find out the skillsets they need, the work environment as they see it, the company will also seek to have one person take a role with the company so they can provide that outsider view of the work environment, the stress level, managerial styles. “It helps us know who we can successfully position within a company based on personality, working styles, adaptability and more. No one can assess that better than someone working on the side. And there are some companies we won’t partner with. If the environment is not conducive to success, if we see that they are not going to treat our people the way we would, we close the door and walk away.”
Saying this is a company intending to succeed but also one that leads with its heart, RHO is flexible in what it offers partners as a way to support their wins. Leading with their hearts also means they are not looking to just put bodies in seats, not looking just to satisfy numbers. “I always tell companies they should focus on their core business because when you deviate, when you think you can also do recruiting, can also do something else, you will create gaps. Be willing to bring in a team of SMEs who knows this side of things and then let us do what we know, establish relationships, make people happy so they can keep the customer happy. Remember it is the people who will be doing the work, fulfilling the deliverables, following the process. The people are the key really to any successful bid, any successful implementation.
Deanna will be out and about at HIMSS. Connect with her at deana.depaz@rho-inc.com
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