BUILDING ON PAST SUCCESS
KIM BAKER CONTINUES FEDERAL OUTREACH
INTERVIEW WITH PROJECT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER KIM BAKER
As a member of P2S ’ s business development group , Project Development Manager Kim Baker brings a comprehensive understanding of the Federal sector to enable market growth and foster client satisfaction . An invaluable resource to P2S ’ s Federal Market team , Kim listens closely to our clients and their concerns to learn about the different actors and workings of the market . We spoke to gain a deeper insight into our presence in the Federal market and what ’ s coming down the pipeline .
Thanks for joining us , Kim . Could you start by describing our history with U . S . government clients and projects ?
Kim Baker : With P2S ’ s acquisition of Notkin Mechanical Engineers in 2020 came a long history with and dedication to working with U . S . Departments to help them fulfill their missions and mandates . Notkin was formed in 1951 by a former Navy engineer , and even though we didn ’ t start doing Navy work right away , core values like accuracy , client service and supporting the clients ’ missions have been with us from the start . About 30 years ago , Principal Larry Swartz suggested to Notkin leadership that it would be beneficial to start working in support of the U . S . Navy . They became our first repeat federal client .
Over time , we proved ourselves in the market as a company capable of doing everything it takes to finish the project . Naturally , our client base in the federal sector grew . We went from supporting the U . S . Navy to the U . S . Coast Guard , the Army Corps of Engineers , the General Services Administration and more . We ’ ve also worked for the U . S . Air Force , Veterans Affairs , NOAA , U . S . Forest Service , Fish & Wildlife , and other agencies .
In that 30-year period , Notkin held eight prime IDIQ contracts with the U . S . Navy . That ’ s notable because it ’ s unusual for an engineering firm – especially a Small Business – to hold these high-value , multi-disciplinary contracts as Prime ; they would typically be held by an architect or a joint venture . Our continued , proven success is a testament to how we aligned with client needs and focused on them .
What about our approach to gaining , keeping and satisfying clients today ?
KB : The most important thing is to understand the mission . That means getting your head around what they really need and then delivering it .
For example , Larry once described to me a project where our architect partner wanted to add a canopy over a doorway , but it wasn ’ t part of the scope and not in the budget , and it would not have helped fulfill why this project was being accomplished . It ’ s better to stick to the scope and give the client what they need to achieve their mission . So that ’ s our approach for federal clients , and we stick to it .
But there ’ s real creativity that comes in when you ’ re trying to solve problems for the client but need to remain within the requirements . That ’ s why there ’ s a premium on prior experience in this market because clients want to see that you can solve their problems while sticking to the criteria .
How is the Federal market evolving ? What are some of the challenges pushing the government to evolve ? Can you describe how P2S is adapting to anticipate this evolution and the accompanying challenges ?
KB : I find that the federal government , in a very quiet way , is leading the charge on energy efficiency . The public and the private world are relative newcomers to adopting energy-efficient systems . And even though the federal government has had energy efficiency on the agenda for 30 years , the pace of actual adoption has been moderate because it takes time for the machinery of government to move and because their timelines are so long . You must also consider that you can only do so much at a time , and the federal government is enormous .
8 | Q1 2023