Seven GovCon Predictions for 2026 (Laugh Now, Bid Later)

Lohfeld has seven humorous predictions for GovCon in 2026, presented with realism, experience, and a healthy appreciation for GovCon absurdity.

1. AI Will Be Everywhere—and Still Not Allowed Near the Final Submission

By 2026, AI will be fully embedded in capture and proposal workflows. AI will also continue to:

• Confuse “shall” and “should”
• Invent requirements with great confidence
• Require a human to say, “No, that’s not what I’m asking”

Prediction: AI will work faster than ever. Humans will still be responsible for accuracy.

2. Compliance Will Be Treated as Obvious—Until It Isn’t

In 2026, everyone will assume they understand the instructions—right up until a late-stage review reveals something critical was overlooked. Agencies will continue to evaluate strictly, and no amount of “but we addressed it elsewhere” will change the outcome.

Prediction: Compliance will remain the fastest way to lose without ever being evaluated.

3. Agencies Will Want Innovation That Feels Comfortably Familiar

Federal customers will continue to seek modern, innovative solutions while selecting approaches that feel proven, stable, and unlikely to trigger additional oversight meetings.

Prediction: “Innovative, yet proven” will remain the safest positioning.

4. RFPs Will Be Longer, More Complex, and Issued with Less Time

In 2026, solicitations will continue to grow in complexity while proposal timelines shrink as agencies try to accelerate procurement. Expect:

• Amendments that raise new questions
• Clarifications that clarify nothing
• Schedules that assume unlimited resources

Prediction: Proposal calendars will remain aspirational, not predictive.

5. Past Performance Will Be Everything, Yet Still Hard to Explain

Agencies will place even greater emphasis on relevance in 2026, while continuing to limit space for explanation.

Prediction: “Similar in size, scope, and complexity” will continue to cause disproportionate stress.

6. Pricing Will Be Tighter, Scrutinized Harder, and Still Debated

By 2026, pricing will face even greater scrutiny as agencies seek the best value in constrained budgets. Pricing discussions will include:

• Assumed efficiencies
• Reduced labor mixes
• Questions about realism

Prediction: Pricing will remain the point where optimism meets math.

7. Clear, Evaluator-Friendly Proposals Will Continue to Win

Despite new tools and automation, proposals in 2026 will still be evaluated by humans working under time pressure. The proposals that win will:

• Answer the questions directly
• Make scoring easy by 4:45 pm
• Avoid forcing evaluators to search for information

Prediction: The best proposal will still be the one that an evaluator can score quickly and confidently.

Conclusion

Ready for 2026? Lohfeld is. The GovCon challenges ahead demand a clear strategy, disciplined execution, and proposals built for evaluators, not last-minute guesses or crossed fingers. Contact Lohfeld Consulting to compete smarter, reduce risk, and submit with confidence because in 2026, winning requires your best efforts.

Relevant Information

• Use Mega Bids to Drive Business Growth Now

• How to Create a Proposal Style Guide Using AI

• How to Increase Proposal Writing Speed by 25%

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By Brenda Crist, Vice President at Lohfeld Consulting Group, MPA, CPP APMP Fellow

Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals. As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $170B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube^(TM).