The federal government’s reopening is triggering a wave of renewed contracting activity — and small businesses are poised to benefit most. With agencies across the board returning to full operations, procurement officials are rushing to clear the backlog of solicitations and task orders that stalled during the funding lapse. The move unlocks billions in federal contract spending, much of which must legally flow to small and disadvantaged businesses, including those certified under 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, and women-owned programs.
Consulting firms like FEDCON are advising small business owners to get proactive: double-check SAM.gov registrations, monitor new solicitations daily, and engage with agency small business offices to stay ahead of opportunities. As agencies scramble to meet their annual small business contracting goals, the next few months could mark one of the busiest periods in years for federal small business awards — especially in IT modernization, infrastructure, and support services.
Layoffs: Oshkosh Defense
Oshkosh Defense will lay off 160 employees from its Wisconsin facility in January, following a $52.8 million drop in third-quarter sales. The company said it made the decision after exhausting other options to address overstaffing in some production areas, despite efforts to retain workers through upskilling programs and voluntary reductions. The layoffs come as Oshkosh Corporation continues to navigate production slowdowns and strategic shifts following the loss of the lucrative Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Phase 2 contract in 2023.
Union leaders attributed the cuts to the company’s ongoing emphasis on military contracts, even as Oshkosh Defense rebrands its “Defense” business line as the “Transport” segment and diversifies its focus. The company is still fulfilling international JLTV orders — including one for the Netherlands — and working on its $6–$10 billion deal with the U.S. Postal Service to produce next-generation mail trucks. But that USPS program has also seen delays, with production bottlenecks and local pushback over moving manufacturing out of Wisconsin. The layoffs mark another difficult chapter for one of Oshkosh’s largest employers as it seeks to balance military legacy programs with its evolving civilian and commercial ventures.
Hiring: U.S. Park Police
The U.S. Park Police is planning a major expansion in Washington, D.C., aiming to double its local ranks over the next six months as part of a broader federal crackdown on crime in the capital. Internal documents obtained by The Washington Post show the agency’s goal is to position itself as “the premier law enforcement agency in D.C.”
Traditionally focused on protecting federal lands and monuments, the Park Police has recently taken on a bigger role in public safety operations. The department’s recruitment drive, originally targeting 450 new officers and later revised to 300, would still mark a dramatic increase from its current 289 officers in the city — signaling a significant shift in the balance of law enforcement authority in the nation’s capital.
Cleared Employer at Work: Leidos
Leidos continues to expand its support within the Department of Defense, hiring skilled professionals to deliver mission-critical solutions across intelligence, cyber, engineering, and IT modernization. Our teams play a vital role in strengthening national security through innovative technology and operational excellence.
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Opportunity to Watch
Japan’s aerospace and defense sector is in the midst of a major workforce revolution. A new report from Talenbrium spotlights how the nation is rapidly reshaping its talent base to meet the demands of a high-tech defense future. The study, “Japan: Top 30 Trending Roles in the Aerospace & Defense Industry,” identifies a 28% surge in demand for specialists across fields like AI engineering, space systems design, cybersecurity, and defense analytics. This shift reflects Japan’s growing push to modernize its defense capabilities and strengthen its role in global aerospace innovation.
The report highlights a deep integration of People Analytics — the data-driven approach to human resources — as a core driver of Japan’s transformation. Aerospace and defense companies are increasingly using analytics to forecast skill shortages, streamline hiring, and build agile, tech-ready teams. From cyber defense experts to green propulsion engineers, the top emerging roles show that Japan’s defense future isn’t just about machines — it’s about merging advanced technology with human expertise. As strategy consulting and HR digitalization converge, Japan is positioning itself as a leader in defense workforce innovation across Asia.
