Surge of 1,177 Registrants for Free Government Contracting Training Reveals Critical Industry Education Gap
The Small Business Set Aside Program is a Game-Changer for GovCon Startups
GOOD ENOUGH! To Launch Your Company
Government Contracting Academy Celebrates 5th Anniversary with Week-long Free Bootcamp
TYSONS, VA, UNITED STATES, February 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- To celebrate its 5th anniversary, Government Contracting Academy (GCA) opened its doors for a free 5-Day GovCon Bootcamp—only to be forced to halt its modest promotion efforts in less than two weeks when a surge of 1,177 registrants hit the platform’s licensing limits. This undeniable demand underscores a critical shortage of accessible education in the federal contracting sector.
Launched on February 1, 2021, GCA has spent five years democratizing access to the $750 billion federal contracting industry through comprehensive government contracting courses and small business training programs.
"The bootcamp’s popularity was incredible, but not completely unexpected,” said Randal Wimmer, Founder and CEO of Government Contracting Academy. “This demand validates what I experienced firsthand as a frustrated aspiring entrepreneur. The real barrier to federal contracting isn't interest, capability, or motivation. It's access to knowledge." Wimmer launched his first government contracting company in 2003 but did not achieve market penetration until 2007. He did not win his first prime contract until 2010.
"I spent eight years learning through very painful and expensive trial and error that could have been completely avoided with access to a structured curriculum," Wimmer noted. "No entrepreneur should face that level of ‘knowledge tax’ while trying to support their country." After eventually winning over $350 million in prime contracts, Wimmer sold his first company in 2016 and enjoyed two additional market exits in 2019 and 2020.
Randal Wimmer: From Navy Veteran to Government Contracting Advocate
Randal Wimmer, a U.S. Navy veteran and serial entrepreneur, has achieved multiple successful exits in the GovCon industry. His companies have been featured multiple times on the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies List and Washington Technology’s Fast 50 List. Wimmer is also the author of GOOD ENOUGH! to Launch Your Company, an Amazon bestseller in the self-employment category. He founded GCA to lower the knowledge barrier prohibiting aspiring entrepreneurs from pursuing federal contracting.
Access Versus Attainability
The federal government’s Small Business Set-Aside Program guarantees access to new and small businesses, but access is only half the equation. The heavily regulated federal marketplace imposes both a prohibitive "knowledge tax" and "compliance tax," preventing most small businesses from achieving real traction or attainment.
"Federal contracting remains one of the most powerful engines for economic mobility in the United States," Wimmer said. "We not only celebrated our 5-year anniversary with this free GovCon bootcamp, I believe we also validated the urgent need for permanent, structured educational pathways that would allow more people to participate in this industry."
The free bootcamp covered essential topics including business development, proposal writing, federal procurement processes, and regulatory compliance. These are core elements of GCA's comprehensive 25-course curriculum available at GCACampus.com.
About Government Contracting Academy
Government Contracting Academy is a social-impact enterprise providing government contracting training for small businesses, veterans, and aspiring entrepreneurs entering the federal marketplace. Through GCACampus.com, GCA offers government contracting courses, federal procurement training, and a cohort-style support system. The site also includes hundreds of downloadable business tools, templates, and sample GovCon proposals. Founded by Randal Wimmer, GCA's mission is to expand real access to the lucrative federal contracting industry by offering in-demand training programs.
Media Contact:
Randal Wimmer
Founder and CEO, Government Contracting Academy
Randal.Wimmer@GovernmentContractingAcademy.com
703-798-7743
www.GovernmentContractingAcademy.com
www.GCACampus.com
Randal Wimmer
Government Contracting Academy
Randal.Wimmer@GovernmentContractingAcademy.com
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