Federal advisory

The federal customer doesn't behave like a commercial one. We know because we were one.

Palmer Labs is a team of former federal executives. We advise GovCon operators on how to win and scale, and we advise private equity firms and strategic acquirers on the companies they're buying. Same lens, different side of the table.

01Former federal executives
02Two practices, one lens
03Buy-side & operator engagements
04Washington, DC
§ 01 — The InsightWhy we exist

Federal revenue is built on a calculus that diligence is not designed to see.

Federal revenue is controlled by long-term executives who care about mission alignment, trust in the people doing the work, and institutional credibility.

That credibility takes years to build and one bad transition to lose. The calculus rarely shows up in a pitch deck or a CIM. It doesn't show up in diligence. Accountants aren't built to see it. Lawyers aren't asking about it.

Our team has made the funding calls, evaluated the contractors, and decided who keeps the work and who gets replaced.

That's the lens we bring to every engagement — whether the client is an operator trying to win a recompete, or an investor trying to understand whether the revenue they're underwriting is durable or relational.

§ 02 — PracticesTwo sides of the table

Two practices, one advantage.

For Operators

Growth advisory for GovCon companies.

We help federal contractors sharpen positioning, build credible AI strategies, and scale through the transition out of small-business set-asides. The work is shaped by what agency leaders actually fund — not what they say in industry days.

01Capture & pursuit strategy
02Product & AI go-to-market
03Set-aside graduation
04Recompete defense
05Agency relationship mapping
06Proposal & positioning review
Growth advisory
For Investors

Buy-side M&A advisory for private equity and strategics.

We tell PE firms and corporate development teams what their diligence is missing. Which revenue is durable and which is relational. Where the valuation is right and where it's fiction. What the post-close execution plan needs to look like before you sign — not after.

01Revenue Reality
02Decision Clarity
03Post-Close Growth
04Recompete risk read
05AI capability validation
06First-90 integration plan
M&A practice
§ 03 — CoverageThe agencies

Direct experience and trusted relationships across the federal mission set.

FTCFederal Trade Commission
01
NASANational Aeronautics & Space Administration
02
CFPBConsumer Financial Protection Bureau
03
HHSHealth and Human Services
04
StateDepartment of State
05
GSAGeneral Services Administration
06
TreasuryDepartment of the Treasury
07
DOJDepartment of Justice
08
USDADepartment of Agriculture
09

Worked with directly, or advised someone who works with.

§ 04 — Get in touch

Send us a deal you're evaluating, or a contract you're trying to win. Thirty minutes, no pitch.

We'll show you what your current team is missing.