GovCon in Crisis or Opportunity? 2026 Spending, GSA Shifts & Contractor Strategy

Welcome back to GovCon Unscripted! In this episode, Chelsea sits down with Kevin Plexico, Senior Vice President of Information Solutions at Deltek, to unpack what the latest government shutdowns, FAR overhauls, and GSA changes mean for contractors heading into FY2026.From budget uncertainty to data-driven opportunity, Kevin shares how leading firms are adapting to the next wave of federal market shifts — and how to stay ahead of the curve when policy and procurement collide.On this episode, we discuss:The real impact of government shutdowns on the contractor ecosystemFederal spending projections and which agencies are poised to growGSA vehicle evolution and what’s next for contract consolidationWhy compliance, AI, and data visibility will define competitive advantage in 2026The mindset shift from panic to preparation, and where opportunity still existsTimestamps:[00:00] - Introduction to Kevin Plexico & Deltek’s role in GovCon market intelligence[02:00] - Fallout from the recent government shutdowns[06:00] - 2026 spending forecasts and agency-level growth[10:00] - GSA vehicle changes and consolidation trends[13:00] - FAR reforms, modernization, and procurement agility[18:00] - The new intersection of AI, data, and compliance[24:00] - Risk mitigation and maintaining opportunity pipelines[30:00] - How contractors can prepare for 2026 and beyondLike and follow us:🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GovConUnscriptedUS🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govconunscriptedpodcast/🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/🔹 JOIN OUR #govcon #community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/Links and Resources:• Chelsea’s LinkedIn Profile• Kevin Plexico’s LinkedIn Profile• Deltek Website