- Wes Fisher was working as a teacher when he signed his first government contract in 2020.
- Fisher spends about an hour a day managing the contracts, which he currently has 14.
- Being able to work remotely has given me the opportunity to travel and work on personal projects.
This told essay is based on a conversation with 35-year-old government contractor Wes Fisher. This essay has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has confirmed his identity, contract and income.
I was a special education teacher in a public school in Ohio and made about $50,000 a year. I worked with students who faced a variety of challenges, and it was hard work.
During the pandemic, I decided to use my stimulus check to invest in a course. I looked into Amazon, virtual currencies, day trading, and Airbnb.
One day, I happened upon a podcast interview where someone was talking about working as a government “middle man.” The rest is history.
work as an intermediary
Government contracting involves many different types of roles.I work as an intermediary, i.e. a principal contractor. And I bid on the opportunity. To do so, visit sam.gov and register your company.
The government then gives me an identifier called a cage code, which is attached to my company. Then, bid for the contract yourself by submitting a proposal that explains how much you plan to charge and how you will perform the work.
When the opportunity arises, we hire subcontractors to do the work.
For example, if I were to take on a chimney sweep job, I would partner with a company that specializes in chimney sweeps. They would do the work and I would manage the transactions.
The intermediary strategy works because governments are looking for value-added services. Companies may be great at what they do, but they may not know about government opportunities or how the bidding process works. My role is to liaise with companies that can do the job and make sure the job is completed.
I manage the team's schedule, invoice their time, and perform administrative tasks.
People are attracted to this job because it can be done from home on a computer. I have contracts in California, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Louisiana. I have a pest control contract in Louisiana, but I'm not the one setting the traps.
I don't actually do it, but I do add value in coordinating deals and making sure the work gets done.
Signed 14 contracts
Since joining the company in 2020, I have signed 14 contracts and have 5 active contracts that are currently running and receiving payments. I have contracted in all areas including landscaping, HVAC cleaning, and construction.
My first contract was Catholic ministry in a federal prison in California. Even though I'm not Catholic and don't live in California, I won his 5-year contract for Catholic Services.
So I found a pastor who would do the job. I've only talked to him on the phone and I don't even know what he looks like. But when he goes to that prison, I get paid.
Ultimately, I signed a five-year contract to lease the vehicle to the Utah Forest Service. The contract allows the government to request vehicle orders of up to $1 million.
As the pre-approved vendor for this contract, the government selected my company to fulfill the order over five years and pay up to $1 million. I receive a salary in stages over the length of the contract, but I also have to pay my subcontractors. So, you won't receive a $1 million salary from that contract.
But overall, I manage transactions remotely and last year made about $75,000 in revenue from government contracts without doing any physical work.
I work on government contracts for about an hour each day.
I spend about an hour a day working on government contracts. I don't mow grass, so there's nothing I do on a day-to-day basis regarding contracts.
I also have team members that I currently work with who are working on finding opportunities, getting quotes, and submitting proposals. I submit one proposal to the federal government every day because it's not about getting rich tomorrow, it's about securing as many contracts as possible.
It takes 2-3 minutes to find 10 jobs. Then, it takes about 10 minutes to find a company that offers the job. The rest of her hour is spent making phone calls to see which companies are interested and available for the job.
I don't always submit proposals on the same day, but I am in a continuous cycle of identifying opportunities and there are always companies waiting for proposals.
Freedom of mobility has become a game changer
The biggest difference with my current lifestyle is that I can earn more money from the comfort of my home. This is a level of freedom I have never experienced before.
I won multiple contracts, which also gave me time to work on other personal projects. Since starting this job, I've been able to create my own online courses on government contracting.
Changes in lifestyle have given me the opportunity to travel at my own discretion. Dubai and Jamaica were my biggest highlights last year.
I recently took the train from Chicago to San Francisco. I got an email from a friend asking if I wanted to go, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm currently traveling to Panama.
Have you had success with government contracts? Email the reporter at aaltchek@insider.com.
