If a quote request from Tomahawk Sourcing just landed in your inbox, thank you for taking a moment to consider it. I'm a small SDVOSB owner — one point of contact, same-day responses, and easy to reach if you have questions about the part, the timing, or the terms.
My name is Kenneth Galloway, owner of Tomahawk Sourcing, LLC — a Vets First Verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that helps supply products to the Defense Logistics Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal agencies. I know your time is valuable, so I'll keep this brief.
If you received a quote request from me, I'm preparing a bid for an SDVOSB, Veteran-Owned, or Small Business set-aside solicitation, and I'd appreciate the opportunity to include your company as the source of supply for the part I asked about. If you're able to share pricing and lead time, I'll take care of the federal contracting work from there.
The sections below give a little context on why the federal government issued this set-aside and how a reply from you helps the procurement move along. If anything is unclear — or if you'd rather talk it through — I'm happy to schedule a 15-minute call (contact info at the bottom of this page).
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR Part 19) directs federal agencies to set aside certain procurements for small businesses and qualifying socioeconomic categories — including Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs), Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs), and small businesses generally. These set-asides aren't optional. Congress mandates them through statute (the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, the Small Business Act, the VA Acquisition Regulation) to meet annual federal contracting goals.
The current SDVOSB goal is 5% of all federal prime and subcontract dollars — raised from 3% by Section 863 of the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 118-31), signed into law on December 22, 2023. On a federal contract budget north of $700 billion, that's an annual SDVOSB target above $35 billion. As of August 5, 2024, SDVOSB self-certification was eliminated — only SBA-certified SDVOSBs (via the unified VetCert program, which absorbed the VA's CVE) count toward the goal. Tomahawk Sourcing satisfies that requirement through its Vets First Verified status.
A separate 5% federal contracting goal for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) — veteran-owned firms that don't qualify as service-disabled — is anticipated as the next step in this framework. The Department of Veterans Affairs already operates a similar agency-specific preference under its Vets First program for VA procurements (38 U.S.C. § 8127). Federal demand for veteran-owned sourcing is increasing, not decreasing.
When a solicitation is set aside, the prime contract must go to a qualifying small business. The manufacturer that produces the part is generally not eligible to win the prime contract directly on a set-aside — the solicitation is closed to large businesses by design. The small business prime needs a sourcing relationship with the manufacturer to bid the contract at all.
That's why I'm reaching out. I'm bidding the prime. You provide the pricing and lead time. If I win, you ship the product to me, and I take care of the federal contracting work — MIL-spec packaging, WAWF invoicing, VSM logistics, and the contracting officer relationship.
I hear the same hesitation from manufacturers: "We'd rather just bid direct." On a set-aside, you can't. And declining to quote doesn't preserve the sale — it costs you the sale. Here's why.
When a solicitation is set aside, the award has to go to a qualifying small business — that's federal law. If you don't quote me, I'll source elsewhere or my SDVOSB competitor will. Either way, the unit gets sold. The only question is whether the order moves through your distribution channel or someone else's.
When manufacturers no-bid SDVOSB requests, contracting officers often have to extend RFQ deadlines, request quote substitutes, or re-source the requirement — which delays the equipment getting to VA hospitals or DLA depots. A same-day response from you keeps the procurement moving and keeps end users (often veterans, often technicians who need the part to do their job) supplied on schedule.
Tomahawk Sourcing reviews and bids hundreds of federal solicitations each year across DLA, VA, and other agencies. The manufacturers who consistently quote me become preferred sources — I learn their lead times, packaging requirements, and the contacts who actually know the product. That's a long-term federal channel, not a single transaction.
The bottom line: on an SDVOSB, VOSB, or small-business set-aside, you can't win the prime contract direct — only an eligible small business can. Quoting me is how your product gets onto a federal contract on this solicitation. No-bidding doesn't move the sale to you; it moves it to a competitor.
When you send a quote, I review and respond the same business day. No black hole, no two-week silence. If something's wrong with your pricing or lead time, you'll know in time to adjust.
I'm not routing your quote through a procurement office or 14 layers of approvals. You email me, you get me — from RFQ through award through WAWF closeout.
Some "small businesses" are just front offices for hundreds of people in the background. Tomahawk Sourcing is one veteran owner, real overhead, and real work.
DIBBS, VSM, WAWF, MIL-STD-2073 / MIL-STD-129 packaging — I handle the federal compliance work so you don't have to learn it. If MIL labels are required, I'll provide them at no cost; you just apply and arrange pickup via VSM.
First time working together? I'll pay in full at the time of shipment to establish credit and trust. Once we have a track record, we can move to net terms or other arrangements that work for both sides.
Past suppliers, manufacturers, and authorized distributors will vouch for our payment, communication, and follow-through. Ask — and I'll connect you.
If Tomahawk Sourcing is awarded a contract using your quote, I purchase the material directly from you in support of the U.S. Government requirement. Your quote becomes the purchase order — no haggling, no scope creep, no back-and-forth on the agreed price.
As a small business owner, terms matter — they can be the difference between a profitable contract and one that loses money. My quote requests will ask you to confirm payment terms, packaging capability, accepted forms of payment, and shipping arrangements. The clearer your reply, the faster I can include you in the bid.
Net 30, pay in full at shipping, pay in full at order, or other — let me know what works.
Commercial only, MIL-spec labels (I can provide), or a small fee for label application — whatever fits your shop.
Credit card (with or without fee — Amex, Visa, Mastercard, Discover), check, ACH / wire transfer, or other. Let me know which apply and any fee percentage.
No logistics burden on you. I arrange LTL freight pickup, ship via FedEx, or coordinate pickup directly from your facility — whichever fits your operation. Just confirm a pickup-ready window.
If you'd rather not chase WAWF receipts or build MIL-STD wood crates, that's fine — Tomahawk Sourcing covers both. You stay focused on production. We handle the federal interface and the packaging compliance.
Tomahawk Sourcing provides post-award contract administration and supply chain coordination so manufacturers can focus on production. We manage Wide Area Workflow (iRAPT/WAWF) submissions, Vendor Shipment Module (VSM) shipping documentation, and day-to-day communication with the contracting officer.
The result: lower administrative overhead on your side, faster invoice processing, and a contract file the government can audit cleanly. Working together, we make sure materials meet the quality requirements written into the contract and arrive on time.
When a solicitation calls for MIL-STD-2073 packaging or MIL-STD-129 marking and your shop isn't set up for it, Tomahawk Sourcing coordinates the packaging step on your behalf. Through our network of qualified packaging specialists, we arrange inspection, military-grade packaging, and proper labeling — from heavy-duty wood crates and platforms to protective handling of fragile electrical components.
We have packaging partners across the country, so material can usually be packaged near your facility. The DoD requirements get met, the product is protected from deterioration and damage in transit, and the freight arrives at the destination intact.
If you'd rather discuss the solicitation, the part, the SDVOSB process, or just want to know who's on the other end of these RFQs — I'm happy to hop on a 15-minute call. No pitch. Just answers to your questions, and a chance to start building a federal-channel relationship.
Mon – Fri · 7am – 6pm CT · Springdale, AR
Kenneth Galloway · Owner, Tomahawk Sourcing, LLC
CAGE 8WR47 · UEI XWDNC6AMTR85 · Vets First Verified SDVOSB
