From Inside Knowledge to $1.5M Wins: Curtis Wilson’s Government Contracting Success

If you have built niche expertise, whether it is in Airbnb hosting, drone repair, cybersecurity, or even goat farming, do not underestimate the power of government contracting. The United States government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world, and it purchases just about everything you can imagine. From logistics and landscaping to tech consulting and temporary housing, there is a contract for nearly every specialty.

Curtis Wilson is a prime example. With 11 years of experience working inside government and a unique background in Airbnb operations, he did not just dip his toes into federal contracting. He dove in and secured more than 1.5 million dollars in deals.

In a recent podcast episode with Kizzy Parks, Curtis Wilson opened up about his journey into government contracting, offering a wealth of insights that every newcomer should hear. Before diving into the strategies and wins, it’s important to understand what motivated his pivot—why he chose to transition from his previous career path and step into the world of federal contracts.

Curtis Wilson and His Pivot to Becoming a Government Contractor

Before launching his business full-time, Curtis Wilson spent over 11 years inside the federal government as a contract specialist.

“I got a little cheat code, I guess, because I used to work for the federal government in contracting,” he said.

From 2011 until the middle of COVID in 2022, he worked under several contracting officers, gaining deep experience in acquisition and procurement. With a master’s degree in acquisition and contracts, Curtis knew the government’s processes inside and out—though always from the agency side. Moving into the contractor side was new territory, but that knowledge became the foundation that helped him quickly adapt and grow.

In 2017, while still working as a federal contract specialist, Curtis Wilson and his wife launched A Quiet-HoME, Corp., beginning as a hospitality venture centered on short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.

The business did well, but Curtis was eager to explore traditional real estate—building equity and revenue through multifamily properties.

His turning point came when a person suggested, “Why not take what you do and sell it to the government?”

That sparked an idea. Curtis thought back to his years in federal service and realized that agencies really did purchase just about everything, especially during year-end procurement pushes. He began researching housing-related solicitations and was surprised at how many opportunities existed.

At first, he wasn’t sure if his company would even qualify. But instead of letting that stop him, he flipped his mindset—if they couldn’t be the prime, they could always sub, or even be “a sub to the sub.” That determination pushed him to keep digging into solicitations, and eventually, A Quiet-HoME found its way into the government contracting space.

“So, I kept digging, doing research, and as I found more solicitations, I just went with it from there,” he recalled.

The Power of a Debrief

Curtis’s very first attempt at government contracting was with the VA for housing in North Carolina. Confident that the federal government had deep pockets, he submitted a bid that ended up being about a million dollars over the winning offer. Even though he knew better from his years working as a contract specialist, he took the leap anyway.

After losing, he reached out to the contracting officer for a debrief, not expecting a response. To his surprise, she took his call and told him that while his pricing was off, his proposal was technically acceptable and exactly what they were looking for. That one-minute conversation gave him the confidence he needed to keep going.

He remembered,” To my surprise, she actually took my call. I didn’t think she would, but she debriefed me right there on the spot. She said, ‘Well, your bid was one of the lower ones based on price, but as far as technically acceptable, you were spot on. You had everything we were looking for.’ And I said, ‘Okay, that’s really all I needed for this debrief.’”

“It lasted probably about a minute. Before she wrapped up, she asked if I had any other questions, and I said, ‘That’s really the only one I had. As long as I know we were technically acceptable and it was just the price, then I know what to do from here.’”

Curtis realized that his proposal was technically acceptable, it was just his pricing that was too high. With that clarity, he knew exactly what to adjust for the next opportunity.

From there, Curtis submitted six more bids, some for hotel housing, some for landscaping, and a few other opportunities. None of them landed, but each one gave him more experience and a better understanding of how to refine his proposals.

Early Wins and the Growing Value of His Niche Expertise

The breakthrough came with his seventh bid. In early 2024, he had submitted a proposal to the Department of Interior for housing in Colorado. After turning it in, he didn’t hear anything back and simply moved on to the next opportunity.

Months later, out of the blue, a contracting officer called to ask if his bid was still valid. Curtis barely remembered the details but said yes. Shortly after, he was awarded the contract. That award turned out to be a four-year, $1.44 million deal to provide long-term housing for firefighters in Colorado.

When he went back to review the proposal, he realized how much of his Airbnb and short-term rental background he had poured into it. The government needed long-term housing for firefighters in Colorado, but hotels weren’t a good fit and local housing was limited. Curtis had structured the bid the same way he would set up an Airbnb operation—keeping crews together, ensuring flexibility, and making the arrangement cost-effective.

“It turned out to be long-term housing for firefighters out in Colorado. The housing market there is very slim, so they were looking for a place to accommodate firefighters who come in frequently but sometimes aren’t there at all. Hotel space didn’t really work, and they wanted them all housed together in the same area,” he explained.

He continued, “As I started reviewing my bid, I began to recall exactly how I structured it. I realized I had basically leaned on my entire experience in the Airbnb and short-term rental space. I used that same process to acquire and provide the housing for these contracting firefighters.”

That approach paid off. The award is now in its first option year with strong performance and a satisfied contracting team.

That same year, right after he won the first contract in June, another opportunity came in just a month later. In July, almost the exact same type of solicitation appeared—this time in Oregon. The Department of the Interior was looking for housing for firefighters as well, but on a smaller scale. Instead of multiple doors like the Colorado project, they only needed one.

He pulled up his proposal and realized it was practically identical to what he had submitted before, with just a few local adjustments. When the contracting office reached out, they asked the same question: “Is yournumber still good and still active for this bid?” He said yes, and not even five minutes later they responded, “You’ve won the contract.”

That award came in at $178,000 over five years. The agency already exercised the first option year, so he’s currently in year one. Once again, it was the same concept which is leveraging his short-term rental expertise to meet the government’s need for long-term firefighter housing.

“So, it was the same concept – providing the houses seems to be my niche based off of what we we’ve done and what we’ve won,” he stated.

You Don’t Have to Own Assets Outright to Deliver Value

Curtis explained that his background in Airbnb and short-term rentals gave him the model he now applies to government housing contracts. Instead of buying property, he uses the rental arbitrage method—leasing apartments or homes from landlords and then re-leasing them to others (in this case, the federal government).

When the housing contract opportunity came up, he didn’t go out and purchase real estate. Instead, he approached a local apartment complex and proposed a corporate lease deal. He explained that the federal government needed housing for several years and asked if they would lease him multiple units at a discounted rate. Because he had a track record in the short-term rental space and could show financial stability, the property managers agreed.

That deal allowed him to structure a competitive bid for the government contract without owning property. He essentially secured housing at market friendly rates, then passed it through as the government solution.

He expressed, “So that kind of helped me out a lot then for putting in my bid to the federal government as far as market rate. So that’s the secret sauce, I guess for lack of better words. So, no, I don’t own the properties, but I do the rental arbitrage method to acquire these leases.”

Staying Open to Every Kind of Opportunity in Government Contracting

The two housing contracts (Colorado and Oregon) made him realize that providing housing solutions could be a niche where he really adds value.

But at the same time, he doesn’t want to box himself in. He’s still actively bidding on other types of work, especially service-based contracts like janitorial or landscaping, because they usually run for multiple years and create steadier growth opportunities.

He’s open-minded though. If the government ever wanted to buy the properties he’s leasing out, he’d consider bidding. He’s also watching other housing solicitations, like ones from the VA or even opportunities for scientists in California. While he hasn’t gone international yet, he’d be open to it if the government asked.

“Whatever the government says they’re open to, I’m open to meeting that need regardless of what it is—especially if they reach out to us directly,” Curtis stated.

Don’t Let Upfront Costs Scare You

What he meant is that initially, he felt nervous about government contracts because they often require significant upfront financial commitments. Over time, he learned that as long as the business is credible and has access to multiple funding sources, it’s manageable to cover these upfront costs.

“At first, I was a little nervous looking at these types of contracts—putting all this money up front. But I fully understand now that if the business is credible, which it is, and we’re able to get funding from a lot of different sources at this stage, we can use that to cover things up front if needed,” he underscored.

Communication is Key!

Curtis made things work by keeping communication and relationships strong. When the apartment leases started, he lined them up with the government contract so everything flowed smoothly. At first, the government was a few months behind on payments, which could’ve been a problem for paying the apartment complex.

But instead of stressing, he reached out, explained the situation, and worked out a short grace period. That way, everyone was on the same page, and it all stayed on track.

Keeping in constant contact with the contracting officers (COs) is crucial, especially when something in the solicitation isn’t clear. Instead of guessing or assuming, he emphasizes actively reaching out—calling or emailing the point of contact multiple times if necessary.

If they still don’t respond, carefully read the solicitation yourself to see what it’s asking. Then, submit any remaining questions formally, because COs are required to answer them.

He suggested, “Communicate as much as you can, especially for these housing contracts. I know it’s cliché, but I’m telling you—communication is key to this game.”

He also made sure to keep the apartment owners in the loop about any changes and built trust with them, showing that the government was a solid tenant. Once the payments caught up, everything ran smoothly.

“And also, building a relationship with the apartment complex. Like I say, I’ve gotten good enough to get to know the owner of the apartment complex, the management company out there, and everybody. So, they know me by name, I know them by name. Just keeping them informed—anything changes, the best way is to communicate with them and say, ‘Look, it’s going to be a change here, or it might be a change there. You know, what can we do to adjust?’” he emphasized.

From Lessons to Legacy

Curtis is big on getting a mentor and furthering his learning in his career. He believes that guidance from experienced professionals can accelerate growth, provide clarity in complex situations, and open doors to opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden.

From early on, Curtis sought out mentors who could offer both strategic insights and practical advice, recognizing that real-world experience is often the fastest path to understanding the nuances of business and government contracting.

He discovered Dr. Myron Golden through YouTube and Instagram and recognized him as a key mentor—even though Golden didn’t know it. Curtis was particularly inspired by Dr. Golden’s repeated advice in his challenges to “write a book.”

Initially, Curtis wasn’t sure what he could write about, especially during COVID, but he soon realized that his own journey of starting and growing a business had given him valuable lessons that could help others.

Drawing from his experiences, Curtis identified the seven biggest challenges he faced before leaving his job to become an entrepreneur, including financing, rules and regulations, and the stress of making the leap.

He compiled these insights into his book, The 7 Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make Before Leaving Their Job, aiming to guide aspiring entrepreneurs so they can anticipate obstacles and make smarter decisions before starting their own ventures.