Practice · Federal
Modernization,
federal-grade.
The full Varcoe stack — Managed IT, Managed Security, AI, Compliance, Offensive — delivered to federal, DIB, and SLED customers under the right contracting, compliance, and security posture for government.
The federal landscape, 2026
Faster acquisition. Tighter compliance. Real opportunity for boutiques.
AI — the gold rush
DoD requested $13.4B for AI and autonomy in FY26 — the largest single-year defense AI ask ever. Civilian agencies inventoried 3,611 AI use cases in 2025, up +105% YoY.
CMMC 2.0 — live and binding
Final rule went into effect 10 Sept 2025. Phase 2 (mandatory C3PAO Level 2 assessments for CUI) starts 10 Nov 2026. Approximately 80,000 contractors need certification with ~100 C3PAOs available — all booked.
AI policy — deregulation pivot
Biden-era EO 14110 was rescinded January 2025. OMB M-24-10 was replaced 3 April 2025 by M-25-21 (use) and M-25-22 (acquisition). NIST AI 600-1 still stands. The new posture favors fast boutiques over compliance-heavy incumbents.
DOGE — opening for boutiques
Federal consulting fell -33% Q1 FY26 vs Q1 FY25. Big-firm contracts being killed and rebid; capacity shifting to nimble small firms. Best window for boutique-premium federal work in a decade.
Procurement vehicles
How a boutique premium firm enters federal.
GSA MAS Schedule
Open continuously
Cyber + IT Professional SINs (54151S, 54151HACS)
Default first vehicle. 3-9 months realistic onboarding.
OASIS+ Small Business / WOSB pool
Awarded; on-ramps planned
Mgmt + Technical domains
Best mid-term play once revenue + past performance qualify. WOSB pool high-leverage if certified.
Polaris (small biz GWAC)
WOSB pool NTP issued Mar 2026
Alliant 2 replacement for small biz IT
Watch for next on-ramp window.
8(a) STARS III
Ordering through Jul 2026
8(a) certification 6-12 mo
Only viable if Quinn pursues 8(a) (economically disadvantaged criteria).
SEWP VI
Awards delayed
Resellers only
Product vehicle — less relevant for services.
Source: market research, internal; verified Apr 2026.
What we deliver to federal customers
The detail.
CMMC 2.0 Compliance
L1, L2, L3 readiness. C3PAO coordination. Tightly-scoped CUI enclaves.
Read moreNIST 800-171 + DFARS
SSP, POA&M, SPRS submission. Foundation for CMMC L2.
Read moreITAR Compliance
Technical data controls. GCC High / GovCloud architecture. 22 CFR §120-130 aligned.
Read moreFedRAMP Authorization
Moderate / High. 3PAO coordinated. Continuous monitoring.
Read moreFederal Cybersecurity Services
Federal-grade SOC, IR, detection engineering for civilian and defense customers.
Read moreFederal SOC Operations
24/7 monitoring with cleared analysts where required.
Read moreDefense Industrial Base Cybersecurity
DIB-specific advisory. CMMC + ITAR + NIST 800-171 in combination.
Read moreNewFederal AI Services
OMB M-25-21/M-25-22 compliant. NIST AI 600-1. FedRAMP-eligible AI deployments. ATO support.
Read more
Who you’ll work with
Quinnlan Varcoe
CEO and Founder · OSCP · GIAC × 10 · 17 credentials across the practice
WOSB-positioned. CMMC, NIST 800-171, ITAR, FedRAMP coverage across the cert stack. Founder-led federal engagements — no offshore, no junior, no exception.
Every partnership begins with me. Not a sales rep, not an account executive, not a junior. The first call, the diagnostic, the strategy work — that’s mine.
Federal customer or DIB prime?
Schedule a callTrusted by partners across the practice
Reviews
From the senior people
who’ve worked alongside Quinn.
The named companies beside each reviewer are their employers — not Varcoe partnerships. Each quote is a professional reference from someone who’s shipped work alongside Quinn directly.
“The partnership model isn't marketing language with Quinn — it's how she actually works. Senior judgment, single accountable contact, and the rigor to integrate across IT, security, and AI under one roof.”
Aaron Birnbaum
Managing Partner
“Quinnlan brings more than expertise — she brings strategic alignment. The ability to scale operations without sacrificing depth is exactly what serious organizations need from a modernization partner.”
Caroline Lombard
Threat Specialist
“I've worked with Quinnlan on incidents most teams couldn't navigate — Log4j among them. The technical depth and the calm under fire are real, and they're rare.”
Justin Cox
Senior AWS Security Analyst
“One of the most seamless collaborations I've had in this industry. Composure under pressure, technical precision, and the kind of credibility that compounds — exactly the senior bench a modernization partnership needs.”
Soufiane Jihadi
Senior Incident Response Consultant
Original references collected on the legacy Varcoe site · LinkedIn endorsements available on request