When Elizabeth Sullivan headed to preschool as a Teach for America corps member in Chicago more than a decade ago, she fully expected her days to be filled with teaching students socialization skills and learning. What she did not expect was a firsthand look at the impact of government policy on everyday life.
“After I kept getting pulled out of my classroom to help the owner deal with federal regulations and the business side of the house tied to her funding, I got my first up-close look at how much a small business must wade through just to keep serving its community,” she said.
That experience planted a seed that continues to shape her journey in government policy: she saw firsthand how decisions made from afar could affect the direction of a small business and how much time it spends on the work it’s there to do.
Now president of Madison Services Group, Inc., Sullivan helps small, midsize and large businesses and nonprofits not only navigate existing federal regulations — as she did in a small Chicago preschool — but also drive change. The organization helps develop and execute strategic plans to shape federal policies while helping clients bring their voices to the decision-making process.
Sullivan has worked at MSGI since 2016, shortly after her teaching stint ended and she returned to Washington, D.C. Sullivan said she found her way into the government contracting space when her mother recruited her to work at MSGI, a boutique lobbying firm she founded to focus on government relations and federal business development. Sullivan rose through the ranks working as director of government relations, vice president and now president.
Government contracting, she said, is an unending puzzle of regulations, politics and people.
“Being an effective advocate in this space requires a deep understanding of the rules and politics that go far beyond surface understanding,” she said.
Going to Washington
It didn’t take Sullivan long after sitting through a few contracting meetings to decide to go back to school at night for her master’s in Government Contracting and Cybersecurity Law at The George Washington University. She was the first student to graduate from the new program.
Sullivan consumed government contracting policy. It’s one of the few corners of Washington where genuine bipartisan work still happens, she said.
“Knowing the substance cold and the willingness to work with anyone to affect change regardless of political party are two important keys to success in this area,” she said.
MSGI’s promise for more than 20 years has focused on a commitment to be “fiercely bipartisan,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said her mother, Ann, is her mentor and taught her both the industry and how to fight for small business. Many dinner table conversations were about her journey of running the company and the pressure and challenges business owners face.
“That kind of direct, in-the-trenches mentorship is why I now lead the policy for organizations such as the Women’s Procurement Circle — I saw what having someone show you the ropes did for my own career, and I want other women in this space to have that same access,” she said.
MSGI’s expertise goes back to its flagship issue involving founder Ann Sullivan working 11 years to get the Women-Owned Small Business Contract Program enacted into law. “We built on that experience to continue developing deeper relationships and expert knowledge of the regulatory and policy landscape,” Elizabeth Sullivan said.
“Networking matters just as much,” she added. “Some of the best relationships I have are with Capitol Hill staff on both sides of the aisle. At the end of the day, this community moves forward when people who disagree on almost everything else can still sit down together and find the best path forward to make the federal contracting ecosystem better for industry.”
Bringing guidance to an uncertain climate
Uncertainty in federal acquisition policy has created a climate that brings both risk and opportunity for businesses, Elizabeth Sullivan said. Defense funding remains uncertain, and the possibility of being awarded a contract only to have it frozen later is a real concern.
Clients are also navigating shifting eligibility rules for Women-Owned Small Businesses and 8(a), which helps disadvantaged small businesses compete for federal contracts. And there is concern about whether some programs that benefit small businesses will be rolled back as the FAR overhaul’s sunset clock starts ticking.
“Clients want certainty so they can bid with confidence, and right now a lot of this ecosystem is holding its breath,” Elizabeth Sullivan said.
One aspect of the firm’s work includes codifying existing principles. For example, they are part of a larger effort to codify the Rule of Two — a policy that steers agencies toward contracting with qualified small businesses when there are at least two in the market that can accomplish the work at a fair price.
MSGI brings trade associations, individual companies and Hill staff together around specific policy issues rather than broad advocacy agendas. The approach allows for quick mobilization. Earlier this year, Sullivan said, the group garnered support from 39 organizations and 500 companies in just 72 hours for that effort.
“There’s a real appetite in Congress and the agencies to fix long-standing problems,” Elizabeth Sullivan added.
MSGI also advocates for codifying other policies and guidelines that benefit their clients — such as updating how the government defines a “small” business and clarifying when contracts under a certain threshold can receive direct awards. They’re also working to shape the OneGov purchasing consolidation strategy in ways that ensure small businesses aren’t unintentionally shut out of bids.
Looking ahead
As president, Elizabeth Sullivan works to push the policy fights that matter most to clients, educate the acquisition workforce, and position her team for continued growth in an increasingly complicated contracting system.
“Everything ties back to the same goal: being the most informed, effective, in-the-weeds and trusted advocates in this space so our clients can succeed,” she said.
For Elizabeth Sullivan, policy isn’t abstract. It impacts real people in everyday life — from the preschool where she used to teach to federal contractors offering specialized services.
“I’m not fighting for an abstract policy outcome,” she said. “I’m fighting to make the acquisition system better for hard-working companies that work day in and day out to help meet their federal customers’ critical missions.”
When she isn’t working, Elizabeth Sullivan enjoys visiting her happy place — Bozeman, Montana, where she is surrounded by good food, mountains and hiking.