Former GSA exec turns consultant

Neal Fox, who left his job as assistant commissioner for commercial acquisition at the General Services Administration in July, is going into consulting.

Fox said he will advise companies on government contracting and procurement issues. He will work from his home in Northern Virginia.

He also plans to work as an individual rather than coming up with a name for a firm, he said.

"I think what I have to offer is under my own name," Fox said, a former Air Force officer who joined GSA in 2002. "Since I'm primarily interested in working with companies, I think it's best just to make it known who you are. I believe in the old adage that if you put your own name on the company, it's work you're going to be proud of."

Although there are many ex-feds in consulting, Fox said he has unique strengths that will bring business his way.

"I think you have to carve out a niche," he said. "My niche is understanding how governmentwide procurement works."

Consultants can help companies get listed on the GSA schedules, he said, "but there aren't that many who have detailed and current knowledge."

Fox's value is his intimate understanding of GSA's governmentwide acquisition programs, said Bob Guerra, a consultant with Guerra, Kiviat, Flyzik and Associates.

"If I were in business, I'd certainly seek his help on Alliant, the GSA schedules and the current array of [governmentwide contracts], as well as trying to understand the thinking internally at GSA on the reorganization," Guerra said. "The key then becomes translating that insight into a business strategy focused on meeting GSA's goals."