Not every small business in the government contracting sector chooses to compete. For some, sole-source contract awards through programs like the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) initiative are enough to sustain operations for years. But Margarita Howard, who has led HX5 since founding the Fort Walton Beach, Florida company in 2004, saw a different path, and the contrast with her peers made the stakes clear.

What Happens When the Program Ends

Howard watched other small businesses in her area build their operations almost entirely around sole-source awards. When those programs concluded after nine years, those companies had little to fall back on. “They had never competed. They had never really done it on their own,” she has observed. HX5 made a different choice early. After entering the 8(a) program, the company used the support it provided not as a permanent structure, but as a launching pad. “After becoming an 8(a) company, we were awarded very quickly four contracts in one year and that really helped in getting us off the ground,” Howard has said.

Those early wins were built on competitive strength, not just programmatic access. HX5 demonstrated to government clients that it could deliver without needing the kind of close supervision that less established firms often required. That reputation for operational independence proved durable. The company has since grown to more than 1,000 employees serving the Department of Defense and NASA across 34 states and 90 government locations.

A Philosophy That Scales

The emphasis on genuine competition has remained central to how Margarita Howard and HX5 approach growth. Rather than look for protected opportunities, the company has pursued contracts on merit, backed by a seasoned management team with deep experience in the industry. Many of those leaders have been with HX5 for roughly a decade, giving the company a consistency that few competitors can match. In a sector where reputation takes years to build, that track record is its own competitive advantage. Visit this page to learn more.

Find more information about Margarita Howard on https://dataconomy.com/2026/02/23/infrastructure-as-competitive-advantage-margarita-howards-early-investment-philosophy-at-hx5/