Dominic Contino
Frederick,MD
Summary
Senior Business Development and Capture leader with 10+ years guiding federal growth for DoD and NASA programs. Leads strategy, proposals, teaming, pricing, and budget planning to win and expand high-value contracts, including SBA 8(a) and GWAC opportunities, while pairing business development leadership with engineering and quality support on complex aerospace work.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Director of Business Development
CAYUSE GOVERNMENT SERVICES
11.2022 - 10.2026
- - Spearheaded business development, capture strategy, and opportunity management for an SBA 8(a) Tribally Owned Entity across federal DoD IT programs, driving $35M+ in annual revenue.
- - Developed and executed market strategies leveraging SBA 8(a) Tribal sole-source procurement mechanisms ($100M+ DoD / $25M Civilian thresholds without J&A) to secure high-margin, direct-award contracts.
- - Defined business unit growth approach and annual operational budgets, expanding agency reach across Army and Joint DoD agencies.
- - Evaluated and negotiated strategic teaming agreements, Mentor-Protég joint ventures, and subcontractor partnerships to maximize bid competitiveness on major GWACs (8(a) STARS III, OASIS+).
- - Led proposal strategy, pricing models, bid/no-bid analyses, and win-theme development for complex multi-year task orders.
Engineering Group Lead / Quality Assurance Manager
TRIDENT VANTAGE SYSTEMS / SSAI (NASA GSFC)
01.2016 - 11.2022
- - Directed multi-disciplinary engineering teams (GNC, Laser Optics) supporting NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (ESSE III & TIDES contracts).
- - Executed task order proposals, costing estimates, and subcontractor management across 80+ team members while monitoring technical and financial KPIs.
- - Identified and captured new task order opportunities by nurturing key NASA customer relationships and negotiating task pricing.
- - Managed Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) and ISO 9001 compliance for flight hardware, overseeing quality audits, risk assessments, and supplier capabilities.
Occupational Safety Specialist & Aircraft Technician
MARYLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD
05.2003 - 12.2023
- - Conducted comprehensive safety evaluations and hazardous material compliance audits to uphold military workplace standards.
- - Investigated incidents and implemented preventative control measures in coordination with engineering and medical personnel.
- - Supervised maintenance personnel, ensuring operational risk management compliance across high-value propulsion systems.
Quality Assurance Specialist & Engineer
Sierra Lobo Inc. & SGT Inc. (NASA GSFC)
01.2010 - 01.2016
- - Oversaw ISO 9001 quality compliance, supplier capability assessments, equipment calibration programs, and sub-contract financial tracking on major NASA astrophysics and spaceflight projects (GEMS, Astro-H, NICER).
Manager of Facility Operations & Operations/Sales Manager
Geomet / Vaughan Ventures
01.2006 - 01.2010
- - Directed Tier 1 chemical laboratory facilities and led sales efforts that expanded active distributor networks by 150% in 12 months.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) -
Frostburg State University
B.S. - Business Administration (Supply Chain Management)
University of Maryland University College
A.A.S. - Aviation Maintenance Technology
Community College of the Air Force
Skills
- Business Development & Capture Strategy
- Proposal Leadership & Win-Strategy Development
- Pipeline Management & Teaming Evaluation
- P&L Oversight & Budget Planning
- DoD & NASA Program Management
- Active DoD Secret Clearance
- ISO 9001 / Quality Assurance & Compliance
- - Subcontractor & Vendor Management
Timeline
Senior Director of Business Development
CAYUSE GOVERNMENT SERVICES
11.2022 - 10.2026
Engineering Group Lead / Quality Assurance Manager
TRIDENT VANTAGE SYSTEMS / SSAI (NASA GSFC)
01.2016 - 11.2022
Quality Assurance Specialist & Engineer
Sierra Lobo Inc. & SGT Inc. (NASA GSFC)
01.2010 - 01.2016
Manager of Facility Operations & Operations/Sales Manager
Geomet / Vaughan Ventures
01.2006 - 01.2010
Occupational Safety Specialist & Aircraft Technician
MARYLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD
05.2003 - 12.2023
Master of Business Administration (MBA) -
Frostburg State University
B.S. - Business Administration (Supply Chain Management)
University of Maryland University College
A.A.S. - Aviation Maintenance Technology
Community College of the Air Force