2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year — Francisco Rivera
The Wepa Group

Stop Leaving Government Contracts on the Table.

Francisco Rivera is a 3-time SBA Award recipient, Service-Disabled Veteran, and operator with over $5M in government contracts secured across federal, state, and local agencies. This isn't theory—it's a proven playbook built from the field.

$5M+
Contracts Secured
10+
Years Operating
50M+
Sq Ft Serviced
Book Consultation Get Certified Start Questionnaire
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2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion Nominated — U.S. Small Business Administration
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2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year Francisco Rivera — Wepa Group
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2023 SBA Veteran Small Business of the Year Recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration
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SDVOSB · DVBE · MBE · SLBE Certified Serving City, County & Federal Agencies
2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year 2023 SBA Veteran Small Business of the Year $5M+ in Contracts Secured SDVOSB · DVBE · MBE · SLBE Certified Federal · State · City Agency Contracts 50M+ Square Feet Serviced 10+ Years Operating 2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion Nominee 2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year 2023 SBA Veteran Small Business of the Year $5M+ in Contracts Secured SDVOSB · DVBE · MBE · SLBE Certified Federal · State · City Agency Contracts 50M+ Square Feet Serviced 10+ Years Operating 2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion Nominee
Who This Is For

Built for Business Owners Who Are Ready to Win

Wepa Group Consulting works with a select number of serious operators each quarter. If you're ready to invest in real strategy and real results, you belong here. If you're looking for shortcuts, you don't.

01

The Emerging Contractor

You've built a real business, but you've never cracked the government market. You know set-aside contracts exist—SDVOSB, 8(a), MBE—but you don't know how to access them. We build your foundation and plug you in.

02

The Certified-but-Stuck Owner

You got certified. You're listed in SAM.gov. But the phone isn't ringing and you've never won a bid. Your certifications are worthless without positioning, capability statements, and a bid strategy. That's what we fix.

03

The Growth-Ready Operator

You're already doing government work, but you're leaving money on the table—chasing the wrong bids, under-pricing, or missing the certifications that unlock premium set-asides. We optimize and scale your operation.

04

The Veteran Entrepreneur

You served. Now it's time to leverage every advantage your service earned you. SDVOSB and DVBE certifications unlock billions in federal set-asides specifically for veterans. We've been where you are. We know how to win.

05

The Minority Business Owner

MBE, SLBE, DBE, and 8(a) certifications exist to level the playing field. But only those who understand how to work the system actually win. We help you get certified and positioned to capture contracts built for businesses like yours.

06

The Proposal-Stage Business

You've been shortlisted. You almost won. Your proposals aren't landing because they're not written for government buyers. We write, review, and position proposals that win—because we've written proposals that actually got paid.

"This isn't consulting from a whiteboard. Every strategy I teach, I've executed. Every contract framework I hand you, I've used to win real government business worth millions."
— Francisco Rivera, President · Wepa Group
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Multiple Active Government Contracts City, County & Federal agencies across California
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50M+ Square Feet Disinfected COVID-era government contracts — fully executed
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3-Time SBA Award Recipient 2023, 2024 & 2026 Nominee — U.S. Small Business Administration
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4 Active Certifications SDVOSB · DVBE · MBE · SLBE — All maintained and active
About

Trusted by Agencies. Recognized by the SBA. Proven in the Field.

Francisco Rivera
Francisco Rivera
President · Wepa Group & Wepa Commercial Cleaning

Francisco Rivera didn't learn government contracting in a classroom. He learned it by doing it—by building Wepa Commercial Cleaning from the ground up and winning real contracts with real agencies across California.

As a Service-Disabled Veteran, Francisco leveraged every available certification—SDVOSB, DVBE, MBE, and SLBE—not as checkboxes, but as strategic advantages. He learned the system, learned the language government buyers use, and built a business that the SBA has now recognized three separate times.

In 2023, the SBA named Wepa the Veteran Small Business of the Year. In 2024, they named Francisco the Small Business Person of the Year. In 2026, he was nominated as Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year. This level of recognition isn't marketing—it's the result of 10+ years of deliberate strategy, relentless execution, and a system that consistently wins.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Francisco's team disinfected over 50 million square feet across public buildings, schools, and government facilities—executed on government contract. That's not a resume bullet. That's operational proof.

Today, through Wepa Group Consulting, Francisco brings that same operational expertise directly to business owners who are ready to stop guessing and start winning.

2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion — Nominated
2026 SBA Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year
2023 SBA Veteran Small Business of the Year
10+ Years operating as a government contractor
$5M+ in government contracts secured across all levels
Active contracts with City, County & Federal agencies
SDVOSB · DVBE · MBE · SLBE Certified
50M+ square feet disinfected under government contract
Work With Francisco
Services

Six Ways We Win for Your Business

Every service we offer comes from Francisco's direct experience winning and executing government contracts. No filler. No generic advice. Proven strategy mapped to your specific situation.

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Government Contracting Strategy

What it is: A custom roadmap to identify, pursue, and win government contracts at the federal, state, and local level—built around your business's capabilities and target agencies.

Who it's for: Business owners ready to enter or scale in the government market with a real strategy, not a guess.

Outcome: A clear pipeline of targeted bids, a competitive positioning strategy, and a step-by-step contract pursuit plan—the same approach Francisco used to secure $5M+ in contracts.

Get Started →
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Certification Acquisition

What it is: End-to-end support for obtaining your SDVOSB, DVBE, MBE, SLBE, 8(a), DBE, or other government certifications—from documentation to submission to follow-up.

Who it's for: Business owners who qualify for set-aside certifications but don't have the time, knowledge, or bandwidth to navigate the process.

Outcome: Active certifications that unlock government set-aside contracts. We hold all four certifications Francisco holds—we know every step of the process.

Get Certified →
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Business Structuring

What it is: Structural optimization of your business—entity structure, documentation, compliance, and positioning—so your company qualifies for certifications, passes audits, and competes at the highest level.

Who it's for: Owners with great operations but weak back-office structure that disqualifies them from bids or certifications.

Outcome: A business that looks, operates, and qualifies like a serious government contractor—because it is one.

Get Structured →
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Proposal Writing & Submission

What it is: Professional proposal development written specifically for government buyers—from technical approach to pricing strategy to compliance review and final submission.

Who it's for: Business owners who have been shortlisted, almost won, or have never written a government proposal and don't know where to start.

Outcome: Proposals that get scored, evaluated, and selected. Government buyers have a language. We speak it fluently.

Win the Bid →
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Capability Statement Creation

What it is: A professional, government-ready capability statement—the one-page document that determines whether an agency takes your call or ignores your email.

Who it's for: Any business pursuing government contracts. This is non-negotiable. You cannot compete without a strong capability statement.

Outcome: A positioning document that communicates your value, certifications, differentiators, and past performance in exactly the format government buyers expect.

Get Your Statement →
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Government Market Positioning & Marketing

What it is: Strategic marketing tailored to government buyers—from SAM.gov optimization to agency outreach, capability marketing, and relationship-building with contracting officers.

Who it's for: Certified businesses that aren't getting noticed, getting called, or getting invited to bid.

Outcome: A visible, credible presence in the government market that generates inbound opportunities—not just reactive bidding.

Get Positioned →
Case Studies

What Results Actually Look Like

These aren't testimonials. They're documented outcomes. The strategies that produced these results are the same ones we bring to our consulting clients.

Federal Contract · Disinfection Services

From Local Operator to Federal Contractor During COVID-19

When COVID-19 hit, Wepa Commercial Cleaning was already positioned as a certified government contractor. While most small businesses scrambled for emergency SBA loans, Francisco secured multiple government disinfection contracts—leveraging SDVOSB and DVBE certifications to access set-aside opportunities immediately available to qualified veterans.

The result was scale: 50M+ square feet disinfected, teams deployed across multiple public agency facilities, and government purchase orders funded and executed while private sector work collapsed. The certifications that took months to obtain became the foundation for millions in revenue when the market moved.

50M+
Sq Ft Disinfected
Multiple
Agency Contracts
$M+
Contract Revenue
Certification Strategy · SDVOSB + DVBE + MBE + SLBE

Multi-Certification Architecture That Unlocked Every Market Level

Rather than pursuing a single certification, Francisco built a deliberate multi-certification strategy for Wepa—obtaining SDVOSB, DVBE, MBE, and SLBE designations to ensure competitive eligibility at federal, state, county, and city levels simultaneously. Most operators pursue one certification. Francisco pursued four, strategically.

This architecture allowed Wepa to bid as a qualified set-aside contractor across every layer of government—creating a competitive moat that standard operators cannot replicate without the same strategic setup. The multi-certification strategy directly contributed to multiple concurrent government contracts across agencies.

4
Active Certifications
3
Gov't Levels Covered
3×
SBA Recognition
SBA Recognition · Small Business Authority

Three SBA Awards in Three Years — Not an Accident

In 2023, the SBA named Wepa Commercial Cleaning the Veteran Small Business of the Year. In 2024, Francisco Rivera was named Small Business Person of the Year. In 2026, he was nominated as Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year. Three separate award cycles. Three separate recognition tiers. One consistent business system.

This level of recognition doesn't happen by chance. It's the result of documented performance, compliance, community impact, and business results that meet the SBA's highest evaluation standards. Francisco now shows consulting clients how to build the business credibility and documentation that gets noticed by agencies, evaluators, and award committees.

3
SBA Awards
2023–26
Consecutive Recognition
10+
Years of Results
Full-Service Contracting · City · County · Federal

$5M+ Across All Three Levels of Government

Most small businesses struggle to win at a single level of government. Wepa operates concurrently across city, county, and federal contracts—a result of deliberate structure, strong certifications, consistent past performance documentation, and relationships with contracting officers built over a decade.

This multi-level government contracting capability represents the fully realized version of the system Francisco teaches. It didn't happen overnight—it was built contract by contract, certification by certification, proposal by proposal. The playbook is now available to Wepa Group Consulting clients ready to build their own version of this model.

$5M+
Total Contracts
3
Gov't Levels Active
10+
Years Proven
Investment Packages

Choose Your Level of Engagement

Every package is a direct investment in your business's ability to win government contracts. The question isn't whether you can afford this—it's how much you're leaving on the table without it. Francisco personally limits client intake to ensure every engagement receives the attention it deserves.

Tier 01
Foundation
$2,500–$3,500
Ideal for businesses just entering the government market
  • Government contracting readiness assessment
  • SAM.gov registration guidance
  • NAICS code identification & strategy
  • 1 certification eligibility analysis (SDVOSB, MBE, etc.)
  • Professional capability statement
  • Government market orientation briefing
  • 30-day action plan with bid targets
  • 2 strategy sessions with Francisco
Apply Now
Tier 02
Accelerator
$5,000–$7,500
Built for businesses ready to pursue and win contracts
  • Everything in Foundation
  • Full certification acquisition (1–2 certifications)
  • Business structure review & optimization
  • Bid identification system setup
  • 1 complete proposal written & submitted
  • Government buyer outreach strategy
  • Agency-specific positioning plan
  • 90-day contract pursuit roadmap
  • 4 strategy sessions with Francisco
  • Email support between sessions
Apply Now
Tier 03
Dominate
$8,500–$10,500
For operators ready to build a real government contracting business
  • Everything in Accelerator
  • Full multi-certification strategy (2–3 certs)
  • Complete business restructuring support
  • 2 proposals written, reviewed & submitted
  • 6-month contract pursuit pipeline
  • Contracting officer relationship strategy
  • Government marketing positioning package
  • SBA loan & funding readiness guidance
  • Monthly group mentorship calls
  • 6 1-on-1 strategy sessions with Francisco
  • Priority email & text support
Apply Now
Tier 04
Elite Full-Service
$12,000
Done-with-you + Done-for-you. Francisco's full system deployed for your business.
  • Everything in Dominate
  • Full certification support — up to 4 certifications
  • Complete business structuring done-for-you
  • Capability statement created & designed
  • 3+ proposals written, reviewed & submitted
  • Full bid identification strategy & pipeline
  • Government marketing positioning system
  • Agency outreach & relationship building
  • 12-month government contracting roadmap
  • AI-powered bid research setup
  • Direct mentorship from Francisco (unlimited sessions)
  • Priority support — calls, text, email
  • Quarterly business performance reviews
Apply Now

All packages require an application and approval call. Wepa Group accepts a limited number of consulting clients per quarter to ensure results.
Payment plans available on Accelerator, Dominate & Elite packages.

Get Certified

Your Certifications Are the Key to the Set-Aside Market

The federal government is required by law to award a percentage of contracts to certified small, veteran-owned, and minority-owned businesses. Certifications are not bureaucratic paperwork—they are access passes to a multi-billion dollar market that your competitors aren't qualified to enter.

Why Certifications Change Everything

Government set-asides exist because agencies are mandated to spend with qualified small businesses. Without the right certifications, your business is invisible to contracting officers—regardless of how good your work is.

With the right certifications, you're not competing against Lockheed Martin or Amazon. You're competing against a small pool of similarly-qualified businesses in a market that your tax dollars helped fund.

Francisco holds four active certifications: SDVOSB, DVBE, MBE, and SLBE. Each one unlocks a different tier of government contracts. The combination creates a competitive moat most business owners never build.

SDVOSB
DVBE
MBE
SLBE
8(a)
DBE
WOSB
HUBZone
SBA 8(a)
Start Certification Questionnaire
01

Eligibility Assessment

We identify every certification you qualify for—and build a strategy around the combination that creates the most competitive advantage for your business model and target agencies.

02

Documentation & Preparation

We gather, organize, and prepare every document required for your certification applications—eliminating the most common mistakes that cause delays and rejections.

03

Application Submission

We submit your applications through the correct portals with the correct documentation—and follow up with agencies to ensure processing moves forward without unnecessary delays.

04

Activation & Positioning

Once certified, we immediately position your business in the market—updating SAM.gov, creating your capability statement, and identifying the first contracts to target with your new status.

05

Maintenance & Renewal Strategy

Certifications require maintenance and renewal. We build systems so your certifications never lapse and your competitive position is never interrupted.

AI Systems & Modern Business

The Operators Who Win in 2025 Use AI Differently

Artificial intelligence isn't replacing government contractors—it's separating the ones who adapt from the ones who don't. Wepa Group integrates AI-powered tools into our consulting process to give clients a measurable competitive advantage in bid research, proposal writing, and market positioning.

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AI-Powered Bid Identification

Manually tracking thousands of government contract opportunities across SAM.gov, state portals, and city procurement systems is a full-time job. We implement AI-assisted monitoring systems that surface the right opportunities for your business—filtered by your certifications, NAICS codes, and target agency types—so you're bidding strategically, not desperately.

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AI-Assisted Proposal Writing

Government proposals have specific structures, compliance requirements, and evaluation criteria. We use AI writing tools—layered with Francisco's government buyer expertise—to produce proposals faster, more consistently, and with higher technical scores. The result is better proposals produced in less time, without sacrificing quality or compliance.

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Market Research & Competitor Analysis

Before bidding, you need to understand who else is bidding, what agencies have paid historically, and what pricing wins in your target categories. AI tools extract and analyze this data from public procurement databases, helping you price strategically, position accurately, and avoid the bids you won't win.

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Marketing Automation for Government Buyers

Building relationships with contracting officers requires consistent, professional outreach over time. We set up automated marketing systems—email sequences, capability statement delivery, follow-up workflows—so your business stays visible to procurement officers even when you're busy executing current contracts. Systematic outreach replaces random networking.

This Is Your Competitive Moat—If You Act First

Most of your competitors are still doing this manually: searching USASpending.gov by hand, writing proposals in Word, and hoping a contracting officer remembers them. The businesses that integrate AI-assisted processes now will have an operational advantage that compounds over time. This is not hype—it's arithmetic.

Integrate AI Into Your Strategy
Free Resources

Start Learning. Start Winning.

These resources are free. Download them, implement them, and when you're ready to accelerate, you know where to find us. No strings. No spam. Just real information that government contractors need.

Free Guide

How to Win Your First Government Contract

A step-by-step breakdown of everything you need to compete for government contracts—registrations, certifications, capability statements, bid identification, and proposal fundamentals. Written from 10+ years of real contracting experience.

Free Checklist

The Complete Government Certification Checklist

A comprehensive checklist covering the documentation, eligibility requirements, and steps for SDVOSB, DVBE, MBE, SLBE, 8(a), DBE, WOSB, and HUBZone certifications. Know exactly what you need before you start.

Free Template

Winning Proposal Template & Framework

The proposal structure that government evaluators actually want to see—formatted, organized, and annotated with instructions for each section. Use this as your starting point on every bid, and customize from there.

Onboarding Questionnaire

Let's Find Out Where You Stand

Complete this questionnaire to help us understand your business, your goals, and where you're stuck. This takes 3 minutes. It helps us give you a consultation call that actually moves the needle—not a generic pitch.

Limited availability. Wepa Group Consulting accepts a select number of new clients each quarter. Submitting this form does not guarantee enrollment. A team member will contact you within 1–2 business days to schedule your strategy call.

Book a Consultation

One Call Can Change the Direction of Your Business

What Happens on the Call

  • We audit your current business positioning and certification status—no assumptions, no guesswork.
  • We identify exactly which certifications you qualify for and which ones will have the greatest immediate impact on your revenue potential.
  • We review your current proposal history (or lack of one) and identify the specific gaps preventing you from winning bids.
  • We map your business to the specific government agencies and contract vehicles you should be targeting—based on your industry, location, and certifications.
  • We tell you exactly what the next 90 days should look like if you're serious about winning government contracts.
  • You leave with clarity on the specific investment required and the realistic outcome you can expect from working together.
This call is for serious operators only. If you're looking for free advice, general information, or someone to validate a vague idea—this is not the right call for you. If you're ready to invest in a real strategy and execute it, let's talk.

Strategy Consultation

A direct, no-fluff conversation with Francisco Rivera—3-time SBA Award recipient, $5M+ in government contracts secured, and the operator who built one of California's most recognized veteran-owned small businesses.

Complete Questionnaire First
Then we'll schedule your strategy call.
✓ Conducted by Francisco Rivera directly
✓ Specific to your business — no generic answers
✓ Limited slots available each month
✓ Application required — not everyone qualifies