WASHINGTON–The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a business matchmaking event allowing small businesses to discuss procurement opportunities with major corporations and federal agencies during National Small Business Week on May 22 in Washington, DC.
The event will give small businesses from across the country gathered for National Small Business Week an opportunity to have face-to-face meetings with prime contractors and federal agencies to learn about specific contracting and subcontracting opportunities. This is part of SBA’s Procurement Day which will also feature federal contracting panels on gaining access to federal prime contracting and subcontracting opportunities.
The business matchmaking sessions are open to small businesses that register for National Small Business Week. Small businesses must have a DUNS number, which can be obtained by going to the DUNS official Web site, and must be registered in Central Contractor Registration, the federal government’s official database of small businesses wishing to secure federal contracts.
The face-to-face matchmaking meetings will be 15 minutes, matching approximately 150 businesses and 20 buyers based on their compatibility and the buying needs of the federal agencies and corporations. Small business owners interested in participating must first register for National Small Business Week at www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com.
Once registered, they will receive a code to allow them to complete their business matchmaking registration at: https://nsbw.mybusinessmatches.com. Registration for the event will close on May 18, 2012. One session will be held on May 22 from 10:00am-12:30pm and the second session will be held from 3:00pm-5:00pm.
During the forums, small businesses will learn how to market themselves to the federal government and go after government contracting opportunities. Once small business owners register for the workshops, they will have the option of attending any of three sessions:
- Government Contracting 101: Small Business Contracting Programs (10:00-11:15am)
- Insights into Federal Contracting Opportunities with Federal Agency Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBUs) (10:00am-11:15am and 11:30am-12:45pm)
- Improving your Business through Subcontracting Opportunities (11:30am-12:45pm)
Small Business Week 2012 sponsors and cosponsors include: the Association of Small Business Development Centers, the InterContinental Hotel Group, Lockheed Martin, the National Association of Development Companies, the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, the National Association for the Self-Employed, Northrup Grumman, Office Depot, Paychex, Raytheon, SCORE, the Small Business Investor Alliance, VISA, and Women Impacting Public Policy.
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s participation in this cosponsored activity does not constitute an express or implied endorsement of any cosponsor’s, donor’s, grantee’s, contractor’s or participant’s opinions, products, or services. All SBA programs and cosponsored programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least 2 weeks in advance, by contacting sbw@sba.gov. Cosponsorship Authorization #SBW2012.
Contacts:
Tiffani Clements: (202) 401 0035
Release Number: 12-21
