Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

GTPAC supports Georgia National Guard vendor expo

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On May 2nd, 2019, GTPAC provided support at the Georgia National Guard vendor expo at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, GA.  Vendors who attended the expo were allowed to showcase their products and services to buyers from the Georgia National Guard’s logistics, human resources, medical, equipment, training, operations, and information technology units.

The event was organized by Derrick A. Thomas, a Contract Specialist with the Georgia National Guard.  The Georgia National Guard makes a strong effort each year to reach out to small businesses in the local community who desire to do business with the Guard. 

GTPAC Program Manager Andrew Smith spoke at the event and provided some general tips and advice to contractors in attendance.  “To be a successful government contractor, you have to have the basics covered.  You need to be registered in SAM, the SBA Dynamic Small Business Search (“DSBS”) database, and you need to develop a smart marketing strategy if you want to have a chance to win simplified acquisitions or subcontracting opportunities.” 

GTPAC and Procurement Technical Assitance Centers located in all 50 states, regularly provided free assistance to businesses who need help with the SAM and SBA DSBS registration process. 

Smith continued, “The government will not buy from you if they do not know about you, and the value of your products or services, so attending events like this where you can interact with government buyers, showcase your products and services, and meet prime contractors who are looking for subcontractors is essential if you want to have success in the government market.  I thank the Georgia National Guard for making this opportunity available to the local business community.”

SBA and Atlanta MBDA to host 8(a) training event May 13th

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The SBA Georgia District Office and Atlanta MBDA Business and Advanced Manufacturing Centers will be jointly hosting a half-day event related to the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program.  The purpose of the event is to foster new 8(a) applicants and to provide instruction to current 8(a) participants on how to maximize the impact of their 8(a) program experience.  The event will also provide training on how 8(a) participants can prepare for transitioning out of the program successfully at the end of their program term.

Topics Include:

  • The Federal Contracting Market and the 8(a) Program
  • 8(a) Program Best Practices
  • 8(a) Program Eligibility and Application Process
  • Effective Marketing to Federal Agencies
  • Capacity Building Tools / Resources for Current 8(a) Participants

There is no fee to attend.  But seats are limited, so registration is required.

Date:  Monday, May 13, 2019

Time:  9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET

Location:  Georgia Tech Research Institute Conference Center, 250 14th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Register here:  https://www.sba.gov/event/1640787

GTPAC to host Atlanta government contracting day on May 21st

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Are you interested in doing business with the government?  Are you already doing business with the government?  If so, please join us as we celebrate government contracting on May 21, 2019, at the Global Learning Center, 84 5th Street NW, Atlanta GA.  GTPAC Counselors will introduce themselves and will provide special presentations on emerging government contracting issues.  GTPAC Counselors will also take questions from the audience related to government contracting.  GTPAC and its resource partners will also provide information about their services and programs.  Contractors will also have an opportunity to network and meet with other vendors and attendees!

Date:  5/21/2019

Time:  9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT)

Location:  Global Learning Center, 84 5th Street NW, Atlanta GA

Presenters:  To be determined.

Admission is free, but pre-registration is required as seating is limited.

Registration:  Go to https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events/8687 and click “Sign Up”

If you have any questions, reach out to Andrew Smith at andrew.smith@innovate.gatech.edu 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission holding small business event in Atlanta on June 5th

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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is holding a Small Business Exchange and Matchmaking Event on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 in Atlanta.   In addition to the NRC, other government agencies and prime contractors will be in attendance.

The event is being held at Georgia State University, 33 Gilmer Street S.E., Atlanta, from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm.

See the event flyer here: NRC Event Flyer

To register to attend this event, free of charge, visit: https://nrcsboutreachatlanta2019.eventbrite.com

Attend Augusta Government Contracting Day on April 22nd

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Are you interested in doing business with the government?  Would you like to learn about federal contracting assistance programs, such as the Women-Owned Small Business program, the Service-disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program, the 8(a) Business Development program, the All Small Mentor-Protégé program, and the HUBZone program?  Are you interested in learning about how to find, bid on and win government contracting opportunities at the federal, state and local level?  If so, please join us at the Augusta Government Contracting Day, on April 22nd at the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library, 823 Telfair Street in Augusta, GA.  GTPAC Counselors will provide a general overview of how the government buys goods and services and will take questions from the audience on all aspects of government contracting.  We will also provide information on free resources that are available to help your business win government contracts.

Date:  4/22/2019

Time:  9:00 AM to 1:00 PM (EDT)

Location:  Augusta-Richmond County Public Library, 823 Telfair Street, Augusta GA 30901

Presenters:  To be determined.

Admission is free, but pre-registration is required as seating is limited.

Registration:  Go to https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events/8684 and click “Sign Up”

If you have any questions, reach out to Andrew Smith at andrew.smith@innovate.gatech.edu 

Georgia National Guard to hold vendor expo on May 2nd

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The Georgia National Guard is inviting vendors to showcase their products and services at a free expo on Thursday, May 2nd, 2019.

In attendance at this event will be customers and buyers from the Georgia National Guard’s logistics, human resources, medical, equipment, training, operations, information technology, and other units.

The expo will be held at the Clay National Guard Center, 1000 Halsey Ave., Bldg. 447 – Drill Hall, Marietta, GA 30060.

Deadline for registration at the event is 5:00 pm, Friday, April 26th, 2019.  Businesses wishing to attend must complete the Registration Form, and attach it to an email with the Subject line “Expo Day Registration” addressed to: gaarngexpoday@gmail.com. You can download the Registration Form by clicking here: Registration and Agreement Form

All registrations are offered on a first-come, first served basis.

Vendors who pre-register will be furnished with a display table.  Vendors may set up their tables either on the morning of May 1st (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) or the day of the event (9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.).

Vendors should allow for extra time to be cleared through the guard post on base.

Schedule of Events on May 2nd, 2019

9:00 – 10:00 am – Vendor Set Up
10:00 – 10:15 am – How to Get Connected with Government Contracts – Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center
10:15 – 10:30 am – Advantages of Connecting with the SBA – SBA Georgia District Office
10:30 – 10:45 am – Advantages of Being on FedBid Marketplace – FedBid
10:45- 11:00 am – Guest Speaker and Q&A
11:00 am – 2:00 pm – Open Display: Customers and Buyers from the Georgia National Guard View Vendors’ Product and Services

More Information

For more information, see: Vendor Day Flyer

March 28th webinar to address how small businesses can support US DOT’s research needs

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The United States Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) is inviting small businesses to participate in a webinar on the Department’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.  The webinar will be held on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 2:00 pm (EDT).

Here’s what participants will learn:

  • How you can apply your expertise and support U.S. DOT’s research goals through SBIR.
  • Updates on the Department’s FY19 SBIR solicitation.
  • How the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) participate in the SBIR program.

U.S. DOT’s SBIR program has awarded $50 million during the past five years to small businesses. Webinar participants will be able to hear from U.S. DOT SBIR program managers about their agency’s research needs and how they use the SBIR program.

Please confirm your participation by registering clicking this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QGFYB9Q no later than COB Monday, March 25, 2019.   By close of business Tuesday, March 26, 2019 registrants will receive an email communication with instructions on how to join the webinar.

U.S. DOT’s SBIR Program Director Rachael Sack, along with the FHWA R&T Program Development & Partnership Team Director Jack Jernigan, and FRA SBIR Program Manager Jeffrey Gordon, will be in attendance.  Please make your reservation through the link above as space is very limited.

If you have any questions, or concerns, please call Mr. Duphresne at 202-366-9507. You can also reach the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization at 202-366-1930.

Camden County’s development authority to host event for prospective submarine suppliers

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A submarine supplier recruitment event will be held May 1 and 2, 2019 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center.

The conference is being hosted by the Camden County Joint Development Authority and sponsored by the Submarine Industrial Base Council (SIBC) which represents 5,000 companies in nearly all 50 States producing components used to manufacture two Virginia-class attack submarines per year.

Suppliers who are interested in learning more about opportunities associated with the upcoming construction of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine are encouraged to attend.

This event is particularly appropriate for:

  • Established manufacturing companies in the Southeastern region with experience fulfilling Department of Defense (DoD) contracts for Mil-Spec manufactured components.
  • Established companies without DoD contract experience are also encouraged to attend in order to learn how to become a sub tier supplier to a SIBC supplier and expand the market share for your products.

Features of the supplier conference include a panel session featuring representatives from General Dynamics-Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding and a panel consisting of several existing SIBC suppliers in the Southeast Region.  Each panel will discuss the unique requirements and challenges potential suppliers will face and the process to become a component supplier.

Complete details, including registration, can be found at: https://spark.adobe.com/page/ezcqkBTaqfhff/

Fort Stewart to hold acquisition open house on April 4th

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Fort Stewart is inviting interested vendors to attend a “Forecast Forum” on April 4, 2019 to meet with units and representatives of the Mission Installation Contracting Command (MICC) about this year’s anticipated contracting opportunities.

The event will be held at  the SFC Paul R. Smith Education Center, 100 Knowledge Drive, Fort Stewart, GA 31313.  Fort Stewart is located just a few miles southwest of Savannah.

Pre-registration may be accomplished in any one of the following three ways:

Sign-in for the event begins at 8:00 am.  The event itself runs from 8:30 am until 12:00 noon.

Very important location and access information: This event is located outside Gate 1, so no gate access required.  Make a right turn onto General Stewart Way and a left onto Knowledge Drive.

If you have a Military or Civilian ID or CAC Card, you can gain access to Fort Stewart through any gate.  If you do not, visitors can gain access to the Fort only through Gate 1 where you will need to show current driver’s license, auto registration, and auto insurance.  Also, extra time should be allowed for vehicle inspection.  No speeding on the installation.  Use of non-hands-free cell phones while driving on Fort Stewart is illegal.

DARPA’s pilot project aims to increase funding opportunities in SBIR and STTR programs

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Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) are the principal set-aside programs for small business participation in federal research and development funding, yet the requirements for administering and managing these programs have not changed significantly in decades.

To keep pace with discovery in science and technology worldwide, DARPA now intends to release SBIR/STTR opportunities on an out-of-cycle basis, separate from the three pre-determined announcements traditionally issued directly through the Department of Defense (DoD). The change is expected to reduce the overall time from opportunity announcement to contract award.

Prior to the change, the timeline for SBIR/STTR funding opportunities was managed independently of DARPA’s primary technology programs, which resulted in small businesses being isolated from the benefits associated with integration into established program communities. Under the terms of the pilot program, however, DARPA will institute timesaving measures to speed program integration, such as Direct to Phase II authority, which allows the agency to bypass Phase I research requirements once performers provide satisfactory documentation of feasibility, and/or proof of scientific merit, technical merit, and commercialization potential.

DARPA will also seek to identify SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees with a compelling go-to-market strategy for participation in a newly created commercialization accelerator. The DARPA accelerator will provide additional funding to employ one entrepreneur-in-residence or business development lead who will offer the awardee direct support for activities including, but not limited to, customer engagement planning, market analysis and mapping, competitive analysis, techno-economic analysis, IP securement strategy development, and financial plan creation.

“It’s essential to change our acquisition practices to mirror the commercial marketplace if we hope to attract revolutionary companies that normally avoid working with the federal government,” said Dr. Steven Walker, director of DARPA. “This move will provide DARPA the flexibility to operate at a much faster pace than traditional SBIR/STTR contracting cycles have historically allowed.”

Congress established the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program in 1982 to provide opportunities for small businesses to participate in federal government-sponsored research and development. Since that time, DARPA has leveraged SBIR awards to promote and sustain small business innovation as well as foster the development and transition of critical national security capabilities.

Full details regarding DARPA’s SBIR/STTR programs and associated Broad Agency Announcements are available at: https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/for-small-businesses.

Source: https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-03-01

See DARPA’s 10 focus areas for small businesses here: https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/03/darpa-highlights-10-focus-areas-innovative-small-businesses/155279/

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