The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Land and Maritime’s Office of Small Business Programs is hosting a “Contracting Opportunities” Webinar for Small Disadvantaged Businesses and 8(a) Suppliers on Wednesday, February 19th, 2014 at 2:00 pm EST.

The purpose of the webinar is to discuss how 8(a) and other small disadvantaged businesses can be considered as suppliers for the more than 300 open Land and Maritime parts purchases that have been assigned to the 8(a) program.  The webinar is exclusively for 8(a) and small disadvantaged contractors who have the capability of competitively manufacturing and delivering the requirements for these open National Stock Number (NSN) purchases.

DLA Land and Maritime is specifically searching for qualified 8(a) and small disadvantaged contractors who are manufacturers or machine shops.  Land and Maritime procures spare parts for the military services.  These spare parts are identified by NSNs.   The Feb. 19th webinar will be focusing only on those NSNs set-aside for certified 8(a) and small disadvantaged businesses.  A list of those 8(a) open NSNs can be found at: DLA L&M 8a Open NSNs – 02.2014.

Detailed below are instructions for accessing the 8(a) NSN data packages.  The purpose of supplying the data packages is to allow decision-making regarding business capability to provide one or more of the items in accordance with the drawings and specifications, and in line with past buying history.   Please note that at the above-designated web page, the solicitation titled “OPEN8ANSNS” is only a dummy solicitation designed to allow access to the drawings in cFolders, and will remain active only until March 21, 2014.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING DETAILED NSN DATA PACKAGES:

1. Go to DLA Land and Maritime web site:

http://www.landandmaritime.dla.mil

OR

https://pcf1.bsm.dla.mil/cfolders (start with #5)

2. Go to the side bar and click on DLA/EBS Internet Bid Broad System (DIBBS)

3. Go Technical Data on the right side of the window

4. Go to DLA Collaboration Folders (cFolders) click on “I Agree”

5. Input your user ID and password

6. Go to the Filter for Solicitation link

7. Type in solicitation number OPEN8ANSNS all in upper case.

8. Review nomenclature and sub-folders

9. Click on Material Numbers to access drawings for downloading

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTERING FOR WEBINAR:

To register for the “Contracting Opportunities” Webinar for Small Disadvantaged Businesses and 8(a) Businesses, please send an email to DSCCBCC@dla.mil with the following information: Name, CAGE code, and email address.

The DLA Land and Maritime Small Business Office’s mission is to  assist you with your journey to do business with DLA Land and Maritime.  The office can be reached at 614-692-3541 or by via email at DSCCBCC@dla.mil.

INFORMATION ABOUT 8(a) AND SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES:

To qualify for the Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) program, a small business must be owned and controlled by a socially and economically disadvantaged individual. Certain presumed groups include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, Native Americans, and Subcontinent Asian Americans. Other individuals can be admitted to the program if they show through a “preponderance of the evidence” that they are disadvantaged because of race, ethnicity, gender, physical handicap, or residence in an environment isolated from the mainstream of American society. In order to meet the economic disadvantage test, all individuals must have a net worth of less than $250,000, excluding the value of the business and personnel residence. Successful applicants must also meet applicable size standards for small business concerns. In addition, they must be in business for at least two years (may be waived), display reasonable potential for success, and be of good character.

The SBA 8(a) Business Development program is a 9-year program designed to assist socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in gaining access to the resources necessary to develop small businesses. The goal is to improve the opportunities of disadvantaged firms to compete on an equal basis in the mainstream of the American economy. The SBA is responsible for selecting firms for this program. For more information go to: http://www.sba.gov/8abd

TIPS FOR MATCHING YOUR COMPANY CAPABILITIES WITH DLA LAND & MARITIME OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Go to DLA web site Selling to DLA Land and Maritime
2. Go to DIBBS
   • DLA/EBS
3. Check out the federal stock classes (FSC) and see where your expertise lies.
4. Focus on NSNs of those FSCs.