The NSA Acquisition Organization conducts a variety of outreach initiatives for the purpose of establishing partnerships with industry, academia, and other state, local, and federal government entities through a variety of outreach initiatives such as the NSA Acquisition / Industry Symposium (NAIS) and the NSA Commercial Acquisition Conference (NCAC).
Monthly Outreach Meetings
Are you interested in working with the National Security Agency, but aren't sure how? The NSA Industry Outreach and Facilitation Office would like to invite you to attend our monthly outreach session, Preparing for Success: A Start-up Guide to Working with NSA.
These briefings, designed for companies large and small, are intended to assist potential new vendors in learning about the Agency, our needs, and special programs meant to enhance our industrial base. Information on both internal and external marketing opportunities will be provided as well.
The briefings will be held at the Acquisition Resource Center (ARC) in Hanover, MD on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 8:00am to 12:00pm. Registration is required in advance and will be secured on a first-come, first-serve basis. To register for the meeting, please e-mail our Acquisition Outreach Team at nsaoutreach_register@nsa.gov. Please note: you must be a US citizen to attend. Registration is limited to two people per company.
NSA Acquisition and Industrial Symposium (NA/IS)
The NA/IS provides NSA with an opportunity to strengthen existing industry partnerships and to nurture and develop new ones. NSA provides industry with current, relevant acquisition information, such as near-term solicitation schedules and long-term government Business Forecasts that supports industry strategic business planning. It is a classified, one-day event, typically held in the May/June time frame each year. Participation is restricted to employees of U.S. Companies who are U.S. citizens and have a valid TOP SECRET U.S. government security clearance with access to sensitive compartmented information or higher.
NSA Commercial Acquisition Conference (NCAC)
NCAC is the unclassified version of NA/IS. Industry representatives that attended NAIS should NOT plan to attend NCAC as this event is specifically designed for companies that have not previously done business with NSA. Topics of discussion include:
NCAC is a one-day event held in the Baltimore/Washington area during the 1st or 2nd quarter of the U.S. government Fiscal Year (FY) (The U.S. government FY begins 1 October and ends on 30 September).
Acquisition Outreach and Small Business Office Forum
The purpose of this forum is to promote and enable better communication between NSA and our partners in the private sector. This event focuses on identifying and removing systemic and cultural barriers that inhibit best business practices. It also provides our industry partners with timely access to relevant business information. The forum is held quarterly either in NSA facilities or at the Acquisition Resource Center (ARC) in Hanover, MD.
Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZONE) Conference
The overall goal of this outreach event is to expand NSA’s industrial base in this very important socio-economic area. NSA provides HUBZONE industries with information regarding our mission, business practices, and the various needs we rely on private industry to fulfill. HUBZONE industries have the opportunity to inform NSA representatives of their individual capabilities and areas of expertise.
NSA conducted its first HUBZONE Conference in Garrett County, MD, on 30 June 2003. Future HUBZONE conferences will be scheduled in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia.
SBO Bi-Weekly Meetings
The NSA Small Business Office (SBO) Bi-Weekly Meetings are an NSA Familiarization Briefing in which the SBO provides information to small businesses in attendance as to how they may start to do business with NSA, as well as information on other areas of interest to small businesses (information regarding registering businesses with the Acquisition Resource Center, Central Contractor Registration, Dun and Bradstreet; providing contact sources, obtaining clearances, etc.). These sessions are conducted every other Wednesday, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM Est., at the NSA Acquisition Resource Center (ARC), located in Hanover, MD. To register for one of the Bi-Weekly Meetings, contact the Small Business Office, (301) 688-7866, Toll Free (866) 397-7866, Fax Number: (301) 688-5857, or e-mail nsaoutreach_register@nsa.gov.
Technology Expositions
These events are designed to provide Agency personnel with a convenient opportunity to observe the latest technologies of interest to NSA and to provide companies with a cost and time effective forum to demonstrate their capabilities. NSA will host a series of educational technology expositions in different buildings located on the NSA campus. These exhibits will provide for the exchange of information between NSA and industry representatives on the latest trends in emerging technologies and Information Technology (IT).
Other Outreach Activities
NSA participates in numerous conferences and events sponsored by various state, local, and Federal entities such as: The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO); Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development; The Anne Arundel County Executive Development Corporation; The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA); The U.S. Small Business Administration; Business Opportunity Symposium sponsored by U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland.