11th Annual Small Business Conference

The 11^th Annual USACE Small Business Conference drew a record-setting crowd to St. Louis, November 5-6.  Some 944 people signed up for the second-ever such conference held outside of Washington, DC, pushing the attendance number to the top.

In addition to the official conference sessions, several Corps, Division and other side sessions, as well as technical training opportunities filled out the week.  Attendees came from the Army and USACE, other Federal agencies as well as from large and small businesses nationwide.

This year also was the first for new Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, who threw his support solidly behind the Corps small business program and the businesses that are critical to its success.  He told an opening day audience that the Corps was unable to do its work – at home or around the world – without the expertise and hard work of the small businesses of this country.

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, the Honorable John Paul Woodley, served as the keynote speaker after lunch on the conference’s second full day.

Other speakers included Ms. Tracy Pinson, who heads up the small business program for the entire Army, and Anthony Bell, who assumed duties in charge of the Corps Small Business Program only last year.

A busy display hall served both as a place for critical networking and to display capabilities and work of various firms as well as Corps Divisions and Districts.

Break out sessions featured multiple opportunities to learn about specific programs such as military and civil works programs.  One focused on the large volume of work in New Orleans.  But a common thread was an open dialog focusing on helping small businesses to find ways either to capture work themselves or to partner with large firms as subcontractors.  Several road blocks to better success were discussed openly and attendees on both sides of the issues – businesses and the USACE – left with ideas for the road ahead.

The conference was administered and hosted by the Society of American Military Engineers.  Next year’s site was not announced, but the sessions will reluctantly leave St. Louis, perhaps for a southern or west coast venue in 2008.

More information

• Contracting Opportunities: A current listing of contracting opportunities for the St. Louis District may be obtained at web site http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/ct/ct.htm.

• Central Contractor Registration: Businesses must be registered through the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) process in order to compete for USACE contracts. Information concerning the CCR may be obtained at web site http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/ct/ct.htm.

• DoD Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB): Women-owned small businesses should sign up with DoD WOSB. Information may be obtained at web site http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/wosb/

• Small Dynamic Business Search: Small Dynamic Business Search is an electronic search engine for contracting officers, a marketing tool for small firms, and a link to procurement opportunities and other important information for small business. Information on Small Dynamic Business Search may be obtained at web site http://ccr.gov

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): The SBA was established in 1953 to provide financial, technical and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses. For more information about the SBA contact them at web site http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/ or phone at (314) 539-6600.

• The Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE):  The CVE mission is to improve the business climate for veterans, to minimize access barriers and to inform the public about the benefits of working with veteran-owned small businesses.  They seek to create breakthrough opportunities for veteran-owned small businesses and with their strategic partners, they continually seek to stretch performance and improve benefits for veterans in business.  For more information about CVE see their website: http://www.vetbiz.gov/index.htm

New procedures implemented for U. S. Army Corps of Engineer solicitations require that all potential offerors, plan rooms and printing companies register in CCR, ORCA and FedTeDs in order to view or download solicitations from the web site or obtain CDs of solicitations.  We provide links to all of these sites under the Contracting area of our homepage.