Army OSBP News

Army Contracting January Workshop

The Army Contracting Command (ACC) Office of Small Business Programs regularly conducts training workshops for local small businesses interested in learning how to do business with ACC and the Army.

During the workshop, Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks stopped by to meet the attendees. Congressman Brooks discussed his support of local small business owners and took questions from the audience.

Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL) talks with Ms. Alice Williams, Associate Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Army Contracting Command.

The January workshop focused on two topics: recent changes to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program and social media for small business.

The first

Honoring Ms. Suellen Jeffress – Deputy Director retires from Army Office of Small Business Programs

On 3 January 2013, Ms. Suellen Jeffress retired as Deputy Director of the Army Office of Small Business Programs after serving 34 years of honorable federal civil service. Over the last two years Ms. Jeffress served as Deputy Director of the Office making sure that all of the Director’s goals and assignments were carried out.

In her capacity as Deputy Director, Ms. Jeffress was responsible for assisting the Director in establishing Policies and Procedures, and performing oversight necessary to implement statutory requirements related to the small business program.

Under Secretary Westphal, OSBP Personnel Participate in Tennessee Valley Industry Small Business Conference Featuring Army Materiel Command

Army leaders including Dr. Joseph Westphal, Under Secretary of the Army; GEN Dennis Via, AMC Commanding General; and Ms. Tracey Pinson, OSBP Director, spoke at the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association’s Materiel Enterprise Small Business Conference Nov. 14-15 in Huntsville, AL.

The conference, which was attended by more than 300 businesses from 31 different states, showcased AMC small business opportunities and provided valuable guidance on contracting with AMC, the Army, and the federal government in general.

GEN Via gave an overview on the future of small

Army Small Business Conference Provides Small Businesses "Access to Success"

Over 400 small businesses owners from around the world attended the Army Small Business Conference hosted by OSBP on 2-3 August at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.  The conference was designed to provide attendees with "Access to Success" through gaining knowledge and building successful business partnerships between federal government, small businesses and prime contractors.

Ms. Tracey Pinson, Director, Army OSBP stated “Small businesses are a critical part of the Army Industrial base.

US Army Rapid Equipping Force Looks to Small Business Innovation in Aerostat Technology

The U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force (REF), in conjunction with units in Afghanistan, saw a need for smaller airborne surveillance craft (aerostats) to provide tactical persistent surveillance at remote Command Outposts (COPs). Three small businesses responded to the REF’s Broad Agency Announcement with proposals for innovative solutions to tactical aerostats: Carolina Unmanned Vehicles, Inc., Raleigh, NC; Silicis Technologies, Inc., Westfield, IN; and Information Systems Laboratories, Inc., San Diego, CA.

Subcontracting Training at Fort Belvoir

Ms. Peggy Butler, Army OSBP Mentor Protégé and Subcontracting Program Manager provided small business training at the Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC)– Fort Belvoir, Va.  Small Business Workshop.   The workshop was hosted by LTC Maria Schneider, Commander/Director Mission Contracting Office and Ms Kay Matthews, MICC Small Business Associate Director.  Attendees comprised MICC acquisition and legal personnel.

Training consisted of an overview of the regulatory and statutory guidelines that mandate the use of Small Business Participation Plan (SBPP) and Small Business

Representative Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. Attends US Army Corps of Engineers Small Business Conference

On the invitation of US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Acting Commander, MG Merdith (Bo) Temple, Congressman Bishop (D – GA) visited and met with several USACE senior leaders regarding the Corps’ small business program on 30 November 2011. At the start of the 112th Congress, Congressman Bishop was elected by his colleagues to serve as the top Democrat on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

FY 2012 Mentor-Protégé Conference

Since 1991, the Department of Defense (DoD) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) has offered substantial assistance to small disadvantaged businesses. Helping them to expand the overall base of their marketplace participation has produced more jobs and increased national income.

The DoD Mentor-Protégé Program assists small businesses (protégés) successfully compete for prime contract and subcontract awards by partnering with large companies (mentors) under individual, project-based agreements.

Traditionally, these partnerships have delivered a variety of products and services specialized in:

2011 Nunn-Perry Award Winner

Networking & Engineering Technologies, Inc. (N.E.T.) and ASM Research, Inc. (ASM) entered into a Mentor-Protégé Agreement in September 2009 under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of the Army. N.E.T. pursued efficiencies by improving project management processes and procedures for corporate infrastructure. Since that time, N.E.T and ASM together have worked closely to obtain a facility security clearance and organized N.E.T.'s internal management processes. These same improved processes were leveraged on contracts to ensure N.E.T. achieved CMMI Level 2 appraisals.

Currently N.E.T.