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The 10th Annual Alliance Texas Small Business Procurement Fair is returning to the Arlington Convention Center!

Gregory will be a speaker for the 8:45a workshop on Capability Statements.  This event has grown in size and depth each year and we are excited about the prospects for this year.

The networking at this event cannot be compared to any other single marketing medium.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES!

WHY ARE ALLIANCE PROCUREMENT EVENTS UNIQUE?

  • YOU pre-schedule your own meetings…no one does it for you.
  • E-GUIDE: MatchMaking Hosts have access to your company information – NAICS, certifications, website and company description.
  • E-GUIDE: You have access to ALL attendees – not just exhibitors!
  • E-GUIDE is available immediatly upon registration and for 6 months after the event.

Event Information:

Where: Arlington Convention Center
1200 Ballpark Way
Arlington, TX 76011 (map)
Phone: 817-459-5000
Event Hours: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm

Tuesday, June 26, 2012 includes the Trade Show, MatchMaking Meetings, Continental Breakfast, Lunch and workshops.

Early Bird: $150.00 per person through May 25.
Standard Registration: $185.00 per person through May 25
Late Registration: $225.00 per person after June 22.
Exhibitor Booths: $525 thru May 25; $595 after May 25; Government/Non-Profit $325($395 after May 25) (includes 2 attendee registrations.)

Schedule – Alliance Texas 2012

June 26, 2012


7:00 am – 11:30 am EXHIBITOR MOVE-IN
We invite exhibitors to move in and be set up early to take advantage of the morning workshops. Exhibit Hall opens at 11:30.
7:30 am – 12:00 pm ATTENDEE REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
8:00 am – 8:30 am OPENING REMARKS
Let’s get the day started!
8:45 am – 10:00 am 1. FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE LASTING IMPRESSIONS
How do you get on a buyer’s radar? Don’t waste the opportunity to have a COMPLETE CCR profile and the best Capability Statement possible. Learn how to put your best foot forward by enhancing your CCR Small Business Profile and the checklist for your two page Capability Brief.
Moderator: Julie Suarez, Procurement Specialist, Contract Opportunities Center (PTAC) El Paso Community College
Speaker: Gregory James, Project Director, Dallas-Fort Worth MBDA Business Center
Speaker: Paul Stone, Procurement Center Representative, US Small Business Administration
8:45 am – 10:00 am 2. PREPARE – PRESENT – PURSUE: WHAT TO DO BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER YOUR MATCHMAKING MEETINGS
Points to ponder: How do you make your matchmaking meetings mutually productive? What is the beneficial use of time and money? Are you passionate and persuasive? How do you convince the “matchmaker” you are the right one to provide goods and/or services to their company or agency? Perspectives from ‘both sides of the table’ will be presented during a lively discussion led by a dynamic duo! They will share “Eleven P’s” to help you at the matchmaking table and guarantee to educate, entertain and empower you as a successful entrepreneur!
Speaker: Velina Willis, HUB Program Coordinator, Tarrant County Purchasing
Speaker: Rachel Snell, HUB Coordinator, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
8:45 am – 10:00 am 3. NEW GSA MUTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE (MAS) REQUIREMENTS
This session will provide you with the detailed requirements for completing your offer to GSA for your offer to the GSA Schedule Solicitation. Learn about the newest requirements such as a digital signature, check list of requirements a vendor must meet before starting the process, training requirements, and detailed requirements that must be sent in your offer. This is a good time to ask questions and make your decisions about getting on “the Schedule”.
Speaker: Willie Heath, CEO, Heath International Enterprises, Inc
10:15 am – 11:30 am 4. WHAT IS THE “411” ON CERTIFICATION (ANOTHER TOOL IN YOUR MARKETING TOOLBOX)?
Learn why, where and how to determine if you want to apply for certification. Presenters will help you make sense of this confusing world of DFW and National Certifications, that can help your business grow. Who are the “players” and how does your business get to the field using the marketing tool called Certification?
Moderator: Emilia Menthe, Brazos Business Strategies
Speaker: Andrew Nash, Director of Operations, D/FW Minority Supplier Development Council
Speaker: Sheena Morgan, Director, North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency
Speaker: Nancy Alvarez-Hernandez, Supervisor, Business Development Speicalist, US Small Business Administration
Speaker: Rachel Snell, HUB Coordinator, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
10:15 am – 11:30 am 5. YOUR TARGET MARKET FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTING: Point your arrow at your REAL Target!
Finding your entry point for doing business with the federal government can be overwhelming. Discover where to begin; How to overcome roadblocks; Common challenges such as knowing where to look, adequate resources, narrowing down the playing field. This session will help you with practical strategies THAT WORK for navigating the federal maze!
Speaker: Royalyn Reid, , Consumer and Market Insights LLC
10:15 am – 11:30 am 6. THE POWER OF EMAIL MARKETING
This information-packed seminar will demonstrate how email marketing – the hands-on, low-cost marketing tool – can really help drive business success. Discover how communicating with customers regularly can help a small business stay connected, and generate increased referrals, repeat sales, and unwavering customer loyalty. Build a strong permission-based customer list and get your audience to open, read and act on your email. and use their past results to sharpen their email marketing program as they go along. Learn the latest best practices and proven strategies to get your emails to work for you! Plenty of time to ask questions, share experiences, and network with peers.
Speaker: Dale Berkebile, BRANDWISE/ Inbound Marketer / Brand Strategist, Constant Contact
10:15 am – 11:30 am 7. ALTERNATIVES FOR ACCESS TO CAPITAL… WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO ADD CASH TO YOUR BUSINESS?
Cash flow is vital to your business. In addition to traditional loans from your bank, there are options that can provide loans to your business for:

  • Operations
  • Payroll
  • Equipment purchases
  • Vehicle purchases
  • Real Estate purchase
  • Real Estate upgrades (improvements to your existing building)
  • Accounts Receivable

Join us for this information session to help your business GROW!
Speaker: Catherine Pena, ACCION Texas
Speaker: Veronica Wallace, Vice President of Business Development, Bridgeport Capital

11:30 am – 4:00 pm EXHIBITS AND LUNCH
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm MATCHMAKING MEETINGS
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm DESSERT AND DOOR PRIZES
Join us for treats and door prizes donated by our participants. Winners MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!!
ShoWorks, Inc.
1205 N Napa St
Spokane, WA 99202
Voice: (509) 838-8755
Fax: (509) 838-2838
Email: info@showorksinc.com

Steps 1 & 2 discussed how important it is to know key government websites and register the company in the CCR and ORCA. Steps 3 and 4 include determining the company’s eligibility for the socio economic programs and the importance of the Federal Supply Classification Codes (FSC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes. Understanding the certifications and classifications programs enhance a company’s ability to get government jobs through federal contracts. FCIS has developed marketing reports that help companies identify contracting officers that utilizes the socio economic programs for contracting and identify agency contracting offices by classification systems.

Step 3.  Determine if the company qualifies for one or more of the SBA and Veteran Administration Certification Programs.  The SBA currently has three socio economic certification programs: 8(a), HUBZone and Women-Owned Small Business Programs. The 8(a) Business Development program assists eligible small businesses to compete by providing them with business developmental assistance. The owner of a small business must be socio or economic disadvantaged. Economic disadvantage is based on personal income ($250,000 for initial eligibility, $350,000 for continued eligibility) and total assets ($4 million for initial eligibility, $6 million continued eligibility). Socially disadvantaged individuals are those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as members of a group. Social disadvantage must stem from circumstances beyond their control. Companies with the 8(a) certification are eligible for set aside contract opportunities.

The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program entitles qualified firms to special bidding benefits in the federal contracting arena. To qualify for the program, a business (except tribally-owned concerns) must be a small business by SBA standards, must be owned and controlled at least 51% by U.S. citizens, or a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, or an Indian tribe, the company principal office must be located within a “Historically Underutilized Business Zone,” which includes lands considered “Indian Country” and military facilities closed by the Base Realignment and Closure Act and At least 35% of its employees must reside in a HUBZone map area.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concerns (SDVOSBC) – (http://www.sba.gov/content/service-disabled-veteran-owned-small-business-concerns-sdvosbc) The Veterans Benefits Act of 2003  established a procurement program for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses that allows contracting officers to restrict competition to SDVOSBCs and award a sole source or set-aside contract where certain criteria are met. In addition, the rule allows SDVOSB concerns to self-certify however the eligible veteran should get certified by VetBiz in order to withstand any certification challenges. In order to be eligible for the SDVOSBC, the Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Defense must certify service disabled veteran has a service-connected disability, the Company must be small under the NAICS code assigned to the procurement, the Service disabled veteran must own 51% of the company unconditionally and control the management of daily operations and must hold the highest officer position in the company.

Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)/Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) Program– (http://www.sba.gov/content/contracting-opportunities-women-owned-small-businesses) The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts based on approved NAICS for eligible Women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) or Economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs).  Those firms can self-certify their status. An SBA approved 3rd Party Certifier is recommended in order to withstand any challenges.

Step  4. The company must be able to match its products or services with the Federal Supply Classification Codes (FSC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes. The NAICS and FSC codes should be included in the CCR and ORCA registration. NAICS and FSC codes are used by the government to establish business size standards (http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards), identify potential vendors for government jobs, accumulate economic statistics and classify government contracts for the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS).

The FY 2012 USG Procurement by NAICS_PSC report provides a breakdown of procurement by NAICS and PSC. The report indicates that four hundred and forty (440) Agency Contracting Offices completed 588,946 transactions with 69,014 vendors in the amount of $49 billion. These transactions were classified using 922 NAICS and 9,733 PSC. See report FY 2012 USG Procurement by NAICS_PSC Understanding the NAICS and PSC codes will lead to more government contracts. Small business can use these classifications to determine how much the USG buys and which agency contracting offices make the purchase. The FPDS is a good data set to build a federal marketing plan.

The purpose of this Federal Marketing Plan: Intelligence Gathering seminar is to help participants gather enough infomration about federal procurement that will lead them to be successful in getting contracts from the United States government. The seminar is divided into two sessions with a workbook.

The key objective of the Federal Marketing Plan: Intelligence Gathering seminar is to help participantsobtain federal contracts before they are put on the street for public viewing.

To attend this class you must bring the following information:

  • Must be registered in Central Contractor Registration (CCR)
  • Know your NAICS codes
  • Class Code, Product Supply Class (PSC)

Session one is a review of procurement intelligence sources, methods used to prepare target marketing documents, agency procurement process and a company readiness assessment. Seminar participants will be given office/home work to prepare for session two. The instructor will review the office/homework and make recommendations on improving the office/homework assignment that.

Participants in this seminar will be able to:

  • Answer the following questions: Does the federal government buy my company’s products/services? Which contracting office buys my company’s products/services? Is the company ready to do federal contracting?
  • Interpret the raw data from the Federal Procurement Data Center and other procurement databases.
  • Develop a one page company capability statement. The eletronic “30 second” elevator speech.
  • Develop an Acquisition Team Contact (ATC) database. The ATC contains contact information on key procurement decision makers within targeted contracting offices, program management and agencies.
  • Develop a Warm Leads Report (WLR). This document is a summary of telephone and personal contacts made with individuals in the ATC.
  • Determine the company’s ability to successfully perform a federal contract.
  • Develop a strategic plan to get the company ready and project sales.

Session 1: April 11, 2012

  • Introduction: Federal Procurement Process, Company readiness assessment and accopanying notes, Key websites
  • Procurement Intelligence data gathering methods
  • Target market data preparation
  • Review office/homework assignment

Session 2: April 17, 2012

  • Review office/homework
  • Target market summary
  • Reivew ATC and WLR
  • Company capability statement
  • Score company readiness assessment
  • Strategic Action Plan

Call us at (972) 843 – 1265 or email: info@fedcontractintel.com to register for the classes.