MAXIMIZING YOUR OPPORTUNITIES NIH Small Business Industry Day June 30, 2014

1. MAXIMIZING YOUR OPPORTUNITIESNIH Small Business Industry DayJune 30, 2014 Barbara Weaver, CPCM PCR-CMR, U.S. SBA OGC-Area II

2. SBA Area Office As A CMR . . . As A PCR . . . Coordinate with and train federal agencies Reviews agency small business programs Identify small business set-asides Advocate for SB • Ensure that primes meet small business and attain SB goals • Review Prime SB activities • Assist SB with LB relationships

3. The Small Business Act It is the policy of the Government to provide maximum practicable opportunities in its acquisitions to small business . . . . Such concerns must also have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate as subcontractors.FAR 19.201

4. Why We Support Small Business • Agility • Productivity • Courage • Passion • Innovation • Exporting • Contributions to GNP

5. Small Business –What do you need? A Chance to Show What You Can Do • Resources • Working Capital • Support Network • Relationships with other SB • Advocacy

6. Small Business Goals Note: Agency goals are negotiated annually with SBA.

7. Government Customer Includes multi-disciplined teams that are trying to obtain the optimum market response to requirements in terms of: • Quality • Timeliness • Cost while • Minimizing business and technical risks • Maximizing competition • Accomplishing socio-economic goals • Maintaining integrity

8. A Small Business A concern, including its affiliates, that is: • independently owned and operated, • not dominant in its field of operation, • and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. • North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

9. Basic-Level AdviceJust for Small Business

10. Form Your Own Dream Team • SBA • Small Business Development Center • Procurement Technical Assistance Center • HHS SB Specialists • SCORE • NCMA • Development Organizations

11. Be a Relentless Federal Market Student • Free On-Line Courses • Free Webinars • Workshops • Presentations • Professional Associations • Certification Courses

12. Know Who You Are & Where You’re Going • 3-5 year Strategic Plan • 12-Month Operations Plan • Business Development Plan • Federal Marketing Plan

13. Create Integrated Marketing Info • Logo and a Look • Business Cards • E-Capability Statement • Tri-Fold • Web-Site • Real Business E-Mail Does it all hang together???

14. Work on Your Tool Chest Parity exists among: 8(a), HUBZone, Service Disabled Vet, and Woman-Owned Small Businesses The Contracting Officer has the latitude to select set-aside type. These four categories have priority over a small business set-aside.

15. Next Level Advice

16. Decide Who Gets to Go Along With You • Employees • Shareholders • Team Members • Mentors • JV Partners

17. Target Large Prime Contractors • Large Prime Contracts valued over $650,000 [$1.5 M – construction] must commit to a small business subcontracting plan . • Failure to show good faith effort in meeting small business goals and complying with the plan could result in Termination for Default or liquidated damages.

18. Don’t EverStop Marketing! • Target Diverse Opportunities • Analyze your chances • Develop a winning plan • Assign and execute

19. Respond to Gov. Market Research What they send out: • Requests for Information • Sources Sought What you provide: • Exactly what they request • Exactly what they request Do not send generic capability statements.

20. Make Course Corrections As Required • Identify New Customers • Change Partners • Grow NAICS • Etc. Etc. To accommodate the most dynamic market going!

21. Barbara Weaver, CPCM, PCR-CMRU. S. Small Business AdministrationOffice of Government Contracting barbara.weaver@sba.gov