AGENDA*
(Every Tuesday from 1:00 – 2:00 PM)
Tuesday, July 7 – Keynote Speaker
Opening Remarks/Moderator: Mr. Scott Denniston, Executive Director, National Veteran Small Business Coalition
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michael E. Wooten, Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
Dr. Wooten will discuss trends in federal procurement, new initiatives, and how veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses can be successful in the federal marketplace.
Tuesday, July 14 – U. S. Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs
Moderator: Mr. Scott Denniston, Executive Director, National Veteran Small Business Coalition
Speaker: Ms. Amy Murray, Director, U.S. Department of Defense Small Business Programs
Ms. Murray will discuss contracting with DoD, trends, challenges and opportunities for veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
Tuesday, July 21 – Running the VetBiz Gauntlet: Seeking and Maintaining VetBiz Verification With Minimal Hair-Pulling
Speaker: Sarah Schauerte Reida, Attorney at Law, Legal Meets Practical
This webinar leads attendees through the VetBiz process from beginning to end, identifying solutions to common issues (both technical and eligibility-related) and providing a thorough overview of what to expect. Each required document and its purpose will be explained, as well as the nuances of the eligibility criteria of veteran “ownership” and control. The webinar also covers the post-verification actions of submitting change requests and responding to an audit (onsite examination). Attendees will be provided an updated copy of Ms. Reida’s detailed VetBiz verification handbook.
Tuesday, July 28 – What NOT To Do in Bid Protests – Common Mistakes and Misunderstandings
Speaker: Ms. Maria Panichelli, Esq., Partner and Chair of the Government Contracting Practice Group, Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP
The more competitive the federal market becomes, the more inevitable bid protests are. If you want to succeed in bid protest litigation, it is critically important that you understand the rules and regulations governing the protest process. It is also vital that you avoid the common misunderstandings and mistakes that so many contractors make, which can negatively impact their chances of successfully asserting, or defending, a protest. In this session, experienced government contracting attorney Maria Panichelli will discuss several common mistakes that contractors make, and how to avoid them. Learn how to maximize your chances of a win!
Key Learning Objectives:
- Learn how to distinguish between pre-award and post-award protests
- Understand when a debriefing is required and when it is not (and why it matters)
- Identify those situations in which you can protest a task order, and those situations where you cannot protest a task order
- Get familiar with the DoD enhanced debriefing rules
- Learn the general timelines concerning protest litigation
Tuesday, August 4 – U.S. Department of the Army Office of Small Business Programs
Moderator: Mr. Scott Denniston, Executive Director, National Veteran Small Business Coalition
Speaker: Ms. Kimberly D. Buehler, Director, U.S. Department of Army Office of Small Business Programs
Ms. Buehler will discuss contracting with the U.S. Army, trends, challenges and opportunities for veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
Tuesday, August 11 – CMMC Is Coming: Are You Ready?
Speaker: Mr. John Williams, Partner, PilieroMazza PLLC
This webinar will provide an overview of the current cybersecurity landscape for federal contractors, with a focus on DoD’s upcoming Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (“CMMC”). We will cover the five levels of CMMC, when the certification is expected to begin, how it will be implemented, and what businesses will need to do to get certified. We will also provide tips for what small businesses can and should be doing now to prepare for CMMC and to comply with other cybersecurity requirements that apply to federal contractors.
Tuesday, August 18 – U.S. Department of Navy Office of Small Business Programs
Moderator: Mr. Scott Denniston, Executive Director, National Veteran Small Business Coalition
Speaker: Mr. Jimmy Smith, Director, Navy Small Business Programs
Mr. Smith will discuss contracting with the U.S. Navy, trends, challenges and opportunities for veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
Tuesday, August 25 – Can M&A be Part of Your Growth Strategy or is it just for the “Big Boys”?
Speaker: Ms. Sarah Djamshidi, President & Managing Partner, Speed Shift Ventures
According to SBA, government contractors come in two sizes: small and large. Large companies use targeted acquisitions to gain access to customers and innovations, but if you are a small business can you use the same strategy?
Every crisis creates the opportunity to be better prepared for the future. M&A plays a key role in shaping resilient growth. We believe that the attractiveness of M&A has not changed. As organic growth is getting more challenging, M&A is still seen as a good route to building and extending capability, geographic coverage, and achieving greater scale. The fundamental questions are: what are the winning strategies? And is M&A right for you and your company?
Given that the current and future viability of companies depend on C-suite action now, in this webinar, we will share actionable strategies, and tactics to help you determine your winning M&A strategies.
Tuesday, September 1 – Defense Logistics Agency Office of Small Business Programs
Moderator: Mr. Scott Denniston, Executive Director, National Veteran Small Business Coalition
Speaker: Mr. Dwight D. Deneal, Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
Tuesday, September 8 – Come and Learn What Type of Capital is Available for Your Firm to Enable it to Expand and Grow – Intelligently
Speakers: Ms. Sue Malone, President, Strategies for Small Business
Mr Grant Bennett, Director of Veteran Programs, Peoplefund
Every business faces financial challenges at one time or another, may it be in the startup phase, expansion, meeting a payroll, financing new business sectors, financing a government contract, purchasing new equipment, or managing rapid growth. Please come join us for a frank conversation on what types of financing are available for your firm. We will be discussing the various options since every firm has their own specific requirements. In addition, we will be discussing the financing opportunities in purchasing an existing veteran owned business who is seeking to retire – and sell it to another veteran owned business. Plus, expanding the marketplace – globally!
Tuesday, September 15 – Equity Incentive Programs: Strategies for Employee Retention and Strategic Growth
Speaker: Mr. David Shafer, PilieroMazza PLLC
With restrictive SDVOSB ownership and control requirements, veteran owners face roadblocks when designing employee incentives and planning for organic growth. They need proven avenues for sustainment and growth. This session will cover equity and synthetic equity options for rewarding key employees and consultants with non-monetary compensation. It will do so with an eye toward promoting employee retention, incentivizing employees to contribute to growth, and protecting the company’s SDVOSB eligibility. This is a session for owners looking to expand while preserving SDVOSB status.
Tuesday, September 22 – Basic Training: Small Business Legal and Regulatory Issues
Speaker: Mr. Joshua B. Duvall, Partner, Matross Edwards LLC.
The federal contracting marketplace is complex and competitive. To be successful, small contractors must learn how to navigate a variety of issues, such as operating, teaming, and JV agreements; SBA regulations; protests; debriefings; and cybersecurity. By developing a basic understanding of these topics (and others), decision makers not only can avoid undue cost and headache but also can gain a competitive edge. This session will provide attendees with a high-level overview of these concepts so you can incorporate them into your procurement playbook.
Tuesday, September 29 – U.S. Air Force SBIR/STTR Program
Speaker: Jim Sweeney, Chief Strategic Communications Officer, Air Force SBIR/STTR Program Office
Description: Learn about the Air Force SBIR/STTR program, recent changes in the application process and how to put your best foot forward when submitting your proposal.
Tuesday, October 6 – U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratories: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Speakers: Stacey Francis, Small Business Program Manager, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), U.S. Department of Energy
Cassandra McGee Stuart, Manager, Small Business Program Manager, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), U.S. Department of Energy
Rexann Dunn, Small Business Program Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), U.S. Department of Energy
Tuesday, October 13 – VETS2 GWAC
Speakers: Norris Middleton, President/Chief Operating Officer, Management Support Technology, Inc. (MSTI)
Cindy Heflin, Vice President of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, C5T Corporation
John Manolios, Director, Business Development & Capture Management, Penobscot Bay Media LLC (PenBay Media)
Tuesday, October 20 – Federal Procurement Data Diving: How to Go for the Gold
Speaker: Judy Bradt, CEO, Summit Insight
Tuesday, October 27 – OTA (Other Transaction Authorities)
Speaker: Peter Ford, Partner, PilieroMazza PLLC
Wednesday, November 4 – Virtual VETS’20 – COVID-19 and Excusable Delay
Speaker: Sarah Schauerte Reida, Attorney at Law, Legal Meets Practical
