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NEWS | March 30, 2022

MICC one-on-one small business engagements set for May

By Daniel P. Elkins Mission and Installation Contracting Command Public Affairs

Small business professionals from across the Mission and Installation Contracting Command are teaming with the Virginia Procurement Technical Assistance Center to conduct one-on-one meetings with small businesses during a matchmaking event May 23 and 24.

Registration is open at the 2022 PTAC Conference and Matchmaker website at virginiaptac.ecenterdirect.com/events/3325.

Approximately 20 MICC contracting officers and contract specialists, as well as representatives from supported mission partners, are taking part in the hybrid event consisting of both in-person and virtual meetings as a follow-on to the MICC Advanced Planning Briefings to Industry taking place this week as an overview of forecasted contract needs by the Army.

“Small businesses will be able to utilize the forecast and requirements briefed at the APBI to determine which contracting officer or customer to meet with during the matchmaking event,” said Amy Ulisse, an assistant director for the office of small business programs at the MICC Field Directorate Office at Fort Eustis, Virginia. “Contracting officers are able to potentially engage small business contractors that could support acquisitions they were currently working, which can positively impact market research in developing a successful market research strategy.”

Ulisse, who led planning for the APBI, likened the style of the matchmaking event to speed dating, allowing small business representatives from around the world to share their capability briefings and how they can support the MICC and Army missions. She said it was through her relationship with Virginia PTAC operations manager Elizabeth Torrens and the success of last year’s matchmaking event that the MICC is able to serve as a core government host this year.

“Because this is a hybrid event, with the first day taking place in-person with a virtual option, we expect to have over 300 registrants signed up and are planning for about half of those registrants to join us at the George Mason University-Arlington campus,” Torrens said. “This is our first event not attached to a specific agency where we are bringing together the efforts of the three local PTACs including Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and we look forward to bringing together a good mix of attendees representing both agencies, large primes and small business contractors.”

The combined effort by the PTACs follows a June 2021 announcement by the presidential administration to grow federal contracting with small disadvantaged businesses by 50 percent over five years. Torrens expects that increase to prompt involvement by small business that may not have previously participated in the government contracting process.