California National Guard
Small Business Newsletter
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Volume 1, Issue 1 - December 17, 2024
Welcome to the California National Guard’s first Small Business Outreach Newsletter! The purpose of this bi-annual newsletter is to share resources, events, and communicate business opportunities with our very own small businesses in California. Although the focus of the newsletter is on small businesses, we open the newsletter to all businesses, big and small. We continue to see independent and collaborative partnerships between small and big businesses.
The California National Guard Contracting Enterprise is dedicated to small businesses and outreach efforts to support them. In fact, they distinguished themselves in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 earning the prestigious DoD-level Verdure Award. This Award recognizes the Team that best demonstrates innovative approaches to balance the development of efficient buying methods and the utilization of small business. California National Guard demonstrated great innovation in acquisition practices and beat out two larger commands competing for the award, demonstrating the innovation of a state level organization. The team met all six DoD Small Business goals for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 while awarding $33.3M to small business and other socioeconomic program participants.
The team continued their momentum in FY 2024 and reached five DoD Small Business goals by a huge margin and had a record year in recent history with an obligation rate of over $80M of which $73M went to Small Businesses including socioeconomic categories. Due to successfully awarding major contracts in other SB categories coupled with the removal of the ability for Small Disadvantaged Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) to self-certify, effective 1 January 2024, the team fell shy of the goal in the SDVOSB category. However, CA NG doubled its FY 2023 awards to SDVOSB with over $4M in FY 2024. Our pursuit to reach all six DoD Small Business goals will continue to be a focus area in FY 2025.
CA NG Contracting Team with the Small Business Verdure Award
Breaking Down Small Business Barriers
Breaking Down Small Business Barriers
By AQ-C, Ms. Kelly Maldonado, Contract Specialist and Mr. John Hemmen, Contracting Officer
Small businesses play a vital role in driving both local and national economic growth and are commonly referred to as the heartbeat of our country. Small businesses are essential for sustaining our supply chain and providing high quality, innovative solutions to our warfighters. Did you know that 75% of manufacturers in the United States have less than 20 employees?
Unfortunately, doing work with the Government can be extremely daunting to a small business with little or no experience working with the Government. Whether it’s a local “mom and pop” shop or an innovative high-tech startup, there are a vast number of opportunities for all types of businesses to provide innovative solutions to the challenges facing our country. However, realistically there are many challenges small businesses face when contracting with the Government, such as endless paperwork, delayed payments, poor communication, lengthy and hard to understand requirements, numerous archaic databases – the list goes on! So much so, in the last decade small business participation in the Government marketplace has declined by more than 40%. The Small Business Training Week (SBTW) 2024 was all about decreasing those deterring factors and promoting solutions to increase small business involvement in Government contracting.
Throughout the SBTW general sessions and breakout sessions, there were over 80 Government and industry experts to present different challenges, solutions, and perspectives. There was a lot of great information shared, and it would be impossible to capture it all in one article. To summarize, here are some key takeaways.
First, a program formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP) has been revamped and was relaunched in October 2023 as the APEX Accelerator program. This pro-gram is funded by cooperative agreements and collaborates with small business professionals as well as contracting offices to help break down barriers that affect small business participation. From assisting with getting registered to understanding Request for Information/Request for Proposal to navigating the Wide Area Workflow system at post-award, the APEX Accelerators are a great resource for encouraging small businesses to participate in the Government marketplace. More information can be found on their website at https://www.apexaccelerators.us/#/.
Additionally, many systems are under-going changes to improve market research and outreach with small businesses. Below are a few updates and useful tools we learned about:
1) The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Program (OSBP) Website will be a one-stop shop for small businesses seeking to work with the DoD: https://business.defense.gov/.
2) The Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) is a database linked to SAM.gov and contains information on available small businesses, socio-economical statuses, contact information, short capability statements, and more. Acquisition professionals can also download data into excel for further data analytical purposes. https://dsbs.sba.gov/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm
3) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools: Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace is a program through the DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s (CDAO) in support of the initiative to advance AI/Machine Learning (ML) capabilities across the DoD. Tradewinds is in the early stages of providing a suite of tools, services, and contracting vehicles to the DoD. On the Tradewinds website, vetted small businesses can post short capability/demonstration videos of no more than 5 minutes long. Additionally, an AI tool, Acqbot, is being developed to help write requirement statements. Any government employee with a .mil email account has access to explore the web-site at https://www.tradewindai.com/opportunities.
4) The Procurement Excellence Net-work (PEN) through the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab provides high-quality resources to acquisition professionals on topics such as how to create vendor surveys and writing more simple RFPs. Check out their website for creative ways to in-crease outreach to small businesses at https://gplpen.hks.harvard.edu/.
Doing Business with the CA National Guard
Doing Business with the CA National Guard
Colonel Jonathan Cartwright, CA NG USPFO (right) and SMSgt Nick Ochs, CA NG Construction Team Lead (left) supporting the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range groundbreaking in Oct 2024.
Contracting with the Government presents a tremendous opportunity for California’s small businesses. In fiscal year 2023, the last fiscal year for which information is available, the Federal Government awarded $765 billion in contracts. We are committed to supporting our nation’s small businesses. In fiscal year 2024, the California National Guard awarded over 250 new contracts and obligated over $80 million- with over $72 million awarded to small businesses!
In an effort to better partner with small business, please find a listing of planned opportunities for the duration of the federal fiscal year through September 30, 2025. All opportunities will be posted on www.SAM.gov. Please be sure to take note of the following caveats:
The schedule is subject to change as a result of delays in project planning and/or funding availability.
Opportunities listed may have prime contractor opportunities, as well as sub-contractor opportunities.
Before a business can respond to solicitations and win contracts, there are several steps that must be completed, to include registering with www.SAM.gov. Please see https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/basic-requirements for additional requirements before competing for federal contracts. For any additional questions you may have on how to do business with the federal government, please reach out to your APEX Accelerator – they are part of the team that is here and available to help your small business succeed! To find your APEX Accelerator, please see https://www.apexaccelerators.us.
FY 2025 CA NG Federal Business Opportunities
FY 2025 CA NG Federal Business Opportunities
Click to Enlarge
The Sources Sought notice for the Bakersfield Vehicle Maintenance Facility was posted on sam.gov on 13 Dec 2024 and closes on 3 Jan 2024. Link to the notice: https://sam.gov/opp/fb7e6d810c4c4582a2750a6a0e23c078/view
APEX Accelerators Help Businesses
APEX Accelerators Help Businesses
The APEX Accelerators, formerly known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP), was authorized by Congress in 1985 to expand the number of businesses capable of participating in government contracts. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the FY 2020 ordered the PTAP to move to Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)); and the DoD Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) began to manage and operate PTAP with a new name, APEX Accelerators, effective FY 2023. The APEX Accelerators program focuses on building a strong, sustainable, and resilient U.S. supply chains by assisting a wide range of businesses that pursue and perform under contracts with the DoD, other federal agencies, state and local governments and with government prime contractors.
Complete registration with a wide range of databases necessary for them to participate in the government marketplace (e.g., SAM).
Identify which agencies and offices may need their products or services and how connect with buying agencies and offices.
Determine whether they are ready for government opportunities and how to position themselves to succeed.
Navigate solicitations and potential funding opportunities.
Receive notifications of government contract opportunities on a regular basis.
Network with buying officers, prime contractors, and other businesses.
Resolve performance issues and prepare for audit, only if the service is needed, after receiving an award.
DoD OSBP Director Farooq A. Mitha during the 7 Nov 2022 unveiling of the PTACs to APEX Accelerators rebranding
Today, APEX Accelerators are placing an emphasis on helping underserved businesses that are eligible for certain government solicitations designed for the promotion of diversity, inclusion, and equity, and guiding them throughout the entire process. APEX Accelerators will continue increasing the number of Defense Industrial Base (DIB)-ready and Government Industrial Base (GIB, including local and state governments)-ready businesses including:
Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs)
Historically Under-utilized Business Zones (HUBZones)
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOSBs)
Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs), and
Other underserved small businesses
SERVICES ARE FREE TO YOU -- Find your local APEX Accelerator!
SERVICES ARE FREE TO YOU -- Find your local APEX Accelerator!
Events
Events
Don’t miss out on the following events and training to tap into your company’s potential. Grow your business in the federal and state contracting arena connect with your peers or Government procurement officials
CONFERENCES
SoCal Small Business Expo 1
Transform your entrepreneurial journey by leveraging local opportunities for business success.
January 23, 2025 – San Diego, California
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/small-business-expo-2025-tickets-1089317260249?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
(Note this is the link for attendees – a separate link for exhibitors will be provided closer to the event)
California Contracting, Acquistion, and Procurement (CCAP) Industry Days Expo
A leading defense and security solutions conference. CCAP is thrilled to announce an array of new opportunities for small businesses and prime contractors.
February 4-5, 2025 – Ridgecrest, California
https://ccapexpo.com/
NCMA Nexus
Real Conversations Ignite New Ideas – Where industry and government acquisition teams will shatter the “we’ve always-done-it-this-way” mindset. Rethink the status quo.
February 9-12, 2025 – Long Beach, California
https://nexus.ncmahq.org/
National Small Business Conference
The premier supplier-diversity event for small businesses.
February 11-13, 2025 – New Orleans, Louisiana
https://www.n8asbc.org/
American Small Business Contracting Summit
The latest details on small business contracting opportunities with the US DoD, Prime Defense Contractors, and additional Federal Government Agencies.
February 27-28, 2025 – Washington, D.C.
https://www.usdlf.org/american-small-business-contracting-summit-25
NCMA Emerge
Where Small Businesses Connect and Train. NCMA's brand-new event, Emerge, is your gateway to success in federal contracting.
May 8, 2025 – Washington, D.C
https://ncmahq.org/Web/Web/Events/NCMAEmerge.aspx
SoCal Small Business Expo 2
Transform your entrepreneurial journey by leveraging local opportunities for business success.
June 12, 2025 – San Diego, California
Link TBD
NCMA World Congress
Celebrating Powerhouse Contract Managers. The nation’s leading training event for contract management, procurement, and acquisition professionals.
July 13-16, 2025 – Grapevine, Texas
https://ncmahq.org/Web/Web/Events/World-Congress.aspx
TRAINING
Doing Business with the Federal Government
In this overview hosted by the CA NG USPFO Procurement and Contracting find out how to get registered and certified to do business with the Federal Government as a SB.
January 8, 2025 at 10:00am (PT) – Virtual
Register Here: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/0iBXvQLpfk
I’m Certified, Now What?
Discover how to market to CA State agencies! Learn how to find state agencies that buy what you sell, how SB/DVBE advocates can help, and how to elevate your business’s chances of winning contracts with CA state agencies.
January 16, 2025 at10:00am (PT) – Virtual
https://www.apexnorcal.org/event/certified-ca/
Contracting with the Federal Government
Explore the federal government contracting process! Learn about the acquisition methods and solicitation formats, enabling your business to sell to any federal agency seeking your goods or services.
January 29, 2025 at 10:00am (PT) – Virtual
Register Here: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/W7F6uvtznr
Contracting with CA State Government
Explore the state’s contracting process! Learn about the State’s acquisition methods and solicitation formats, enabling your business to sell to any state agency seeking your goods or services.
February 20 2025 at 10:00am (PT) – Virtual
https://www.apexnorcal.org/event/contracting-ca/
Besides the events listed above you can find additional opportunities at the link below.
Office of Small Business Programs
https://business.defense.gov/Engage/Events-Calendar/
California National Guard Small Business Newsletter
California National Guard Small Business Newsletter
If you haven’t already signed-up for this newsletter, please do so by providing your information and capabilities at the CA National Guard Business Contact Repository using the QR Code or link below.
Contact Us
Contact Us
Email the CA NG USPFO Small Business team with any questions at ng.ngca.caarng.uspfo-smallbiz@army.mil or using the QR Code.
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