You still have time to register for the NO COST Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) Small Business Networking and Training Conference. Do not miss out on this opportunity. Register Now. Fort Belvoir, Va. – The Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), a field activity and inventory control point of the Defense Logistics Agency, is conducting a no cost Small Business Networking and Training Conference on June 10, 2008, at the Holiday Inn Select Naperville-Lisle, 1801 N. Naper Blvd., Naperville, Ill. 60563. The conference is designed to stimulate economic activity in the Chicago metropolitan area and Midwest states by enhancing small business participation in federal acquisitions with companies capable of providing energy commodities and services. Additionally, the conference will engage large businesses willing to participate in the Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé program by becoming a mentor or providing subcontracting opportunities to small businesses. DESC is also looking for small businesses capable of providing alternative fuels (biodiesel B20), ethanol (E85) and synthetic fuel to the government. DESC's mission is to provide the Department of Defense and other government agencies with comprehensive energy solutions in the most effective and economical manner possible. DESC’s purchases of energy products for fiscal 2007 exceeded $13.7 billion. Representatives from the Small Business Administration Illinois District Office, Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center, DLA and DESC Small Business Offices will be participating in three training/breakout sessions in the afternoon from 1:45-2:25; 2:30-3:10 and 3:15-3:55 p.m. A Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) representative will also be participating in the training/breakout sessions and can provide valuable information on registering with D&B as well as obtaining a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number. All U.S. government contractors are required to have this number for U.S. government registration purposes. During the training/breakout sessions, DESC Commodity Business Unit representatives (the DESC energy buyers) will provide detailed information on the products/services procured for their particular CBU and answer vendors’ questions about how products and services are procured. For more information about the DESC Small Business Networking and Training Conference, visit the DESC web site at "http://www.desc.dla.mil", under “News and Events.” If you have problems with registration or have questions about this conference, please contact Ms. Shelia McClain, DESC Small Business Specialist at (703) 767-9678, email:
[email protected]; Ms. Lula Manley, DESC Director of Small Business Programs at (703) 767-9465, email:
[email protected]; Mr. Frank Wright, Deputy Director, DESC Americas at (713) 718-3883, ext 101, email:
[email protected]; Mr. Richard Alton, Illinois PTAC Program Director at (217) 557-7808, email:
[email protected]; or Ms. Carol Thompson, SBA Assistant District Director for Entrepreneur Development, Illinois District Office at (312) 886-0833, email:
[email protected]. DLA is DOD’s largest logistics combat support agency. It provides supply support and technical and logistics services to the U.S. military services and several federal civilian agencies. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., the agency is the one source for nearly every consumable item, whether for combat readiness, emergency preparedness or day-to-day operations, inside the Department of Defense.