Description
The purpose of this 2016 HUD Veterans Affinity Group (VAG)/Women As Veterans (WAVE)/HUD Office of Small Disadvantage Business Utilization (OSDBU) Entrepreneurs Small Business Training Conference is to provide a forum that will promote education, training, networking, best practices, success stories, and other valuable resources which are available in our communities for 8a Firms, Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), and every other Small Business. This Training Conference will assist small, prime, transitioning, seasoned, and start-up businesses including veteran entrepreneurs with strategies, tools, and best practices, for doing business in the federal market place. Agenda I. Welcome II. Opening Remarks III. Getting Started IV. Panel Discussion Best practices and strategies for success. Established small businesses will share 2-3 best practices or successful strategies for growing and sustaining business and discuss challenges encountered in building its business and approaches to overcome these challenges. V. First Set of Breakout Sessions 10:40 - 11:35 am 1. Steps to successful development of a small business. Are you an entrepreneur starting a new venture? Or, do you need help with an existing small business concern? This panel will discuss how to start a small business and the important steps to surviving the initial start-up and sustaining business through the lean times. 2. Are contracting schedules for small business concerns? The panel will discuss how these vehicles operate and how small businesses can take advantage of schedules to obtain more government business. 3. Mentor/Protégé Programs: a tool for success. Jump-start your business. Explore the benefits of Mentor/Protégé programs. The panel will discuss mentor/protégé relationships and how those relationships can assist your business in securing government contracting opportunities. VI. Second Set of Breakout Sessions 11:45 am - 12:40 pm 1. Financing for the journey. One of the first steps to building a business is to ensure that the business is adequately resourced. The presenters in this breakout session will discuss the financial resources necessary to survive the business building process. 2. Responding to RFPs: how and why? Requests for proposals are a fundamental method of solicitation used by the Federal government. Oftentimes these tools appear to be an insurmountable hurtle. These panelists will discuss pitfalls in responding to RFPs and strategies for drafting the winning proposal! 3. Strategic sourcing: the wave of the future? Many government agencies utilize category management, acquisition schedules and other strategies to fulfill agency contracting needs. This panel will discuss a variety of sourcing vehicles and the future small business utilization. LUNCH 12:40 - 1:45 pm VII. Meet and Greet Roundtables (Federal Agencies) 1:45 - 2:45 pm VIII. Closing 2:50 - 3:00 pm The link for the Conference is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2016-veterans-affinity-group-vag-women-as-veteran-entrepreneurs-wave-hud-office-of-small-registration-25676894282. For Facility Access, please note. If you are a Federal Government Employee and have a Valid HSPD-12 (Federal Employee ID Card) please present this at the security desk for entrance however, if you are not a Federal Government employee, and do not have a valid HSPD-12, or Federal ID you are REQUIRED to CALL either Walter Elmore @ 202-275-6323, Natalie Bishop-Hodge @ 202-402-3132 or Derek Pruitt @ 202-402-3467 to provide your first, and last name, DOB, and last four of your SSN to gain access into the HUD building....