In Photos: DoD’s 2016 HUBZone Summit in Detroit

Sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), the 2016 DoD HUBZone Summit on April 29 at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, was designed to increase HUBZone participation in DoD procurements.

The one-day Summit was packed with useful information and networking opportunities.

• Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) briefed attendees on his legislative priorities.
• Senior Government officials — including Rear Admiral Althea Coetzee, DoD OSBP Acting Director Kenyata Wesley and Small Business Administration HUBZone Program Director Mariana Pardo — shared valuable insights about the federal procurement process.
• A panel of industry experts discussed challenges that small businesses face — and how to overcome them.
• Small businesses met with DoD agencies and large corporations during a two-hour matchmaking session.

Sen. Peters’ Legislative Priorities

Sen. Peters, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, supports legislation that would extend from three to seven years the redesignation of areas that cease to qualify as HUBZones due to changes in income, unemployment or poverty data. “When a HUBZone designation goes away, it should be a cause of celebration,” Sen. Peters said.

Detroit, a HUBZone, is on the rise after going through rough times, Sen. Peters said, noting that the downtown is experiencing a construction boom. “The city is really moving forward.”

DoD spends more than 60 percent of the federal procurement budget eligible for small businesses.

Mr. Wesley extolled the benefits of competition. Competition makes everyone better, Mr. Wesley said, noting that the process of competing for federal work enables small businesses to enhance their understanding of the solicitation process, get feedback on proposals and make corrective actions.

Mr. Wesley’s Advice

• Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) help small businesses navigate the complex federal procurement process. Take advantage of them. Most of their services are free.
• When marketing to DoD, lead with your capabilities, not your socioeconomic status.
• Respond to Requests For Information (RFIs). HUBZone-certified companies account for less than 1% of responses to DoD RFIs. If you don’t respond, it doesn’t get aside.
• Arm yourself with information and facts, not emotion.
• When you meet with a customer, don’t provide a standard, canned presentation. Research their requirements and understand their challenges.
• Be patient. It takes, on average, 18–24 months to award a federal government contract.
• If you’re an incumbent, don’t get too comfortable. DoD has had a record number of unseats: 32 percent in 2014 and 38 percent in 2015. In unseats, an incumbent contractor loses a recompete.

Industry Panel

A panel that included government officials and two small business owners shared valuable insights about how to win and retain federal contracts.

Ms. Alice Williams, DoD OSBP Associate Director, moderated a panel that included Macomb Regional PTAC Director Beth Cryderman Moss, English-EI Enterprises Vice President Barbara English, Pontiac Drywall President Lynn Travis and SBA Lead Business Opportunity Specialist Thomas Vargo.

Ms. Williams encouraged small businesses to work with Small Business Professionals who can help small businesses prepare for meetings with government Program Managers and Contracting Officers.

Ms. Cryderman Moss said that a HUBZone certification doesn’t guarantee work. “HUBZone-certified companies win contracts because they understand the requirements. You’re not going to win the work unless you can perform. There are soldiers at the pointy end of the spear. Quality matters.”

Ms. English recommends that HUBZone companies target federal agencies located in HUBZones. She also advised HUBZone companies to develop more than one strategy for winning work. “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. You don’t want to have one strategy for winning contracts, you want to have multiple strategies.” Ms. English said.

It took Pontiac Drywall 2.5 years to win its first federal contract. “The toughest part [of federal contracting] is getting the first job.” Mr. Travis said. When Pontiac Drywall bids in an 8(a) competition, they typically compete against 8–12 companies. In HUBZone competitions, Pontiac Drywall normally competes against 3–5 firms.

Matchmaking

During a matchmaking session, small businesses met with potential buyers.

The following organizations hosted matchmaking tables:

• Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command (AMCOM)
• Army
• BAE
• Boeing
• Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)
• Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA)
• Deloitte
• Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
• Defense Health Agency (DHA)
• Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)
• Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
• Defense Media Activity (DMA)
• L-3
• Lockheed
• Marine Corps
• Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
• MWH Americas
• Navy
• Parsons
• Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
• Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM)
• Washington Headquarters Services (WHS)

Networking

Thank You

We appreciate the Mustang Battalion’s Presentation of Colors at the Summit. As members of Detroit’s Mumford High School, the Mustang Battalion’s conduct exemplified a high standard of excellence.

We appreciate the speakers who shared their valuable insights and the small businesses that attended the Summit.

We appreciate the matchmaking hosts’ participation in the Summit and support of the small business industrial base.

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