A SMART PROC 2016 panel discussion. (Photo courtesy of SMART)
After describing the importance of taking advantage of networking opportunities in the Federal space, and Federal efforts to enhance small business contracting, EZGovOpps is excited to discuss the 2-day SMART PROC 2017 procurement conference in Frederick, MD. From November 30th to December 1st, 2017, small businesses will have the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and procurement officials who will offer valuable insight into a wide range of contracting topics and specialties.
For the 15th iteration of the annual conference, SMART (Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow) has gathered a diverse group of government, industry, and academic leaders for a number of focused talks on areas for success in the contracting space. With talks ranging from Teaming with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to Identifying, Marketing and Shaping Your Business Pipeline (featuring EZGovOpps President and CEO, James Bratten), the conference will allow for small businesses to develop both smaller tools and larger strategies for Federal, state, and local markets. On the cybersecurity front, SMART PROC will host a CISO panel discussion on the future of cybersecurity efforts under a new administration with a panel including:
- Rod Turk, acting CIO at the Department of Commerce
- Chris Lowe, Chief Information Security Officer at the Department of Agriculture
- and Ryan Easton, Manager, Global Defense and Intelligence, Lockheed Martin Computer Incident Response Team
Understanding the interest in the potential $1 billion slated for Federal construction in Maryland, in 2018 alone, SMART will also be holding a panel on Mid-Atlantic Federal & Military Construction, including panelists from Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Beyond legislative visitors including Senator Chris Van Hollen, and procurement officials directly involved contracting fields such as construction, cybersecurity, and Health IT, SMART is also emphasizing the participation of successful prime contractors. As EZGovOpps illustrated in the past, subcontracting is an important lifeline for many small businesses involved in the Federal space, and SMART PROC will allow for interested companies to learn more about potential teaming and subcontracting opportunities.
The procurement conference’s location in Frederick, MD means that attendees will have access to officials and program managers from nearby contracting commands and offices. This includes Major General Barbara Holcomb, Commanding General at USAMRMC in Ft. Detrick, and Kenyata Wesley Sr., Executive Director at Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground. Another office from Aberdeen Proving Ground making an appearance: the JPEO-CBD, which just awarded a large $8 billion contract to a number of Maryland small businesses. This represents a huge opportunity for contractors to gather information on upcoming funding and contracting opportunities at those locations.
Take a look at the full schedule and register today, we hope to see you there!
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