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ACQUISITION ALERT

Working with the Department of Defense- Building New Opportunities for Wisconsin Manufacturers 
 
Wisconsin manufacturers will have a unique opportunity to access high level officials from TACOM, DLA, DCMA as well as two of our States largest Defense contractors, Oshkosh Defense and Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Oshkosh, WI on October 24th.

Obtain a competitive advantage by learning from senior representatives responsible for program management, oversight and budgets totaling billions of Defense dollars.

Participating in this event will be:
  • Special Guest Speaker Senator Tammy Baldwin
  • US Army Program Executive Officer, Combat Support & Combat Service Support
  • US Army Tank Automotive Command (TACOM)
  • Defense Logistics Agency Land / Maritime Division (DLA)
  • Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)
  • Fincantieri Marinette Marine
  • Oshkosh Defense
There is no cost to attend but space is limited. Register today!  
UPCOMING EVENTS
10/20/16
Growing Your Business in Sawyer County
Hayward




10/26/16
Acquisition Hour: Introductions to Certifications Available to Women Owned Businesses
Webinar
  Learn More
10/25/16
 Acquisition Hour: Understanding Your Obligations When Quoting & Receiving Awards from DLA DIBBS
Webinar
  Learn More 

10/27/16
A Winning Approach to Contractor Award: Preparation, Lead Generation, Follow-up & Closing the Deal
Green Bay
Learn More
What it Takes to Win- A Discussion with Successful GSA Schedule Contractors

In Fiscal Year 2015, close to $33 Billion dollars of sales went through GSA Schedule contracts. At the same time 60% of schedule contractors had no sales.

On October 26th, WPI will welcome,  Andrew Bergholz, Vice President Sales and Co-Owner, TAPCO, Brown Deer, WI and Steve Makovec, Government Sales Manager, C&H Government, Milwaukee, WI, two successful GSA Schedule Contractors to discuss:
  • Should your business seriously consider a GSA Schedule Contract
  • What investment is required to secure a contract
    • Preparing the proposal / negotiations
    • Understanding your competition
    • Administering the contract
    • Sales and marketing required to secure sales
    • Leveraging your GSA Schedule
    • Other considerations
This workshop is for all small businesses that:
  • Understand the benefits, challenges and obligations of a GSA Schedule Contract
  • Are considering or are in the schedule proposal preparation process
  • Have a GSA Schedule but are not receiving sales
Join us for this interactive workshop led by two very knowledgeable and experienced Wisconsin based GSA Schedule holders.

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GSA Vision: GSA, DOE Call for Innovative Technologies to Improve Federal and Commercial Buildings

GSA and U.S. Department of Energy issued a joint Request for Information for next-generation building technologies in support of Green Proving Ground and High Impact Technology Catalyst Programs.

LEARN MORE


Changes to HUBZone Program effective October 3rd

The HUBZone program has been expanded to assist small businesses in disasters areas and base closure areas and provides equal treatment under the HUBZone program for small businesses owned by Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs).
Effective Mon 10/3/16, changes will be reflected in 13 CFR Part 126 to implement the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (2016 NDAA) which made the following modifications to the HUBZone program:
1.        authorized NHOs to own HUBZone small business concerns;
2.        expanded the definition of "base closure area" under the HUBZone program; and
3.        authorized the inclusion of "qualified disaster areas" under the HUBZone program.
Specific information about the new HUBZone geographic designations:
 
1.        "Major Disaster" areas:
  • are HUBZones for a period of 5 years.
  • Applies to census tracts and nonmetropolitan counties (NMC) located in "major disaster" areas, if such census tract or NMC lost its HUBZone eligibility
    • within the past 5 years or
    • will lose its HUBZone eligibility within 2 years after the major disaster.
2.        "Catastrophic Incident" areas
  • are HUBZones for a period of 10 years.
  • Applies to census tracts and NMCs located in areas where catastrophic incidents occurred, if such census tract or NMC lost its HUBZone eligibility
    • within the past 5 years or
    • will lose its HUBZone eligibility within 2 years after the catastrophic incident.
3.        Base Closures Areas (BRACs)
  • HUBZone eligibility for BRACs is 8 years (up from 5) and expands HUBZone eligibility to census tracts and NMCs that
1. contain the BRACs,
2. intersect with the BRACs,
3. are contiguous to the BRACs, or
4. are contiguous to any census tract or NMC described in 1 through 3
 
 
NDIA Great Lakes Annual Meeting

The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Great Lakes Chapter will be hosting their next meeting in Oshkosh, WI on
October 18th.  Keynote speaker will be Mr. Wilson Jones, CEO, Oshkosh Corporation.  On October 19 th, the group will be able to participate in a tour of Pierce Manufacturing, Inc., Appleton, WI.  A great opportunity for Defense contractors and subcontractors.   
 
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER
 
 
 Marketplace 2016 
 
 35th Annual Governor's Conference on Minority Business Development      (welcoming minority, women and veteran-owned businesses) will be held      December 13th and 14th at the Potawotami Hotel  and Conference Center. Early registration is now open!

LEARN MORE    
 
2 Events to Help Businesses with Washington Unpredictability

Join Capstone National Partners and the Wisconsin Procurement Institute for "Post Election Federal Market - Where's the Money?" on November 15th at the Milwaukee Athletic Club.  No matter the outcome of the election-successful federal contractors will adapt to new changing  landscape. Register at https://www.wispro.org/events/post-election-federal-market-insights-wheres-the-money/

Mark your calendars for WPI's annual "Wisconsin Federal Contracting Forum - Washington, D.C.", April 25-27th.  The 2017 trip will focus on Healthcare, Information Technology and Energy.  As the dust settles after the election, meet with agency procurement officials, fellow federal contractors and elected officials ensuring your businesses success in the federal market.  Contact Hilary DeBlois at hilaryd@wispro.org if interested in attending the trip.  


GSA's IT Schedule 70 to Open SINs for Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services
WASHINGTON, D.C - The General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) announces that in support of the President's
Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP), GSA's IT Schedule 70 has established four (4) new Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) Special Item Numbers (SINs). IT Schedule 70 is the largest, most widely-used acquisition vehicle in the federal government. Schedule 70 is an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) multiple award schedule, providing direct access to products, services and solutions from more than 4,700 certified industry partners.

"In support of the Administration's CNAP activities, these new SINs will provide government agencies with quicker and more reliable access to key, pre-vetted support services that will expand agencies' capacity to test their high-priority IT systems, rapidly address potential vulnerabilities, and stop adversaries before they impact our networks," said GSA Administrator Denise Turner Roth. "The SINs will feature high-quality cybersecurity vendors offering federal agencies the following services: Penetration Testing, Incident Response, Cyber Hunt, and Risk and Vulnerability Assessment."

Continue reading: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/148486 
 
Mark Your Calendar!

Dates announced for:
  • End of Year Contractor Update with NCMA (Milwaukee WI) - January 17, 2017
  • SAME Small Business Expo (Northbrook IL) - March 29-30, 2017