DON Office of Small Business Workshop at Chattanooga Navy Week

Photo By Vaughan Dill | 180614-N-SH284-0002 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (June 14, 2018) Alexis Willis, director, INCubator-Chattanooga Chamber, introduces Ms. Arveice Washington, Deputy Director, Navy Office of Small Business as the facilitator of a small business workshop where 15 small business owners from Chattanooga and other cities across the state of Tennessee attend a meeting which Washington discusses the importance of Small Business to the Navy and how the DODs defense strategy provides opportunity for doing business with the Navy during Chattanooga Navy Week. Navy Weeks are designed to connect the public with Navy Sailors, programs and equipment throughout the country. Every year, America's Navy comes home to approximately 15 cities across the country to show Americans why having a strong Navy is critical to the American way of life. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Vaughan Dill/Released)  

CHATTANOOGA, TN, UNITED STATES

06.14.2018

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Vaughan Dill 

Navy Public Affairs Support Element, Det. Northwest

CHATTANOOGA Tenn., – Fifteen small business owners from Chattanooga and other cities across the state of Tennessee attended a small business workshop at Chattanooga’s INCubator during Chattanooga Navy Week.

Ms. Arveice Washington, deputy director, Navy Office of Small Business, served as the facilitator of the workshop and discussed the importance of small business to the Navy and how the DODs defense strategy provides opportunity for doing business with the Navy.

Washington talked about how small businesses can gain experience and demonstrate ability for the Navy to award a contract, stressing the importance of small businesses knowing what it is they are selling and how it fits into the Navy’s plan, and which portion of the Navy is their target customer.

“Small businesses deliver performance with agility and affordability. It is imperative that the Department of the Navy (DON) identify small businesses, start ups, and non-traditional suppliers to contribute to the DON’s efforts to modernize key capabilities,” said Washington. “Small businesses will reach out to us or come in and talk to us. We provide oversight to commands to make sure that they are getting the best deal for the government.”

In fiscal year 2017, the DON awarded $4.9M in contracts to small businesses within a 50 miles radius of Chattanooga, $80M to small businesses in the state of Tenn., and over $129M in contracts to all businesses in the state of Tenn.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers counseling and training resources that help small businesses understand the federal contracting process. SBA offers small businesses the opportunity to certify if they meet certain requirements and size standards. Programs include; Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting program, Service-disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program, Business Development program, All Small Mentor-Protege program and the HUBZone program.

“It’s important for small businesses to work with the Navy because it creates another revenue stream for small businesses and allows them to show past performance,” said Kena Dixon, business opportunity specialist for the Small Business Administration. “The Navy has a greater buying power.”

“Starting out, it’s a challenge for small businesses,” continued Dixon. “As a new business they will have no past performance which is a hindrance for them to bid on a larger contract, also in their capacity or not having the personnel or employees needed to fulfill the requirements.”

In attendance was Felicia Jackson, owner of the small business CPR Wrap, which develops a disposable CPR template, that has everything a person who doesn’t know CPR would need to perform basic lifesaving CPR and it also protects them and the victim.

“People that see this, they love it, but I know there is red tape. Being a small company, the first to penetrate this, a new, innovative product, no one really knows who we are, so getting in to show and present the product has been a struggle,” said Jackson. “This workshop was amazing and I was excited to be here. We have been asking, how can we get plugged in with the military, and to see this here, and be shown how we can connect with the procurement was amazing and answered a lot of our questions.”

Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy's principal outreach effort in the areas of the country without a significant naval presence. More than 212 Navy Weeks have been held in 76 different U.S. cities.

For more information about Navy Week, visit http://www.outreach.navy.mil/, or follow the hashtag #NavyWeek.

• Date Taken: 06.14.2018
• Date Posted: 06.14.2018 16:32
• Story ID: 280978
• Location: CHATTANOOGA, TN, US