Small Businesses Learn, Network and Grow Through AFCEA’s Educational Opportunities
AFCEA offers educational opportunities for individuals and small businesses to learn, network and grow their footprint in the federal space. Through AFCEA’s Procurement Series, small businesses can learn about the biggest contract vehicle opportunities of the year, from major government-wide programs to agency-level blanket purchase agreements. Participants can discuss timing of upcoming requests for proposals, bid strategies and teaming considerations. Notable contracts covered in recent years are OASIS, STARS, CIOSP4, Polaris and the upcoming OASIS+.
AFCEA also hosts webinars that inform small business members on a variety of topics. AFCEA recently hosted a small business session focused on the General Services Administration’s “Tips and Tricks for Responding to RFIs [requests for information],” which attendees found very helpful. Since information is power, AFCEA’s “Bid Protest” webinar equipped small business attendees with valuable information on an inherently stressful topic. AFCEA’s webinar series helps to educate and inform AFCEA members to confidently bid, win and execute contracts to support military and government customers. Webinars are recorded for later viewing. If interested, please contact Laura Allen, AFCEA Small Business Programs manager, at lallen@afcea.org.
AFCEA often receives positive feedback on its procurement and webinar series. One attendee sums it up: “The information I have gained through AFCEA’s Procurement Series and webinars and the networking opportunities I have had through the Small Business Committee over the last three years have been some of the best uses of time, money and energy that my company has invested,” said Thomas Perry, president and CEO, VG Systems LLC.
As more small businesses expand their footprint into the intelligence community, AFCEA offers courses in Artificial Intelligence, Critical Thinking for Intelligence Analysis, NIST Risk Management Framework, Structured Analytic Techniques and many more. These classes are offered online and on demand and are offered at a discount for AFCEA members. For more information about AFCEA’s online courses, please contact Allison Hansard, Emerging Leader and Professional Development Center coordinator, at ahansard@afcea.org.