Small Businesses: How To Join the Marines’ Supplier Ranks
The path toward becoming a trusted U.S. Marines supplier is narrow, but under Force Design 2030, the plan to modernize its capabilities, the service brings new opportunities.
The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command identifies capability gaps within the Marines and, if aligned with strategic needs, helps businesses join the best and the few companies addressing leathernecks' needs.
“We're looking for you to submit a paper proposal, and if you fall in the category of what we like because we think that research will help us, we'll send you the money,” said Luis Velazquez, chief technology officer at Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC).
Addressing specific needs for a service that keeps them classified is the first challenge.
Program executive offices (PEOs) offer open sessions at industry events to discuss needs and capability gaps. For businesses seeking to take the first step, Velazquez suggested attending industry engagement days at business events like Modern Day Marine.
After a brief presentation from the PEOs, they become available to those present.
“The government folks get off the stage and they stay on the floor,” Velazquez told SIGNAL Media in an interview. “At that point, you got to get that elevator speech ready; you have to go to that targeted program office that you think you can help meet that capability gap,” he added.
The next step is when the PEOs reach out to the MCSC and request a follow-up with the potential supplier.
“I'll ask for an info paper, then we'll go and do like a virtual demonstration, and if it goes well, there's really something there, we'll set up a presentation on-site with you at one of our Tech Talks that we host every third Thursday of the month,” Velazquez explained.
At the Tech Talk, the company has around 30 minutes to demonstrate the full capability in front of government, industry and academia members. Full preparation for this event may be long and hard, as questions must be addressed, and the capability should be easy to grasp for an educated audience focused on the needs of the Corps.
Given the open nature of this stage, some companies may reserve some knowledge for a closed-door presentation to government only, according to Velazquez.
Throughout this process, Velazquez suggests that an information paper should include key attributes of the capability, a contact and enough information to allow buyers to confirm the businesses’ existence and scale.
The ultimate transition goal for an industry partner is to build something that goes into a program of record.
At any point in the process, emerging businesses can contact the small business office at the Marine Corps for additional assistance and further resources.
“The ultimate transition goal for an industry partner is to build something that goes into a program of record that will have a life for at least five to 10 years or so, being purchased by the Marine Corps to outfit the Marine with the capability,” Velazquez said.
There are other avenues for achieving this via research and technology transfer agreements.
“That allows you to have a partnership with an industry partner so that you can pursue mutually beneficial research and development,” Velazquez added.
And this road is open to a wider supplier pool.
“There can be an international industry partners that we can do a technology transfer agreement with them,” Velazquez said. “That they can build a capability, prototype it and help us learn more about their product while they learn more about us,” Velazquez said.
The Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom are among the countries that have seen their businesses participate in these programs.