The chapter was proud to host Denise Baylor, director, Small Business Programs, Air Force Program Executive Office (PEO)-Business and Enterprise Systems as the guest keynote speaker for its April Small Business virtual breakfast event.
Throughout the hour-long event, Baylor provided a wealth of knowledge, suggestions, and advice on what the Business and Enterprise Systems (BES) directorate needs and how small businesses can best identify business opportunities. Overall, the directorate runs 136 programs ($1.2 billion portfolio), serves more than 2,100 personnel (3.3 million users) across three states and looks to small business for innovation as well as agile and affordable solutions to meet warfighter needs for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Maxwell Air Force Base/Gunter Annex, Randolph Air Force Base, and Hanscom Air Force Base, in support of the Air Force's mission. "We run the systems that run the Air Force," said Baylor about PEO-BES as she clarified that the BES Directorate "purchases capability, not stuff." Baylor stressed the importance of small businesses doing the appropriate organizational research prior to any meetings with the USAF and recommended that small businesses interested in doing business with the PEO-BES, should think of the Small Business Office as the first stop in navigating opportunities. She recommended several resources to help small businesses get started in doing their research. The U.S. Air Force BES Directorate maintains "The Smart Guide for Upcoming Acquisitions" (updated semi-annually), an 18-24 month forecast of upcoming acquisitions, and the "BES Reference Guide," a description of all portfolio programs. The directorate also promotes several upcoming events on the Air Force BES webpage at: https://www.airforcebes.af.mil/besvendorcomm/.
Baylor ended her discussion by generously inviting all attendees to contact her for advice as they navigate selling to any government organization. As the director of Air Force Small Business Programs, Baylor oversees small business policy, outreach, strategic initiatives and advocacy, exceeding BES small business goals since 2013. She facilitates, counsels and mentors businesses by providing advice on acquisition procedures, information for proposed acquisitions and interpretation of standard clauses, representations and certifications for proposal preparation. Serving the Air Force since 1984, Baylor has earned multiple personal and command decorations, including the Exemplary Civilian Service Medal, AFCEAN Small Business Person of the Year and numerous letters of commendation. The event concluded with a question and answer session moderated by Alison Gonzalez, chapter small business committee chairperson.
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Denise S. Baylor, director, Small Business Programs, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and Program Executive Officer for Business and Enterprise Systems, Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Montgomery, Alabama, is the guest speaker for April's Small Business Breakfast. |