Small Business Committee Hosts Stacy Watson from Army CHESS

In January, the chapter's Small Business Committee hosted a breakfast with Stacy Watson, Enterprise Solutions Division director of Army Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS). An acquisition program of the U.S. Army, CHESS manages a number of federal contract vehicles and enables both the U.S. Army and other federal agencies to conduct procurement for a variety of information technology hardware and services. CHESS implements a large quantity purchasing strategy to allow the U.S. Army to purchase information technology (IT) solutions at the lowest possible cost.

At the breakfast, Watson provided an overview of the CHESS program as well as details on how small businesses can conduct business with the U.S. Army. Additionally, she provided information on existing and upcoming CHESS contract vehicles and how small businesses can utilize them. She also provided information on the federal acquisition process, waivers to the process, procurement authorizations, letters of agreement, post-contract award lessons learned, the CHESS IT E-Mart, teaming/subcontracting arrangements, the importance of request for information (RFI) responses, keys to a successful proposal and what CHESS requires from industry.

The chapter's Small Business Committee would like to thank its Platinum Sponsors, HireVue and Phoenix Operations Group, and Silver Sponsors, Deep Dive Series, Insperity and Macro Solutions, for their support. The chapter would also like to thank the Host Sponsor, Oracle.

Please join us for the next small business breakfast on March 8, 2023, at the Oracle Auditorium in Reston, Virginia.

Event Photographs: