The chapter's Small Business Committee organized a breakfast event that showcased a presentation by Darlene Bullock, executive director of the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Bullock commenced her presentation by highlighting the DHS mission, emphasizing the commitment to safeguarding the American people, homeland and values with honor and integrity. She explored the operational and support components of the DHS, highlighting its status as the third-largest cabinet department, following the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Bullock continued and reviewed the connection between the DHS and the OSDBU, illustrating the relationship through a flow chart depicting key components such as the contracting activity office, OCPO Division, Direct Oversight, Indirect Oversight and HCA (Head of Contracting Activity).
Steps to doing business with the DHS begin with two distinct groups: the industry liaison and small business specialist. Both are dedicated to fostering business engagement and advocating for small businesses. She touched on the importance of understanding your target audience and ensuring a compelling rationale for the "why" in business interactions. Industry liaisons and small business specialists are present in various components and offices across the DHS, serving as valuable assets for those engaging in business with the DHS.
Bullock outlined eight key steps to concentrate on when supporting work with the DHS. 1) Do your research to understand what the DHS does, needs and buys; 2) Register on SAM.gov; 3) Know your audience and target your market based on your company capabilities, including contacting the appropriate industry liaisons and small business specialists or requirements owners; 4) Look for potential opportunities (SAM.gov, DHS Acquisition Planning Forecast System) and understand how the DHS buys; 5) Find teaming and subcontracting opportunities, unsolicited proposals; 6) Bid on DHS 0pportunities, proposal information and tips; 7) Understand contract types-win DHS work; and lastly, 8) Provide excellent performance.
Bullock walked through locating the DHS forecast and making effective use of the DHS Acquisition Planning Forecast System (APFS). This system serves the dual purpose of supporting critical national missions and advancing the significant public policy objective of incorporating small businesses into the acquisition program. She touched on the DHS spend, and how the department receives funding annually from Congress. Additionally, she compared the final FY 2022 and FY 2023 DHS Small Business Prime achievements as well as explained how the DHS establishes goals for each DHS component.
Bullard also talked about diversity, equity and inclusion. During her presentation, Bullock delved into the specifics of Executive Order 13985 and highlighted key aspects of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandums, including OMB Memorandum 22-03, which addresses the advancement of equity in federal procurement; Memorandum 23-01, aiming to increase the share of contract dollars awarded to small disadvantaged businesses and OMB Memorandum 23-11, which focuses on creating a more diverse and resilient federal marketplace through increased participation of new and recent entrants.
Bullock's presentation concluded by emphasizing the crucial elements for effective support to the DHS with the "secret sauce" using the acronym LITE: Leadership, intentional, training and execution.
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