2) 16th Annual OSDBU Conference

Along with providing maximum opportunities for small businesses to participate in contracting activities every year, the Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) sponsor a yearly national event. This year, as in years past, the OSDBU Conference was held in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Originally established in 1990 as the Procurement Opportunities Conference and Exposition, the conference purpose is to provide networking and educational opportunities to small and disadvantaged business owners from around the country: in essence, OSDBU brings together small businesses, large corporations, and government agencies in one place.

This year’s 16th annual conference in Upper Marlboro, MD took place on April 20th. EZGSA and many of our clients found a great atmosphere for networking on the Exhibit Floor; four seminars; well attended “matchmaking sessions” with program managers and procurement representatives; and on-site procurement opportunities. The event attracted more than 1500 attendees and hundreds of sponsors.

OSDBU was established June 26, 1979 pursuant to Public Law (P.L.) 95-507, which assigned it the task of fostering small, disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses as federal contractors. Soon, OSBDU offices were created around the country to provide maximum opportunities for small businesses to contract with the government; this was accomplished by establishing and attaining small disadvantaged business program goals.

A number of federal government following agencies, including the following, have been assigned OSDBU offices: Depts. of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, State, Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Labor, Education, and Energy; the EPA; the Executive Office of the President; GSA; NASA; NRC; NSF; Smithsonian; Social Security; USAID; and the U.S. Postal Service. Every Agency with an OSDBU office reports to the Federal OSDBU Directors Interagency Council.This organization consists of OSDBU directors or designees in the Executive Branch together with other defined members.

According to the OSDBU Council’s Homepage, the goals of the council are to:

• Ensure that information is disseminated to small businesses so that they can be fully informed as to all federal laws, regulations, programs and initiatives that are relevant to their pursuit of federal prime and sub-contracts.
• Highlight processes that will identify procurement opportunities for all designated small business categories, and ensure that such opportunities are presented in such a manner that they can be taken advantage of by small businesses. Such opportunities shall include those at both the prime contract and the subcontract level.
• Advocate federal government-wide compliance with all federal laws, regulations and policies designed to maximize the participation of all designated small business categories in the federal marketplace.
• As appropriate, gather and convey the collective comments of the council on the impact of pending legislation or new policy initiatives affecting small businesses.
• Ensure that all OSDBU Directors and their staffs are provided sufficient information to effectively participate in accomplishing the mission, vision, and goals of the Council.
• Advocate training of the federal procurement workforce and community in the principles and methodologies to maximize small business utilization.
• Work with trade associations, federal prime contractors, and other interested groups to develop solutions to issues impacting procurement with the small business community.
• Create an environment that promotes innovation, and empowerment in utilizing small businesses to accomplish the Government’s business.
• Identify best practices, share ideas, and experiences among federal agencies and private industry that will help leverage resources and develop solutions to more fully utilize small business in federal procurement.

For more information on OSDBU offices and the Annual OSDBU Conference go to www.osdbu.gov or call your EZGSA account manager at 301/913-5000.