On Wednesday, April 11, 2018, the doors of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center’s headquarters auditorium were opened to registered vendors interested in doing business with the federal government. The event was sponsored by FAA’s Small Business Development Program Branch (AAP-610). Welcome remarks were offered by Michelle Coppedge, Director of the Aeronautical Center (AMC-1). The event was organized by Gerald A. Lewis, Sr., a business liaison with the (AAP-610) of the Small Business Office. Assisting Mr. Lewis was Gloria Rosier from the Small Business Liaison Office (AAP-610), in Washington, D.C. Both the Aeronautical Center Acquisition Services Division (AAQ-700), and the MMAC Quality Systems and Business Resources Staff (AMC-3) played a vital role in coordinating the event.

Briefings were provided by personnel from the FAA Academy (AMA), Aeronautical Center Acquisition Services Division (AAQ-700), Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (AAM), Enterprise Services Center (AMK), FAA Logistics Center (AML), and the Office of Facility Management (AMP). In an attempt to match suppliers with buyers, a one-on-one matchmaking session was offered, with participation from 21 program and procurement officials representing nine major FAA program organizations. Meeting appointments for the matchmaking sessions were scheduled in advance and by request from the registered vendors. The attendance for this year’s event reached 210 attendees, representing 116 small business concerns.

Since 2015, the FAA Small Business Development Program Branch (AAP-610) annually hosts Small Business Industry Day Events throughout the Western, Central and Eastern Service Areas, William J. Hughes, Technical Center, Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, and FAA Headquarters regions. The feedback received relative to this year’s event has been outstanding. Karl Tyler, Project Manager of Venesco LLC stated, “I attended the Small Business Industry Day with Venesco LLC Vice President, Ben Guthrie. We found the presentations and the matchmaking appointments to be informative and important toward the growth of our 8(a) Small Business.”

In FY-2017, the MMAC Contract expenditures totaled $436 Million (compared to a total Agency expenditure of $4B) with 53% ($231M) of those dollars going to Small Businesses compared to 39% nationally. The Agency’s annual small business goal is 25%. Our goal is to continue broadening our supplier base, with the best, the brightest, and the most capable small businesses available in the market place. Outreach activities such as this contribute to the attainment of the FAA Small Business Development Program Goals, and provides transparency to our Federal Procurement Program. Thanks to everyone who attended and participated, and for your continuing, unwavering support to the FAA Small Business Development Program.