WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration will conduct its first ever Procurement Matchmaking event on May 10 in Washington, DC. The Matchmaking event will allow small business owners seeking contracting opportunities to market their services directly to federal agencies and private industry firms looking for specific products and services.

Conference organizers estimate that up to $150 million in small business contracts with federal agencies and prime contractors will result from the nearly 1,000 meetings to be scheduled.

The event, which will be hosted by SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto and sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will take place during the business exposition at the 35^th Annual Industry/SBA Procurement Conference on May 10^th from 9:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

"The first-ever SBA Matchmaking event allows quality one-to-one interaction between sellers and buyers," said SBA Administrator Barreto.

"This conference will not only provide training on how to do business with the government, but it will also deliver real opportunities for small business owners to learn about contracting opportunities that will be readily available within the next 6 to 12 months. We intend to build upon the success of this conference and conduct similar events in other regions of the country," continued Barreto.

The Matchmaking Fair is a first-of-its-kind event for the SBA. The Matchmaking Fair will:

• link buyers with small businesses having experience and capacity to deliver needed goods and services of agencies and prime contractors;
• match small businesses to federal agencies and private industry buyers;
• give small businesses an opportunity to make prime contractors and federal agencies aware of their capabilities;
• facilitate small business access to contracts;
• build a pipeline of future contracting opportunities; and
• help agencies and prime contractors achieve procurement goals.

There will be time and space for 1,000 matchmaking interviews during the business exposition. Small businesses will have a dedicated 10-minute period to meet one-on-one with government and private industry buyers with whom they have been pre-qualified to meet. Company representatives should bring information on their company profile, capability statements and other marketing materials that will support their case for contracting business. Procurement officers from federal agencies and prime contractors will be equipped with information about the products and services they are seeking.

The participating buyers represent over $19 billion in contracting power for their respective agencies and prime contractors. They include representatives of the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and TRW.

Among the products and services in which they are especially interested are facilities management, engineering services, management consulting and scientific and IT equipment, supplies and services.

The 35th Annual Industry/SBA Procurement Conference includes award ceremonies, networking, training and procurement opportunities. The conference officially runs May 8-10, during National Small Business Week at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel. The theme for this year’s conference is "Industry & Government: Working Together."

To register for the Matchmaking event and to obtain a list of regional prime/subcontractor award winners and the latest information on the procurement conference, visit the Web site at www.sba.gov/gc/35thprocurement. Registration for the Matchmaking event is on a first come, first served basis.