Air Force recognized for awarding veterans contracts

  • Published
  • By Capt. Justin McVay
  • 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFPN) --  The Department of Veterans Affairs recognized 23 Air Force bases for achievement under the Champions of Veteran Enterprise program during a conference June 27 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The 3rd Annual National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo honored installations with the Federal Achievement Award for significant contributions, by awarding competitive business contracts to service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses.

"The Air Force can win the fight for our disabled veterans and reach beyond 3 percent of our contract dollars," said Ronald A. Poussard, Air Force Office of Small Business Programs director. "We are working aggressively to lead the fight, create new opportunities and provide the assistance needed to develop and match capabilities to customer needs. Assisting our returning war heroes is the right thing to do."

Air Force bases from Air Combat Command, Air Force Space Command, Air Education and Training Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Special Operations Command and the Air Force District of Washington were recognized for their outstanding achievements in awarding contracts totaling more than $104.9 million service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses.

To comply with legislation requiring that 3 percent of federal contracting dollars be awarded to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, federal agencies have implemented new and aggressive outreach strategies.

"This conference represents a concerted effort to reach out to veteran-owned businesses and provide them with the support they deserve," said Scott Denniston, director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The criteria for selecting the Federal Achievement Awards were two-fold, according to Air Force Office of Small Business officials. The bases were required to exceed $1 million in contract awards to service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses in fiscal year 2006, as well as reach or exceed the 3 percent goal for federal agencies set by Presidential Executive Order 13360 in October 2004.

The four-day conference, sponsored by the Veteran Small Business Federal Interagency Council, provides both service-disabled, veteran-owned small business and veteran-owned small business entrepreneurs with key information on small business opportunities throughout the federal government, as well as current and future legislation and regulations, and training on business strategies that will aid them in their efforts to increase their participation in the federal business marketplace.
The conference featured more than 90 expert speakers discussing issues and challenges veterans face when doing business in the public sector. Attendees also had the opportunity to showcase their businesses and conduct face-to-face meetings with government purchasing officials and subcontracting specialists. All of the sessions addressed the most often cited obstacle to veteran contracting, lack of exposure.

The bases that received the award were Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Cannon AFB, N.M., Dyess AFB, Texas, Holloman AFB, N.M., Minot AFB, N.D., Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., Nellis AFB, Nev., Buckley AFB, Colo., F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., Lackland AFB, Texas, Keesler AFB, Miss., Sheppard AFB, Texas, Charleston AFB, S.C., Dover AFB, Del., Grand Forks AFB, N.D., MacDill AFB, Fla., McChord AFB, Wash., McConnell AFB, Kan., Pope AFB, N.C., Travis AFB, Calif., Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Bolling AFB, D.C. 

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