JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md –
Small business owners from the local community assembled in the Jacob E. Smart building here, Feb. 5 for Business Summit 2013.
The annual summit aims to combine opportunities at Andrews with services provided by local businesses in order to create mutually-beneficial relationships.
"Our relationship with the community is something valuable to us and we hope to continue to foster cohesion through events such as the Andrews Business Summit," said Col. Bill Knight, 11th Wing/Joint Base Andrews commander and summit host. "This summit focuses on creating communication between Andrews and Maryland's small businesses. We believe this will aid the small business owner in connecting with Andrews' leadership and expose them to our robust community, while helping Andrews to excede the current $1.2 billion economic impact we have on the surrounding area."
At the event, peer-to-peer panel discussions were held followed by combination of presentations and networking sessions. The presenters included the State of Maryland economic resources, Base Operations Support, Air National Guard, Marine Corps Systems Command, Information Technology Support and Air Force Small Business Alliance.
Lt. Col. Christopher Kay, 11th Wing Contracting Office commander, led the event. He ensured the summit reached out to external partners in the federal government as well as Andrews' community and business alliance members.
"The elephant in the room, known as sequestration, complicates the contracting process." Kay said. "We recognize the impact and it is making everybody's job hard, but it is specifically impacting small businesses."
According to Kay, budgetary uncertainty can affect the amount of work contractors will be able to get and their growth opportunities.
"This is why I wanted to bring more opportunities to the summit from outside of the Air Force, so you may see a variety of directions to apply your business model," he said. "We have to adjust in these trying times; the government is going to be looking for the best value dollars can provide."
During this years summit the Department of the State, the Department of Homeland Security and Millennium Challenge Corporation held networking and breakout sessions.
A three-member panel of strategic small business owners shared their knowledge and experiences with their peers during the Summit.
"Pitfalls in the realm of government contracting can be more emotional than economical," said Amber Peebles, Athena Construction Group president. "Heavy handed regulations, non-sympathetic bankers and accountants who don't understand your business model can cause distress for small business owners. You are at a table of survivors. Keep your eye on the big picture and do not let negativity impact the way you proceed with your business."
For information on how to register your small business with Andrews, visit
http://airforcesmallbiz.org.