Members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh
District partnered with regional government agencies to facilitate the I-79
Development Councils Dynamic Networking for Small Business event in Fairmont, W.Va.
April, 27.
As the name of the event dictated it was going to be both
dynamic and a chance to network. During the event, attendees had the
opportunity to network with presenters, attend working groups related to their
field, or a field they may be interested in exploring. Col. Bernard Lindstrom,
Pittsburgh District commander, presented the keynote address.
The focus of the event was centered on creating more
efficient communication dynamic between small businesses looking to become
federal contractors, prime contractors, and working with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. By ensuring that all parties
are in the room together, bridging the communication gap becomes significantly
easier.
According to Josh Kaufman, Chief contracting officer for
Pittsburgh District, “This type of event really helps break down those barriers
and facilitate communication between us as the federal government and those
small businesses.” Trying to enter into
the federal contracting world can seem like a daunting task, especially given
the large scales of money which prime and sub-contractors deal with on a
regular basis. However, those that make the leap and do the work which is
necessary to find success, are critical to Pittsburgh District’s mission.
The value that small business brings to the district is
almost immeasurable according to Sherrie Plonski, Small Business coordinator
for the Pittsburgh and Buffalo District. “They are very important to us, and we
know that they are our number one source for achieving a lot of our goals, and
we are very glad to be in partnership with small business across the district.”
During his keynote address Lindstrom praised the audience
in attendance for their support of the event, and for having the courage to be
and support small business owners. Saying, “The federal government made a
significant investment in this region, with over 6 billion dollars in assets,
we have a fiduciary responsibility to the region and the nation to support our
partners.”
Lindstrom’s
sentiment is key to understanding the overarching goals of Pittsburgh District
as it pertains to small business. He continued by saying, having great partners
to build the skills and talents of our region is paramount to our success as the
Army’s lead civil construction agency.