Sharon Jones – DISA Forecast to Industry 2017

Sharon Jones – DISA Forecast to Industry 2017

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Thank. You. Good. Morning everyone so listen. There are a lot of folks standing, so if you happen to like in church if you have a seat, that's next to you that's empty just raise your hand so some of these folks can sit down that they'd like to, okay. So while they're sitting down I just. Want you to know I took the Metro this morning and. I happen to sit next to a woman. And. We just started talking about our upcoming day, and she. Said that I asked, her what she did she said I work for a small business and, she said I'm going to the ax dissident, at, the Ronald Reagan Building I. Said. Oh I, said, you know I said so, am i and I said my job is to support the, small business programs, and she, goes I know I said okay so. I, guess this is what it means to be a rockstar so it was a great conversation. And. She was like really excited if I said hey why are you so excited cuz I couldn't imagine that, it was this event and. She, goes well I just got this raise on Friday, I said, really I said how does that work in corporate life how do you get a raise and she, said well she said I went into my boss's office and stated. That I, need, a raise because I have three companies after me, my. Boss started thinking about it he said well you know good. Worker she's got security, clearances. He. Didn't want to really lose me, and. So, he offered me a percent, I said. Wow eight percent and. And. I took it I don't. Take, a percent - and so. As, she started to leave her, bosses, she said as I started leave the ball my boss's. Office he. Asked me out of curiosity so, what three companies are after you I said. The, cable. Company the, mortgage, company, and The Electric Company. Okay. So what, does that have to do with my theme a lot. Because in order for a company to offer 8%, that person, that has really has to be invested. In. Ensuring. That they, take care of their small business employees so. My theme this year is DISA decisively. Invested, in small business advocacy, it's, about optimizing. The value of a small business program, optimizing. The value of ours of a small business excuse me which, is essential, to our success, to support, the global warfighter. This. Is our success, story and that. Is is this. Is our success story and how we effectively, utilize, small, business. This is a team, DISA, effort. From, our director to, our senior, leaders to our program, managers, to our acquisition. And contracting. Team and to, our workforce, in. General, along. With the professionals, in the small business office we, all make a concerted, effort to ensure that maximum.

Practical Opportunities are, available for small business and you're bearing witness to that being, here today it's. Funny, how. Everyone kind of talked about where I was kind of going today without us knowing about it you, know this was the Trailblazer in. Hosting, these types of forecast, to industry the. Very first one and there's a few seniors who were there with me with, that the fdic. Building, in. In. Virginia. And the. Room only held like about 400. People and the. Big concern. Then with with industry, show up and youth, contingency. Showed up year after year after year requiring. Us to get bigger and bigger, accommodation. So. We like the fact that you've been involved, with us from the beginning we like the fact that you like to talk to us because we'd like to hear what you have to say and as. Always our goal with the dis annual forecast industry, is our way to provide good information and. To communicate, in a way to, make you understand, our mission requirements. As you. See DISA, strength lies in our ability to create a network, of routes. That connect, anywhere. Any. Place, anytime. On any, device, with, any type of information, as, general, in spoke to earlier today we. Have our director, or vice director our, senior, executive, and deputy tech teams acquisition. Personnel in this building, ready to communicate with, you the DISA, workforce, is organized, to focus on providing world-class. IT support. And services, to our Nash our national. Leaders and our. Global, warfighter. DISA. Support, will always use small business, for the following reasons, its, small business that deliver the innovative solutions, and provide access to a new and different generational. Thinking that, aligns the emerging technologies, with mission requirement, to, strengthen the defence of cyberspace, and improve global information. Global. Information infrastructure. It. Is a small business that creates efficient. Integration. Of mature solutions, at the same time you influence, research, and technology. Initiatives, that are address our most critical, gaps and capability.

Shortfalls, Small. Businesses, will make the R&D investment, and that's if you're not going in that direction you, really need to think about that there are so many unique small business programs, that support, R&D. Investments. It, is, a small, business that will ensure the vitality of. The technological, solutions. That will meet the future requirements. Of our mission endeavors. The. Government benefits, from its use of small business, we benefit, from the ideas, and savings, and as, a taxpayer. We all have to be stewards of the taxpayer, dollars, diversity. Is is definitely. A big advantage. To small businesses, bringing diversity of experience, and skills which, the government can use to their advantage and we, have new technology. And innovations, small business introduces, new technology, innovation, into the federal space that, might not be currently present, or available. Ok. So. These. Are the federal small business programs, and all the small business firms, that, you see on this chart play. A critical, role in supporting distance, mission requirement. And although, overall, strength of our defense industrial base. Okay. So these, are the types of small business contracts, that we have and this. Just doesn't happen so, I really, want, a couple. Of groups to stand up if you're a distant. Or. Acquisition. Person can you please stand up and if, you're in contracting, if you guys are the distant, and. Then. The other piece of that is that, if you are any. Disapper. S'en in this audience please stand up. Okay. So these are the folks that have a responsibility. To help with those contracts, these, doesn't, happen these are the leaders that help no no no stand up for my keep stand up for money these, are the leaders to help make a difference, they really do because, it's. Because of these leaders, that. For the last six, years okay. We. Are small business, rockstars, we, have hit our percentages, six years in a row and these, folks play a major role so, let's give them all a hand. Okay. So on, this slide I like to highlight the fact that for, the last 16. Years that we. Have actually, gone up in our goals and I particularly want to highlight the fact that, whether. You know this or not that. Jim, Molan has played a major role when. General Lin was the chief of staff back. In. 2007. 67, which is over ten years ago he. Was my boss so. I educated, him quite well on the small business programs, so. Under. His leadership then, we, did well and then, when he came back yes. We may have fluctuated, but he took us back to where. We were initially in. 2013. No excuse me 2014. At 1.7. So. One of the highlight general Lin because leadership. Like this is very important, and without that strong leadership basically. Letting, his seniors know letting, the DISA workforce, know that small business important, we would not have the numbers that we have today, 1.7. Billion is very, difficult, for a lot, of other defense agencies, to meet the fact that we have met the 1 billion mark and we have continuously. Awarded. Over 1 billion is a testament, to the leadership as, well, as to general and so if you all can give him a round of applause I would deeply appreciate that. So. Now. I'd like to talk about our, awards. From the, last five years this, number is really important, because mr., Romano, would she stand up please. He. He. Stepped out okay, well he was right there next to you okay yeah all right no problem see when I read the wanna highlight mr. Mon Tirana is because he under. His under, his leadership in, the early. 2000s. We awarded a contract called. The global information great, bandwidth expansion, that, was one of the highest. Of, her small. Business awards, that was ever made that, was value, at two billion, dollars, that, just kind of set, the standard. For what small businesses, are capable, of doing so I want to highlight because of his his. Involvement. And the, fact that small businesses, were constantly, involved with that particular, project, that it made a difference in terms of how the agency, saw how small business can play a role in future, mission, requirements. These. Are this is what we did for a small disadvantaged, business, and the. Majority, of these numbers are through the 8a program because. DOD is not allowed to do small disadvantaged, small small, disadvantaged. Business set asides so, the bulk of these numbers come through the 8a, program but. Again we. Have consistently, awarded over or close to a, half, a billion dollars, to small disadvantaged, business. This. One I'm really proud of because it took a long time for the. Women-owned small business. Goals to kind of solidify but. Last, year, we. Really, did. A yeoman's effort, of ensuring. That over, three hundred and thirty million of our contract, procurements, went to women-owned small businesses, so, I'm really kind of proud of that that we've consistently are. Starting, to reach a mark where we'll probably always, continue, to award over three hundred million dollars to women-owned small businesses.

And. For. Services able veterans I like mr., Rivera. To highlight the highlight miss Rivera standing for my moment sir okay. So mr. Rivera. He. Was the one did you stand up. Mr.. Rivera was was, instrumental, in. Awarding. The highest. Services, table veteran-owned. Small business. Contract, for over two hundred million. Dollars. That. Was. Very important, because again. You. Know taking. Care of our veterans is. Really. Quite instrumental, in what we do within DoD it's, about taking care of the warfighter, it's about taking care of the soldier and then when you leave it's not about okay we abandoned, you know you, bring your technical, capabilities, that DoD, has has, provided. To you you bring those skills you bring it back and make it better for the next generation and, that's, exactly what miss Rivera did made it better for the next generation with that award, and. So here is my problem, child right now which, is hubzones, I'm like. All over them that with the. Sorry. There. We go I'm like all over the map with the HUBZone program I, would. Consistently, like. For you all to stay in one hundred million dollar club so. Whatever you can do to help us in that area if you are a HUBZone company, could you please stand up so I can, we. Can identify you so. These are HUBZone companies, you, know so if you are a, any, other type of business please, make a point to come, and talk to the HUBZone companies, because this is where our efforts are, ensuring. That hubzones have a voice in our agency, thank you. So. This is how it wrapped up for FY, 17, we. Are these members have not been solidified they, will not be certified, by SBA into like the third quarter, like the May June timeframe but. We still at this point can highlight that the fact that we will have award at 1.7 billion in awards that, DoD, has, made. Its, its. 22, has exceeded its goal of 21, percent coming, in at 22 percent and that, for DISA, this is our sixth straight year of exceeding, our overall. Sign. Small business target goal, we. Were up six percent from FY 16.

And Since FY 13 this. Is a 21.4%. Increase. Okay. So on this one what I want everyone, to remember is that the requirement, drives the Nate's code selection, so. Whatever the majority of the requirement, is that's an AIDS code that we will use the, other piece that I would like you to know that as. Much, as we would. Like to award a contract to. Everyone, we really can't so, when we make a selection within, our acquisition, strategy, to go, full. Or open or total swamp-ass and set aside we. Are looking to see where the majority of the companies, are located who respond, to a Sources, Sought or north, RFI, so, when you respond to our Sources Sought and the majority, of the companies or on a GSA. Schedule, that's the direction that we're going to go we, realize that there are a lot of valuable tools out there we can now use OTA, we're, aware of joint ventures we're, aware of every kind of vehicle that's out there that DISA has access, to that we will use then. The one thing I will say about small business your tenacious and sometimes you're kind of selfish, sometimes. You only think about what your company wants and not the greater good we, have a responsibility, within, this agency to think about the greater good in terms of what. Contract. Vehicle, can benefit us the most at the given time when those requirements, are needed and if. The companies are within that vehicle, can come by the technical, capabilities. That's, direction, that we can go we will always take your questions, we will always answer but do you not always try to steer contract, just for your Pacific needs make, sure that if you are staring, it that you're bringing at least 20 other companies, with you they, basically feel it that's in their benefit, too. Okay. So here, our goals for FY, 18 and, we're going to make every effort to achieve. Those goals as. Well as succeed, them and this, is the office of small business programs my, office, is is. Committed. To providing small, business with the maximum, opportunities. Participate, in all, contract, opportunities. At both the prime and the subcontract. Level to. Reap the full benefits, of their talent, and services. It. Is the intent, of the office of small business programs, to forever influence, a culture, of continuous, and maximum. Utilization small, business for innovative. Information, technology, solutions for the global warfighter. A, few, forthcoming initiatives. Include, active. Engagement by our small business professionals, who, I would like to introduce to you Brenda, Leonard and Ariel, Douglas those, are the two individuals, that are here today, to, address the name of your small business issues or concerns and. Keep. In mind that we are in an award-winning. Small, business office. One. Of the things the other thing I would like to highlight that. That. That, that. Our disapper, Sanel worked very closely with our office to ensure that. They're, following, the right acquisition, strategy we were actually engaged in a lot and so what I want you to know that they put think about small business first trust. Me they think about small business first the, rumor mill has that everyone is scared of me I don't know why but. They do think about small business first here. Are some of our small business events, we continuously, strive to, provide relevant, outreach, events and information material. And, as. Alluded to earlier if, you're, here, stay here all day a lot of time and energy and effort has been put into this event we. Really, would like for you to engage us I know you all want to run out and look to see who's called you but we all know the deal no one's really called so, take the time to talk to the person next to you, take.

The Time to meet some of our senior leaders take, the time to meet some of our technical people my question people that are here take, the time to engage you invest it your day take. The time to meet and talk to us because that's what we're here because our programs, are designed to help guide small business small. Businesses, in their transition, from a state of modest attainment, to a very very successful. Contributor. To the defense of our nation. Okay. So yes. I do believe. That, when it comes to IT that. We just have to be ready we just never know when, is going to have. The latest and greatest piece of information, and small. Businesses provide that competitive, advantage. To our war fighters on the battlefield and that's. The and that's the device that the diversity, of the sector the small business community, is they're able to drive the speed of technology, small, businesses, have the flexibility, and agility to indistinctly, how to move at the speed of DoD's, ambition, based, on rapid and continuous, changes within the marketplace, so. Just so as I stated earlier I didn't give you the dollar figure, but DoD awarded fifty eight billion, dollars. In FY. 16 17. Excuse me to. Small businesses, and I think that says a lot. So. Remember. DISA is. This. Is a Combat, Support Agency, so. For us it's very important, that industry understands, that we see with clarity that. We network with assurances. And that, we communicate, with certainty and that we navigate, with accuracy, because it's important, that we strike with precision in, defense, of our nation and, we support, all the, services, because the global, warfighter. Has. No. Mm. The, global warfighter is who we are here to ensure that, you can get information anytime, anyplace, any, type, on any device our, son never ever says, this is 24/7. So just remember if you're doing business with us you, have to keep the same type of. Hours. And. Don't. Believe. Us we do that too I can send the email to someone at one o'clock in the morning, in. Virginia, and they're. In Virginia or Maryland and, usually, we will get a response, people are just up so, we're very active. In what we do. Okay. Three more things basically. Bring your bold and unique business. Practices, that highlight your extraordinary leadership and, the town of your employees, bring, value, bring, the difference. Once. You get a contract, perform perform perform, you, are the Trailblazers, for the other small businesses that come after you trust. Yourself trust. Us, and. We can do meant work magic together. In. Closing, I would just like to say that this is my last forecast, industry, as. I plan to retire in the first quarter, of the calendar year of 2018. I've. Been the small business director since the early, 2000s. I try. To do right by the small business community and, I hope you have, appreciated, the efforts that team DISA has put forward as I've, said in every single, encounter. With you all this is an agency effort. This is not a Sharon, Jones effort, this is this agency, who has worked, hard to institutionalize. The small business programs, and have, put you first so.

I Thank you for your support I thank, you for giving distant. Opportunity, to, work with the small business community and most, of all I thank you for teaching me so much over the years about, what's. Important, to you so. On that note I will take any questions but, I thank you for your time and I thank you for your energy. Miss. Jones we do have several questions okay. First. What. Process, does DISA, used to evaluate small, business, Sources, Sought responses. To ensure the small business is truly, capable of supporting the required scope. If, I understood you correctly said, what processes. Yes. Ma'am okay this is just used to evaluate the sources thought it is my. There's. A couple of different processes one. They have a tech team and the tech team reviews all the, responses. And then. They will sometimes develop, a grid based on what's important, to them and make a decision, based. On the responses, that the small business community will provide other. Times they will come to our office, and talk to us about do we know of any small businesses, that have the capabilities, that they're looking for and we'll provide several recommendations. So. Or, and they'll also work with their contracting, team so there's a lot of different methodologies to get, to an acquisition strategy. That will benefit the agency, but, your responses, are reviewed, to the point that I would highly encourage small, businesses to answer, the questions, that we're asking you and not. Just provide, your marketing, slick or some generic, answer the, more information you give us the better opportunity. That our. Office, has in. Ensuring. That that requirement, is set aside for small business, so, really, give us the detail, answers, if you want to give us the detail answers we, can probably work to see that requirement go into the small business community and bring, your frenemies, to the table which means that bring your competition, with you because. If you don't you may wonder why that, requirement didn't go into the small business community because we didn't get enough responses, that indicated, that the small business community as a whole has the capabilities, to provide for that acquisition. Requirement. Ms. Jones yes please describe, how dissidence, IDEs which, small business, contract, vehicle, to, use for a requirement. You know, that will vary based on the need just. Know that if we use we do use independent, contracts, all the time but, just know that an independent, contract can kind of contend the time stick up to a year or longer so just, like everyone, else, you have a choice you can go to McDonald's and, get it fast so you go to chick-fil-a. You. Know you always got the weight a little bit on chick-fil-a, but I've been finding that the drive-thru works very quickly. But, you know what. It comes down to is, really, the need how fast do we need it and if you need it fast and we're going to use existing vehicles, we will always use just a vehicles first and then, before we go to external, vehicles so those, are the things to keep in mind it will vary based on what the requirement, is.

Please. Address how you intend, to use the recently awarded vets, to G wack, actually. I just found out on Friday that that was awarded, so our. Intent, is to highlight, that particular, requirement within the agency, I think now it's just a matter of educating. Our, acquisition. Team and our contracting, team on how. That contract. With that contract offers and what's available so our intent is to definitely use that vehicle. Please. Define, small, business, in the context, of makes, codes. Okay. So this. Is, a. Dissapears, primarily, services. So. Because we procure, services. We. Are using the, dollar revenue. We. Using the dollar slash revenue, Nate's codes we. Are. Manufacturing. Codes. Use, employees, so. We, really. Manufacture. Or have a manufacturing. Need but when we do we will use that but, primarily for. Us, its services, so it's a dollar. Revenue. Base dollar. Revenue. Nate's, code and I believe the highest, one that we can, use is the, 27.5, Nate's, code. There. Is one I want to highlight that is slightly higher but. I think it's at 30, three. Or 35, million. But, we do. Not use that particular, nades code because it doesn't fit our procurements. Within, the agency. What. Percentage, of disses overall, budget, goes, to small businesses, okay. So for, FY 17 we. Had a spin, of 5.8, billion, dollars, as one of the largest spins, that we've had in the last few years and actually that's one of those questions, that you as a small business should, be asking, when you're not our agency, because I'm telling you what it is but when you go out and visit other agency, what is their annual spend, of that 5.8. Billion, literally. 1.8. Excuse, me 1.7. Went, to small business, and I've also included on, the slide that you will have access to already, I think you already have access to I've also put the number of contract, Awards this year we had a record-breaking over. 6,000, contractual, actions, that are actually, small business, actions, so, six thousand actions they, ate at one point seven, billion dollars out of a 5.8, spen. Final. Question ma'am what. Will you miss most about DISA. What. Was that question to get you. What. Will you miss most about, guys. Let's. See I, don't even know where to begin one yeah actually do you know where again I'm gonna miss my team I have. An awesome small, business team in Brenda. And Ariel, Brenda, has been with me for over, 10, years now I believe and she has just been as in. The, play Hamilton, she has been like my right-hand, woman. You. Know she. Is dynamic. She is very instrumental, and she knows small business Ariel. Is. New. To the program need, to dis no she's. Not new to dissin she's really not new to the program and, she's been working in our office for about a year now and she is just as dynamic, and just as knowledge about the small business program so I know I'm gonna miss my team but, I think most of all I'm gonna miss the people, that I've engaged the contracting. People I think they. Are like also, they. Work with us constantly, constantly. They are, our small business advocates, in a way that we can't be advocates, because they, actually engage the customer, and they engage the customer, by putting hey, you know we do small business first so I can't do enough with that say nothing about the contracting, team I can't say nothing about the acquisition, folks. Who work with me but, you know at the end of the day it's. Two things it's the the, leadership, they have been with me particularly mr. Rivera mr. montemagno. Who. Are still at just miss, Sims there's so many of them who have been with me since the, beginning I watched, them grow they've, watched me grow, and. In. This program, in doing things this. Has just been a journey but I didn't. Today I think I found my calling you, know I think I found that working with small businesses, has just been so rewarding in, a way that I never thought possible you, know one of the things that I. One. Of the things that, stood out for me my took the job was I really knew nothing about, small. Business at all you, know it was one of those things where, was a Contracting, Officer so, as far as I'm concerned industry, was the bad people because they would just kept trying to rip us off you. Know that was kind of like my attitude but then when I got to understand, how, small, business work when I got to understand the anatomy of a small business when, I started to come heavily, engaged in what, makes a small business small how does the small business exceed what, do you what steps you take to gain talented.

People Hearing. Your stories, how even, the story of how you came with a name for your company that, constant. Consistent engagement I think I, will probably miss, the fact that you, know I will not hear, those stories that, often, anymore I'll, probably miss the fact that. That. I, will not engage with my DISA, friends. And professionals, who kind, of make a day a good day you, know we have our disagreements, in our agency, but you know what we all are professionals enough to know that not to take it personally, not to internalize, it so, it has just been a phenomenal. Journey. For me and but. I know that, I'm. So happy that I've had this opportunity to. Work with small businesses because, you know you want to figure out you become a public servant, but you're not sure exactly how to give back this program, allowed me to give back in so many ways at the same time it enriched, me so I'm just solely, appreciative. Of everything, that I have learned in this program.

2017-12-29 16:56

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