The HHSPulse Newsletter

Volume 8 Issue 29 (PDF 2MB) 

In this volume, you will learn about

• FY11 SBA Scorecard
• Getting Back 2 Business
• Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium
• National Veteran Small Business Conference
• Websites to Bookmark
• Events Calendar
• Recent HHS Small Business Awards
• Small Business in the News
• Small Business Success Through Partnership
• Contracting Opportunities

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FY11 SBA Scorecard

FY11 SBA Scorecard report result for Health and Human Services (HHS) Information below from 
http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/FY11%20Final%20Scorecard%20HHS_2012-06-29.pdf   

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Getting Back 2 Business

HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr and the HHS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business hosted a series of small business community outreach and matchmaking events in Philadelphia, PA at  as the best event attended on federal contracting because of the "various perspectives on ways to do business with the federal government... agency specific information and detailed guidance [received]. 

Drexel University on June 12, 2012 and University of California San Diego on June 22, 2012. The goal of these events was to help bolster job creation and the national economy by educating small businesses on identifying and pursuing federal contract opportunities with HHS. Mayors, representatives from the General Services Administration, the Small Business Administration, local Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, small businesses and large prime contractors participated as guest speakers and matchmakers. 

Participants praised HHS' effort to reach out beyond the beltway and applauded the program. 

Participants who traveled long distances state" This was an absolutely awesome event... it was well worth our time. We learned so much about what we were not doing correctly and got to meet with some great contacts."  

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Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium

There were approximately 300 vendors in attendance. This is the second year for this conference and also the second year that HHS participated. HHS was represented on a panel discussion Town Hall: 2012 OSDBU Outlook which received positive feedback. There were many useful breakout sessions ranging from Pricing Proposals to Business Tools to increase Productivity. This conference is still young but is doing a lot of positive things for veteran entrepreneurs.

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National Veteran Small Business Conference

This annual event is the largest conference for Veteran-Owned small businesses with an estimated 4,000 companies participating. Ms. Teresa Lewis, Director of HHS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and several OSDBU staff members attended the event. The HHS OSDBU conducted “Doing Business with HHS” workshops and shared marketing strategies for navigating HHS’ operating divisions during the matchmaking sessions.

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Websites to Bookmark

Federal Business Opportunities
http://www.fedbizopps.gov

General Services Administration
http://www.gsa.gov

SBA Government Contracting and Business Development.
http://www.sba.gov/gcbd/

Small Business Administration
http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov

Central Contractor Registration
http://www.ccr.gov

Government Agency Links
http://www.usa.gov/Agencies.shtml

Excluded Parties List System
http://epls.arnet.gov

Women-Owned Businesses Links:

National Association of Women Business Owners
http://www.nawbo.org

Small Business Administration: Contract Assistance for Women Business Owners
http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/index.html

Women’s Business Centers
http://www.awbc.biz

Women Impacting Public Policy
http://www.wipp.org

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Events Calendar

• September 5-7, 2012
  National HUBZone Conference -12:00pm - 6:00pm
  Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel
  415 New Jersey Avenue NW
  Washington DC 20001

  The National HUBZone Conference includes networking sessions with federal agencies,
  educational sessions, workshops and roundtable discussions. Registration closes September
  3, 2012.
  
  For more information visit http://www.hubzonecouncil.org

• October 11, 2012
  Small Business Vendor Outreach Session Time: 8:00am - 12:00pm
  200 Independence Avenue, SW
  Room 800
  Washington DC 20201

  Information about the October Vendor Outreach Session and registration for the event will
  be posted here in early September.
  
  For additional information, visit the Federal OSDBU Directors Interagency Council's
  website at: http://www.osdbu.gov

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Recent HHS Small Business Awards

CIO SP3 Health Interoperability GWAC $20 Billion:

In June 2012, the NIH Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC) awarded the third in a series of CIO SP3 (Chief Information Officer - Solutions and Partners 3) Small Business awards to seventy-nine (79) Small Business concerns.

This Government - Wide Acquisition Contract, which has a ceiling of $20 billion, supports the Federal Enterprise Architecture, the DoD Enterprise Architecture, and the Federal Health Architecture, providing a full range of information technology services and solutions to the government. See http://nitaac.nih.gov/nitaac/ for additional details.

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Small Business in the News

OMB Policy M-12-16, Prompt Payment for Subcontractors

In an effort to improve payment of small business subcontractors to within 15 days " of receipt of relevant documents" OMB issued Memorandum 11-32 , "Accelerating Payments to Small Businesses for Goods and Services." Refer to link http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2012/m-12-16.pdf

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Small Business Success Through Partnership with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

HumanTouch, LLC is a CMMI Level 3, ISO9001:2008 certified, Small Business Administration (SBA)-certified Section 8(a) Small and Disadvantaged Business providing professional and information technology services to the Federal Government. HumanTouch has been particularly active in providing health care information technology to federal agencies, accounting for approximately 80% of annual revenue.

As a business that serves the mission of the Federal Government, HumanTouch takes seriously its role in helping to support our country’s health care system by working with agencies focused on this mission. The Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization has provided guidance and support as HumanTouch has grown. The opportunity to attend HHS Small Business Vendor Outreach Sessions and Industry Days has also given HumanTouch great exposure and deeper understanding of HHS’ greatest business needs.

HumanTouch has experienced rapid growth in the past few years, exemplified by its ranking at #2 in the Washington Business Journal Fast 50, 2011. HumanTouch was awarded contracts supporting Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and takes pride in serving these agencies with integrity and partnering with their clients to optimize value and results. HumanTouch services FDA’s infrastructure including the data center. The team also provides technical support to over 14,000 FDA employees, helping them achieve their mission in everything from program management to regulation.

Founder, President and CEO Moe Jafari credits this success to the greater understanding of HHS and agency needs to insights he gained through partnership with the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. When asked to provide advice to other small businesses, Jafari suggests:

• Never quit trying. Ask for feedback at all levels whether you are awarded the contract or
  not. This will allow you to hone your skills and better understand how to assist HHS in
  meeting their mission.
• Take advantage of HHS Small Business office staff and online resources (such as the
  Forecast of HHS Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses and HHS Small Business
  Goals). There is a wealth of information out there if you are willing to look for it and
  ask questions.
• Attend the Vendor Outreach Sessions, Industry Days and consider joining the Mentor
  Protege Program.
• Take a customized approach to designing your service plan for each project you bid on.
  Consider HHS' culture and business needs and how your services might need to be optimized
  to meet their needs.

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Contracting Opportunties

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