Improving Access to VA Procurement Opportunities via Direct Access Program Events and the Launch of the VA-Business Intelligence Tool

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1. Opportunities to Leverage VA Verification: Completing the application process for determination of eligibility for the VA Veterans First procurement preference program requires significant effort and we realize that you pursue verification in order to gain access to opportunities. In order to promote that objective, VA has established a series of events as part of our Direct Access Program (DAP) that provide opportunities connect directly to program managers and contracting staff that have procurement needs that are relevant to your capabilities. You can find the schedule of DAP activities at VA OSDBU Events. We have also established the VA Business Intelligence Tool that VA staff will be using to conduct market research in an effort to identify VOSB capable of meeting their procurement needs.
   
   
2. Invitation preference for Verified firms: As a special benefit of being a verified VOSB, we are opening registration to NVSBE 2016 beginning May 8, 2016 only for verified VOSB. We will retain exclusive registration for verified VOSB until June 8, 2016. If we reach our participation goals for the conference, we will close registration at that point, but If we do not reach conference participation goals we will need to open registration to all categories of businesses in order to enable our procurement decision makers to use the event to conduct effective market research.
   
   
3. Participate in VA Business Intelligence Tool (BIT): We have launched VA BIT as a web-based market place that connects businesses with capabilities to procurement officials, program managers, and contracting officers in VA, in other federal agencies, and in the commercial sector, who have procurement opportunities relevant to Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) and Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB). By creating your profile in VA BIT, you become visible to staff conducting market research for their procurement needs and they become visible to you. You can also see what DAP events they have registered for so you know where you can connect directly to them.
   
   
4. Key VA-BIT features: VA BIT enables maximum participation by VOSBs in procurement opportunities by enhancing and simplifying market research by:

• Enabling VOSB to find opportunities for which they have relevant capabilities;
• Providing a searchable database of Procurement Decision Makers (PDMs), Contracting Officers, and Organizations;
• Providing a searchable database that enables PDMs to identify compatible VOSB as part of their market research.
• Facilitating compatibility determination based on buyer defined compatibility attributes of VOSB and requirements
• Facilitating OSDBU creation of DAP events that connect VOSB with relevant opportunities; and
• Facilitating Event registration.

5. Use VA- BIT to Prepare for the 2016 National Veterans Small Business Engagement (NVSBE): VA OSDBU  will open registration on May 8, 2016, for VOSB desiring to attend the National Veterans Small Business Engagement in Minneapolis, MN from November 1-3, 2016. For details about the event go to NVSBE16. If you attended the National Veterans Small Business Engagement in Pittsburgh, you will only need to update your profile in the new VA Business Intelligence Tool. If you have not previously attended an NVSBE event you will need to build a profile. Participating in VA BIT will enable you to “see” PDMs that have the relevant opportunities suitable for your business, and to identify those who sign up for NVSBE 2016 or any other DAP event. VA staff will be registering for NVSBE over the next three weeks, so you will be able to see who is coming to the event before you register. You will gain access to all VA 
opportunities listed, and see new VA opportunities and what VA staff will be attending DAP events as they are listed.

a. The process is simple, use the following link: vabit.biz to be connected directly to your profile. Follow the directions to check the accuracy of your contact and business information.

b. You can always go back into the system to update your profile when you register for NVSBE or any Direct AccessProgram (DAP) event.  

6. If you have any questions, please contact the Direct Access Programs team directaccess@va.gov.

 

Thank you again for your participation.

 

See you in Minneapolis!