Small business program offices play a pivotal role in fostering connections with small businesses and maximizing their impact across federal acquisitions. And in this world, policies play second fiddle to the people who are driving them. Today’s episode explores the human side of government contracting. We are thrilled to be joined by the Program Specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Unit (OSDBU), Wendy Bray. By hosting small business development training and many other initiatives, Wendy’s work involves transforming mission statements into world-class opportunities and she walks us through her GovCon story today. We discuss the mission of OSDBU, why it serves both army affiliates and civilians, how it prioritizes its projects, the standard lifecycle of a business’s relationship with OSBDU, and how Wendy’s role as a program specialist plays out differently at the organization. We also dive deep into the VA’s approach to communication, how local collaborations and larger initiatives differ, the drawbacks of working with multiple departments at the same time, and everything small business owners need to know to optimize their relationship with the VA’s OSDBU. To end, Wendy explains what the VA has planned for the near future and why we should all be excited about it! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcoming Wendy Bray from VA OSDBU as she shares her GovCon story. 
• The mission of OSBDU and why it serves both veterans and civilians. 
• A brief exploration of “the rule of two”; how the VA prioritizes its projects and partners.  
• Wendy’s role as a program specialist and how it plays out differently at the VA. 
• The life-cycle of a small business’s relationship with OSBDU and what owners need to know.
• How the VA approaches feedback and communication in general. 
• The differences between local collaborations and larger, national initiatives. 
• Assessing the highs and lows of working with multiple departments simultaneously. 
• Important VA-specific considerations for new small business entrants. 
• How to get the most out of Wendy and the team at OSBDU. 
• Noteworthy takeaways about working with the VA and what it has planned for the future.

Sponsors:

Withum: https://www.withum.com/

Withum is a forward-thinking, technology-driven advisory and accounting firm that offers a range of services including business advisory, forensic and valuation services, accounting and assurance, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and tax consulting.

Twenty39 – helping small businesses be successful in GovCon: https://www.twenty39.com

If your business is considering government contracting and needs expert advisory, business development, proposal management, and/or operations support we are here to help. We provide end-to-end enablement for pursuing government contracts.

Hive39 Community: https://twenty39.com/hive39-community/

An inclusive online community for GovCon Small Businesses and Consultants to learn, share, and grow. Receive free resources to support your business in pursuing government contracts; and meet new partners, identify small business relevant events and cost-appropriate vendor resources, stay up to date on policy and legal changes impacting small business, and share 1099 and partnership opportunities. Join today!

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