Opportunity for Small Businesses to Learn About Selling to the Government at Skelton Procurement Conference May 30

Warrensburg, Mo., April 26, 2007 — Small businesses provide goods and services for which government agencies annually spend billions. Owners of these small businesses can learn how to secure government contracts and network with potential contractors at Congressman Ike Skelton's annual Procurement Conference Wednesday, May 30, at the University of Central Missouri.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. in Elliott Union 234B, and Skelton will open the conference with remarks at 8:45. Mary Lou Jacoby of Warehouse One will speak at 9 a.m. on successful government contracting, and Rear Adm. Kathleen Dussault, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), will speak on government procurement at 9:30 a.m.

The featured luncheon speaker for the conference is Congressman Silvestre Reyes, who represents the 16th District of Texas, which includes El Paso. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Reyes served from 1969 to 1995 with U.S. Border Patrol as an agent, immigration inspector, instructor at the Border Patrol Academy, assistant regional Border Patrol commissioner and sector chief.

He was elected to Congress in 1996, becoming a leader on national security, veterans and border issues. In 2006 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi selected Reyes to serve as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, which provides Congressional oversight of the 16 agencies that comprise the U.S. intelligence community. He also serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Afternoon breakout sessions include topics such as selling to the government, choosing veterans first, contract pricing and estimating and funding a business through Small Business Innovation Research networks.

Sessions also will address SBA contracting programs, base and post contracting, business financing and marketing, non-traditional financing and intellectual property, ISO standards, and the federal government online marketplace, or FedBid.

"Our goal is to help small businesses expand their sales efforts through contracting with the federal and state government or through major employers," said Wes Savage, director of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and Development at UCM.

The conference is open to business owners and interested individuals. A fee of $49 per person is required and includes lunch. Registration prior to May 23 is encouraged. Individuals who want to attend may register online at www.missouribusiness.net/ptac or www.ucmo.edu/biz, or contact the Small Business and Technology Development Center at UCM at 660-543-4402, email sbtdc@ucmo.edu. A full agenda is available at www.missouribusiness.net/ptac/docs/skelton2007.pdf.

See Rep. Ike Skelton's "News and Views" article at www.missouribusiness.net/newsletter/0507.asp#govt