More than 600 small businesses from Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland filled the ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel in the District of Columbia on June 17 for concentrated workshops covering IT, Professional Services, Manufacturing and a dozen other industries. Dan Sturdivant, representing the US Department for Homeland Security keynoted the federal procurement session and was joined by Dave Sutton of the Department of Justice and Peggy Williams of the Department of Defense all of whom detailed procedures and new selling opportunities for small business.

The day long event began with a guidelines presentation by American Express OPEN’s Christine Cuoco and ended with stimulating break out sessions at which more than 50 new potential teaming partnerships were born.

Michael Nicholas, president of NIMS, a Teaming USA featured “success story” spoke for the entrepreneurs present in thanking American Express OPEN and Business Matchmaking for literally “saving” his business which is now deeply and successfully involved with leading companies in the natural gas and oil marketing field.

Denise Rodriguez Lopez, former Department of Transportation outreach expert, outlined developments in government procurement and representatives of Fairfax County, Virginia and the State of Maryland echoed the comments by federal officials about the best way to insure more selling situations with the answer Teaming, Teaming, Teaming!

Of particular interest was the demographic breakdown of the companies in attendance. They ranged from start ups to several with 20 years experience. More than 60% were minority owned with half in the program women owned companies.
Scott Denniston, who started the small business programs at the VA, met with some 40 veteran and disabled veteran owned firm owners to discuss unique teaming situations for them and the latest development in veteran benefits.

The day was perhaps best described by Ken Yancey, the veteran CEO of SCORE, the SBA resource counselor corps, Yancey, one of the architects of Business Matchmaking, described Teaming USA as the newest and most important development in the ongoing campaign to secure more government and major corporation contracts for smaller firms.

The next major Teaming session is set for August 17 in San Jose as a segment of the Regional Business Matchmaking event there.

The websites below will direct you to the AMEX Open Teaming USA websites featuring NIMS Services, Inc. and Michael A. Nicholas.

http://www.teamingusa.com/Share_Your_Story/2010/06/washington-dc-teaming-event-sets-record-for-attendance-and-action/

http://www.teamingusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56:teaming-like-a-pro&catid=25:success-stories&Itemid=55