Doing Business With DoDEA
The Industry Outreach Program, located at Headquarters, was established to facilitate communication with industry and to establish another source of information for market research purposes. Businesses and non-profit organizations (i.e. firms) interested in doing business with DoDEA should contact the Industry Outreach Coordinator or by calling (571) 372-1401. The e-mail should include the firm's business size status and a statement of capabilities to ensure proper coordination within DoDEA.
The Industry Outreach Coordinator maintains information on a firm's capabilities in a database used to identify potential sources on future procurements. In addition, the Coordinator forwards inquiries from small businesses to DoDEA's Director of Small Business Programs. Inquiries from large businesses and non-profit organizations are coordinated with internal customers. If there is any interest in the firm's capabilities, the Coordinator may request additional information or schedule a meeting, conference call, or webinar with the firm and the internal customer. Please note, responses to industry inquiries may take up to two weeks.
Industry Outreach meetings are for a general exchange of information and market research purposes only. DoDEA is dedicated to ensuring requirements for supplies and services are fairly competed to the maximum extent possible. The Coordinator will limit the amount of information discussed during an Industry Outreach meeting if a competitive solicitation is pending for the supply or service being presented. The Coordinator will not schedule an Industry Outreach meeting with firms presenting supplies or services currently identified on an active or open solicitation; however, the Coordinator will notify the firm of the solicitation number and posting location.
Promoting competition is one of the guiding principles of the Federal Acquisition System. Competition not only helps promote innovative ideas and leads to better pricing, it also encourages new business development by fostering a level playing field among vendors vying to do work for the Federal Government. As such, we take competition seriously and seek to promote full and open competition to the maximum extent possible.
The Competition Advocate is entrusted with the following: promoting competition by ensuring that solicitations describe the desired performance, function to be performed or essential characteristics of the requirement, rather than describe a specific product; challenging unnecessarily restrictive or detailed performance specifications and burdensome contract clauses, which discourage competition; and, encouraging the acquisition of commercially available products, which often provide proven and cost effective solutions.
To contact the Competition Advocate, Denise Blevins, please call (571) 372-1401 or email.
DoDEA is committed to maximizing the opportunities for small business in all of its acquisitions- a policy set forth by statute and encouraged by the Small Business Administration and the DoD's Office of Small Business Programs. DoDEA's Small Business Programs Office (SBPO) reviews subcontracting plans and acquisition strategies and, when appropriate, advises contracting officers to set aside requirements for small business concerns. Additionally, the SBPO acts as a liaison between small business entities and the requiring offices within DoDEA, enabling the requiring offices to learn about the capabilities and reach of small businesses. Finally, the SBPO stands ready to assist small businesses navigate the often confusing world of government contracting.
To contact the Director, Denise Blevins, please call (571) 372-1401 or email.