SBA Hosts Business Matchmaking Events During National Small Business Week

Every year since 1963, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight through National Small Business Week the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories.

This year’s event will be held June 16-21, in Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. offering tips, tools and trainings for small businesses to start, succeed and grow. The SBA plans to hold matchmaking events at these three meetings.

Matchmaking allows small businesses the opportunity to have face-to-face meetings with prime contractors and federal agencies to learn about specific contracting and subcontracting opportunities. In addition to matchmaking, the day will include speed mentoring, panels on access to capital, government contracting, exporting, supply chain, use of social media, and other current topics.

The first matchmaking event will take place at the Arlington Convention Center in Dallas on June 18 from noon-3 p.m. The second and third matchmaking events will take place at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. on June 20 and 21 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. In addition to matchmaking, speed mentoring will be available both days along with breakfast and lunch awards ceremonies. Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List will be the lunch guest speaker.

The face-to-face matchmaking meetings will be 15 minutes; last year, approximately 150 businesses and 20 buyers matched up based on their compatibility and the buying needs of the federal agencies and corporations.

The business matchmaking sessions are open to small businesses that register for National Small Business Week. Small businesses must have a DUNS number, which can be obtained by going to the DUNS official Web site at (www.dnb.com/us), and must be registered in System Award Management (www.sam.gov), the federal government’s official database of small businesses wishing to secure federal contracts. Small business owners interested in participating must first register for National Small Business Week at www.sba.gov/smallbusinessweek.

Once registered, they will receive a code to allow them to complete their business matchmaking registration at:https://nsbw.mybusinessmatches.com. Registration for the events will close on June 12, 2013.