NASA seeks contracts with wide range of regional small businesses at Ohio University conference

In 2017, NASA spent over $2.7 billion contracting dollars with small businesses – 16.5 percent of its total contracting budget. NASA is looking to expand its small business contracting even further this summer, seeking new partnerships with a wide range of goods and services providers based in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky at a two-day conference.

Hosted by Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, the first-ever, one-time event—“Reaching High – Aerospace Business Matchmaker,” scheduled for July 17-18 at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio—is a partnership among NASA and Procurement Technical Assistance Centers in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

The first day of the conference will be primarily educational, as participants hear from NASA officials about the goods and services the agency needs and how businesses can qualify as vendors. On the following day, businesses can meet one-on-one with representatives from NASA, as well as other agencies from all levels of government and NASA prime contractors, for millions of dollars’ worth of contracting opportunities in aerospace industry services.

These opportunities will be available to businesses in a large variety of industries, providing good and services including, but not limited to, mechanical and electrical engineering, IT infrastructure services, building maintenance, medical services, office supplies and equipment, office administrative services, testing laboratories, apparel, security and much more. For a complete list of buying opportunities, visit http://AerospaceMatchmaker.com.

The conference aims to stimulate regional economic growth by making these opportunities possible, said Sharon Hopkins, the director of Ohio University’s PTAC and the lead organizer for the upcoming event.

“As businesses attain new contracts, whether with other businesses or the government, they increase their bottom line,” Hopkins said. “With new sources of revenue, businesses are able to hire new employees, provide raises, provide health insurance and so on. Consequently, a conference that connects regional businesses with new opportunities for contracting should be very beneficial to all parties.”

To learn more about the event or to register, visit http://aerospacematchmaker.com.