WASHINGTON, DC -- Small business is big business at the Army Materiel Command.
That is the messages AMC Commander, Gen. Dennis L. Via delivered to attendees of a Small Business Forum at the annual Association of the United States Army meeting Oct. 22.
The Small Business Forum was the first of its kind at the annual gathering of defense and defense industry leaders. According to AUSA, the forum was designed to provide a series of educational and networking sessions to help increase knowledge of the small business community in methods to successfully do business with the Army and Army prime contractors.
"I know first-hand that our Army cannot accomplish its mission without the great partnerships we enjoy with the small business opportunity," Via said during opening remarks at the forum.
"During the past 12 years of war, small businesses have been there for us, and often with us, from filling the void at stateside bases when our Soldiers deployed, to resetting and sustaining their equipment at our depots, arsenals and ammunition plants, to providing on-site support in some of the most austere and hostile locations in the world," he added.
"Small business has been committed to supporting the Soldier," he said. "And in turn, AMC remains committed to small business."
AMC has a robust small business program. During the last six years, AMC's small business program has obligated $76 billion dollars to small businesses. In fiscal year 2013, of the $40 billion dollars obligated by AMC, $7.8 billion went to small business contracts across the federal government -- nearly a fifth of all U.S. small business contracting dollars and about half of all small business contracting dollars spent by the U.S. Army.
"AMC is ready to partner with you," he said.
Via informed attendees about EAGLE, the Enhanced Army Global Logistics Program, which is a consolidated contract vehicles designed to increase the Army's buying power.
He also emphasized other potential areas for small business to include Foreign Military Sales and training, science and technology, research and development, and public-private partnerships -- all areas Via believes will continue to grow in the coming years.
"Our retrograde from Afghanistan will likely create additional opportunities for small business, as we bring home thousands of pieces of equipment that will need to be repaired, refurbished and reset," Via said. "Many of these systems will be with our Army and the Joint Force for many years into the future.
"The next decade will see many changes in the U.S. Army and undoubtedly within the small business community, but what will not change is our collective mission of supporting our Soldiers."
Via was one of several notable acquisition professionals who spoke from the offices of the Under Secretary of the Army, the Army Acquisition Executive, and major Army buying commands.
More information on business opportunities with AMC can be found at
http://www.amc.army.mil/amc/opportunities.html
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