Army discusses small-business vision at SMART PROC 2014

By Dan Lafontaine, RDECOM Public AffairsNovember 17, 2014

Army discusses small-business vision at SMART PROC 2014
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Bruce Crawford (right), commanding general of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, speaks during the SMART PROC 2014 Conference in Frederick, Maryland, Nov. 14, 2014. Jyuji Hewitt (left), executive deputy to the commanding gene... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army discusses small-business vision at SMART PROC 2014
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Army discusses small-business vision at SMART PROC 2014
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FREDERICK, Md. (Nov. 17, 2014) -- U.S. Army leaders shared their vision for how small businesses can work with the service during the SMART PROC 2014 Conference Nov. 14.

Representatives from two commands at Aberdeen Proving Ground discussed how small businesses can increase their engagement with the Army.

Jyuji Hewitt, executive deputy to the commanding general of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, emphasized that Maryland-based businesses can reach across the country to all seven of RDECOM's center and laboratories.

"You do not have to be wedded to a particular geographical area," Hewitt said. "If your business does something in aviation, we can get you connected to the right spot. It's all about getting the best technology to our Soldier.

"You can work right here and serve one of our engineering centers across the United States. Open up your aperture about how we do business."

Areas of interest for RDECOM include expeditionary self-sustaining base camps, autonomous systems and robotics, long-range precision fires, chemical and biological defense, and counter unmanned aerial systems, he said.

SMART PROC stands for Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow Procurement Conference.

Maj. Gen. Bruce Crawford, commanding general of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command and senior APG commander, encouraged an open dialogue during the installation's third annual Advanced Planning Briefing for Industry, which will take place Nov. 18-20.

"Every time I do an engagement with our industry partners, I get more than I give from the discussion. It's an opportunity for you to inform of us of what you're seeing," Crawford said.

"Let's have an honest and open discussion about those barriers to entry that some of our small businesses have had. I view this as a leader development and mentoring opportunity with our small businesses."

Small-business contracts from APG totaled $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2014, he said.

Hewitt spoke about a major command initiative -- Army Research Laboratory's open campus business model that brings together government, industry and academia scientists and engineers to work side-by-side at its Adelphi Laboratory Center. ARL will host an open house Dec. 9-10 that will feature presentations, tours and meetings with Army researchers.

If ARL's model is successful, other Army installations could follow, Hewitt said.

"This is a tremendous opportunity," he said. "We are trying to open up to a different business model.

"This could become a model that applies to many of our research, development and engineering centers. It's a tremendous novel approach of how we want to do business."

APG is a center of innovation for the Army, Crawford said. He invited the attendees to learn about how the installation's work extends well beyond its boundaries.

Crawford described how personnel from RDECOM's Edgewood Chemical Biological Center designed, built and deployed the Field Deployable Hydrolysis System to destroy Syrian chemical weapons aboard the Cape Ray. Also, Soldiers from the 1st Area Medical Laboratory are deploying as part of Operation United Assistance to help contain the spread of the Ebola virus in Africa.

"The nation needs to understand what happens at APG. The nation is calling upon Aberdeen Proving Ground for work with global impact. Not just the Army, not just the state of the Maryland, but globally. As Marylanders, you should be very proud," he said.

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RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC delivers it.

Related Links:

Army Technology Live

Army Research Laboratory's Open Campus Open House

U.S. Army Materiel Command

Army.mil: Science and Technology News

U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command

RDECOM Office of Small Business Programs

Aberdeen Proving Ground's Advanced Planning Briefing for Industry

More photos on RDECOM Flickr page