Industry Day Best Practices
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Advancing Government Through Collaboration, Education and Action Page
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From a government perspective, a "successful" or "productive" Industry Day /
vendor outreach session is one where:
Government finds small businesses they can work with immediately (i.e.,
contract ready vendors);
Small business receives information they can use to win future contracts;
Government finds value in meeting their needs, provides for a competitive
process, and subsequently receives quality proposals;
The event is well attended and people are engaged in an active dialogue;
Government holds an Industry Day early in the acquisition process for
feedback about the draft procurement and how to address a requirement or
problem;
Government receives information to better define a requirement and create
an acquisition strategy that will result in the most innovative and best value
solution; and
Saves the Government time and reduces the likelihood of protests.
Government interviewees and survey respondents noted that the following worked
well and added to the success of their past Industry Day events:
There needs to be two (2) fronts:
1. Government must define their objective for a successful outcome to
the Industry Day and any acquisitions that will be discussed during
the event.
2. Government must share information that states what they procure
and how they procure so that industry has a better understanding of
how appropriated money is distributed (i.e., flows) within the agency
as well as which contract vehicles they will use for the particular
procurement under discussion.
Implement a Best Practice combining the prepared presentation segment
with one-one sessions. An example is what DISA does for their Forecast to
Industry event, which features a general session where senior DISA leaders
and program managers brief specific areas of interest and the upcoming
acquisition opportunities. Throughout the day Industry Partners can speak
with subject matter experts located at a number of program tables. At the
end of the day the agency holds a “Meet the Seniors” event, at which
DISA’s senior leaders and DISA’s Industry Partners have the opportunity for
short one-on-one conversations.
The addition of matchmaking processes can help government find new,
contract-ready small businesses that are trying to penetrate an agency,
especially when the agency’s requirements, needs, certifications, and
clearance requirements are clear and well defined.
At times limiting attendance to a set number (e.g., 100) of current contract
holders created a group discussion where everyone was prepared, contract-
ready, and open to holding meaningful discussions about upcoming