Veteran Outreach
A live Webcast targeted veteran and service-disabled business owners.

By Ellen Jensen

Last December, TV Worldwide’s Internet TV channel for veterans (www.USVets.TV) hosted a four-hour live Webcast and training program that covered a variety of issues pertinent to veterans and service-disabled veterans.

The Webcast will be archived for a year at www.USVets.TV. DVD and CD-ROM video copies also are available to interested veteran and service-disabled veteran business owners.

Topics covered ranged from initial start-up assistance for veteran businesses approaching federal agencies for the first time, to methods for forecasting and successfully closing federal contract opportunities.

Teresa Lewis, assistant administrator for the Small Business Administration’s Office of Federal Contract Assistance for Veteran Business Owners, coordinated the presentations of the SBA speakers and panelists who reached out to veterans online during the Webcast. Veterans were able to respond interactively through e-mail with specific questions, and representatives of the Task Force for Veterans Entrepreneurship were on hand to facilitate the Webcast discussion to ensure that participating veterans got the specific answers they needed.
Here’s what you can expect if you view the Webcast.

Veterans Roundtable
This roundtable included representatives from the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development and the Task Force for Veterans Entrepreneurship. Also participating in the roundtable were two service-disabled veteran business owners, who spoke about the service-disabled veteran program from an entrepreneur’s point of view and gave advice on how to work with the government to win contracts.

Lewis spoke about the progress the program has made. She said federal agencies are adopting the program, and they are starting to offer training, which is a critical part of implementation, not only for the veterans, but also for the agencies and the program managers.

Service-Disabled Veteran Small Business Program Overview
In this segment, Lewis explained the program’s history, how goals and set-asides work, and how President Bush’s executive order fits into the program. She also covered the program’s eligibility requirements and contract mechanisms.

Office of Veterans Business Development
Bill Elmore, associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development, spoke about the program services that his office provides throughout the SBA system. His office’s responsibilities include outreach for the SBA and development of policy and program initiatives and recommendations. Elmore also acts as ombudsman for veterans inside the agency. He spoke about services that are available through the SBA, including SCORE, business development centers and women’s business centers.

Elmore said his office acts as a liaison with other organizations inside and outside of the government. He emphasized that the SBA also has tools if veterans need guidance or assistance with many common issues, such as procurement, as well as more specific issues. For example, the agency provides assistance to reservists who own small businesses and are planning for mobilization. It also helps with the necessary steps if soldiers have to rebuild their businesses after they return.

Business Plans
Kathy Wheeler, CEO of Community Business Partnerships, gave an overview of business plans, including what a plan is, why it’s important to have one, what kind of information needs to be included in a plan, and where you can get help to write your business plan.

Getting on a Federal Supply Schedule
Dewayne Carter, small business technical advisor for the General Services Administration (GSA), spoke about what a GSA schedule is and how to get a GSA schedule contract, including solicitation, key sections, commercial sales practices, where to submit and negotiations.

Establishing a Teaming Arrangement
The two items that are key in procurement are the ability to perform on a contract and providing a fair and reasonable price, said Stan Fujii, SBA assistant district director for business development. He said that because there often are many facets to procurement opportunities, the most effective way to get contracts can be through teaming arrangements. These tools include the prime contracting/subcontracting relationship, joint venturing and a mentor/protégé program. Fujii also spoke about the differences in these agreements and when each might be most effective. He also gave some tips on forming teaming agreements.

Financing Your Business
Joseph Loddo, district director of the SBA Washington Metropolitan Area District Office spoke about the myths and truths surrounding the SBA loan programs, including the microloan program, 7(a) loan guaranty program, 504 loan program, Small Business Investment Companies and the Disaster Loan Program.

One of the biggest challenges in government programs is disseminating information so that those who can benefit have the answers, Lewis said. That’s why events like the Webcast are important—they help get information out to the veterans.

“Well over 100,000 veterans a year receive some kind of assistance from one of the SBA programs,” Loddo said. “I wouldn’t have said that five years ago, so there has been some dramatic growth in what we deliver. But, we still have a long way to go.”

Ellen Jensen is the managing editor of Kansas City Small Business Monthly magazine.