Opinion: SBA matchmaking portal leads to hefty contracts

That’s what Mary Hamill, president of Global-5 Inc., thought after securing two contracts totaling $5.5 million after attending the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Business Matchmaking event in Orlando, Fla., last spring.

“I can’t say enough about how helpful the SBA people have been, or how fortunate I was to attend the Business Matchmaking event,” Hamill said. “They really want to help. They look out for small businesses, and if programs like this weren’t in place, it would be difficult to even get the time of day from most of these companies and agencies.”

Joint venture

Business Matchmaking is made possible by a cooperative agreement between the SBA and the Hewlett-Packard Small Business Foundation to provide opportunities for small businesses to have personal appointments with senior-level government and corporate procurement officials to discuss potential contracting opportunities.

Small businesses register for appointments through an online matchmaking portal, which pairs small businesses or “sellers” with government or corporate executives or “buyers” based on the products and services provided by the small businesses and the needs of the buyers.

The appointments are usually 15 minutes in length. On average, small businesses can expect three-to-five appointments per session, but many small businesses can get as many as 10 appointments, depending upon the availability of appointments. A maximum of two representatives from each participating small business may attend the program. The program’s events also include networking and training sessions, which provide valuable insight on local financing options, guidance on contracting with the government, access to technology resources provided by HP, international trade and trends in technology and marketing.

Millions in contracts

Since 2002, more than 25,000 appointments between small businesses and buyers have occurred as a result of the Business Matchmaking program and tens of millions of dollars in contracts have been acquired. Business Matchmaking events have been held in cities around the country.

This year, the SBA and HP are introducing a new element to the Business Matchmaking program.

In an effort to help more small businesses secure federal contracting opportunities, the SBA and HP have launched a new Business Matchmaking Online Network, piloted in five communities during 2005: Phoenix, Ariz.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Tampa, Fla.; and Kansas City.

The online network provides small businesses with online education and resources and access to government agencies and large corporations to market their products and services.

Contact numbers for these offices and a complete schedule of events, including the face-to-face appointments, are on the Business Matchmaking Web site at www.businessmatchmaking.com.

Sam Jones is the Region VII SBA Administrator, serving Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.[[In-content Ad]]