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Online Public Works Bidding: Washington State Department of Enterprise Services launches the use of Bonfire as an online bidding portal. Contractor bidding started October 1 and phase two will launch early next year. Learn more and register now here.

Oregon Opportunities: Meet agency representatives from the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Oregon National Guard at a November 14 Industry Day Event linked here.

Agency Opportunities

• Competitive Solicitation 22-0022 Thurston County Vehicle Towing and Assistance Services
• DES Notice of Bid Opportunity: Plants & Trees
• DES SOLICITATION #24723 Janitorial Services
• King County and King Conservation District RFP: Regional Food System Program
• Whatcom Transportation Authority RFP HR Consulting Services

Subcontracting Notices

• Washington Recreation and Conservation Office RFP Process Improvement
• Kiewit Subconsultant Solicitation for Stream Team Services with WSDOT

Upcoming SBIR/STTR Releases

Small business innovation research (SBIR) funding is available to small businesses working on cutting-edge technology. Find out if the federal government has a need for your innovation by reviewing the topic releases coming up this month.

• Department of Defense –First pre-release of 2024 on November 29, 2023
• Department of Homeland Security – typically releases topics in November. Get on their mailing list!
• Department of Energy – Release 2 Nov. 6, 2023

You can find more information and relevant links on the SBIR Website.

Upcoming Events for Innovators

• Meet the Agency: NOAA SBIR – November 1, 2023

Find these and other events on the APEX calendar

Other Funding Notices

• Need a Challenge? Check out Challenge.gov for exciting opportunities!
• Department of Defense Open Topic Opportunity: A244-P001: “xTech Search 8 SBIR Finalist Open Topic Competition" Closes May 2024

Other Important Links

• Find statewide resources for innovators visiting Innovation Station
• Learn more about Small Business Innovation funding at the SBIR Website
• Looking for more in-depth help? Register as an APEX Client to meet with an SBIR advisor.

Questions? Kate Hoy, [email protected]

Focused Classes

DON OSBP Lunch & Learn: An Introduction to Navigating Facility Clearances       

11/2/2023       10:00 AM - 11:00 AM  

Discussion of the Facility Clearance Process under the National Industrial Security Program. Discussion topics include: An overview of Industrial Security, vetting and security clearance process, and ways your business can prepare for an FCL.

10 Seconds to Impact - Creating Extraordinary Elevator Pitches  

11/8/2023       9:00 AM - 12:00 PM     

Gain critical awareness and tools you can use immediately to improve the quality of your elevator pitch. Stand up and out with poise and deliver dynamic messages about yourself, your business or organization. Talk so people will listen and want to hear more. Find the core of your message and vary the content and length in order to meet the demands of the moment, event and audience.  

DES Public Works Business Diversity Program - Central Washington Outreach Event in Yakima

11/8/2023       12:00 PM - 4:00 PM     

1211 S 7th St, Yakima, WA, 98901

Are you a small business that is owned by a woman, a minority, or a veteran who is interested in performing DES Public Works Projects? Join the Department of Enterprise Services (DES), Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC), Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS), Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE), Department of Veteran's Affairs (WDVA) and Washington APEX Accelerators for the Public Works Business Diversity Program - Central Washington Outreach Event in Yakima       

Cost and Price Proposal Preparation     

11/8/2023       2:00 PM - 5:00 PM       

3650 NW Anderson Hill Rd, Silverdale, WA, 98383

Our session is focused on the key components to prepare a price proposal for government contracting opportunities. You’ll learn about direct costs, indirect costs, profit, taxes and the difference between a cost and price proposal. Also, you will learn how to prepare a comprehensive cost/price proposal and feel confident with your price.

IBR Contractor Meet & Greet    

11/8/2023       4:00 PM - 7:00 PM       

731 N Hayden Meadows Dr, Portland OR, 97217

Join the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs and the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program to learn about opportunities with IBR and connect with program leadership, staff, prospective prime contractors and other DBEs/SBEs.

Registering as a King County Supplier through the E-Procurement Supplier Portal           

11/9/2023       9:00 AM- 11:00 AM

Tabor 100

7100 Fort Dent Way, Seattle, WA,98188

King County is delighted to invite you to our upcoming workshop on “Registering as a King County Supplier through the E-Procurement Supplier Portal”. We've designed this hybrid workshop to cater to both in-person and virtual participants. The main purpose of this workshop is to assist and guide participants through the process of registering as a King County Supplier. By the end of this session, attendees will be successfully registered as a King County Supplier.

DON OSBP Navigating Adversarial Foreign Capital for National and Economic Security    

11/13/2023     10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

This session will introduce the concept of adversarial foreign capital and the risks it poses to national security and economic security.

Navigating Federal Government Contracts Northwest 2023       

11/14/2023     8:30 AM - 11:45 AM     

The Federal Contracting Seminar is brought to you by a partnership with Oles Morrison Rinker Baker LLP, Pacific NW Defense Coalition & AGC with the goal of providing high-quality training to businesses throughout the region.     

Regional Program Office Quarterly Virtual Business Opportunity Session

11/14/2023     12:00 PM - 1:30 PM     

Regional Procurement Office West will conduct a Quarterly Business Opportunity

Session Virtual Event to provide a high-level forecast of potential procurement

opportunities. Topics covered may include the need-to-know Small Business Regulatory process

to help entrepreneurs increase their procurement readiness and regulatory understanding.

DON OSBP Office Hours: Shielding Small Business – Navigating Adversarial Foreign Capital for National Security  

11/14/2023     1:00 PM -2:00 PM                     

This session will introduce the concept of adversarial foreign capital and the risks it poses to national security and economic security. The focus will be on how adversarial foreign investments can impact small businesses and how to minimize or mitigate risks.       

Statewide Contract: Janitorial Bid Info Session

11/14/2023     3:00 PM - 5:00 PM         

Columbia Basin College

2600 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA, 99301

The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (Enterprise Services) is procuring janitorial services for all counties of Washington, with multiple awards in each county. In collaboration with APEX and the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber, we are hosting a free information session to assist small, diverse, and veteran-owned janitorial businesses in comprehending the solicitation and understanding how to bid on it.        

Contrato Estatal: Sesión Informativa de Oferta para Servicios de limpieza           

11/14/2023     5:30 PM - 7:30 PM         

Columbia Basin College

2600 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA, 99301

El Departamento de Servicios Empresariales del Estado de Washington (DES) está adquiriendo servicios de limpieza para todos los condados de Washington, con múltiples contratos en cada condado. En colaboración con APEX y la Cámara Hispana de Tri-Cities, estamos organizando una sesión informativa gratuita en espanol para ayudar a las empresas pequeñas, diversas y propiedad de veteranos a comprender la solicitud y entender cómo presentar una oferta para la solicitude de limpieza.  

Learning about State Contract Terms

11/14/2023     4:00 PM - 5:00 PM        

Virtual and at Tabor 100 7100 Fort Dent Way ## 100 Tukwila, WA 98188

Are you interested in learning about state contracting terms and when and what you can negotiate? DES is providing a hybrid workshop on Nov 14, 4-5 p.m. at Tabor 100. For registration, please get your ticket here for an in-person or a virtual session.  

Janitorial Services Contract 

11/14/2023     5:00 PM - 7:00 PM         

Tabor 100 7100 Fort Dent Way ## 100 Tukwila, WA 98188

Learn about Janitorial Services solicitation in detail for those who are serious about bidding on this contract. Janitorial Services statewide solicitation is up, and you have until December 15 to submit your proposal. Now is the time to go over the full details of the solicitation. If you are serious about bidding on this contract, you don’t want to miss this workshop at Tabor 100. 

Cost and Price Proposal Preparation (VIRTUAL)  

11/15/2023     2:00 PM - 5:00 PM         

This session teaches you to prepare a cost and price proposal for government contracting opportunities. You’ll learn direct costs, indirect costs, profit, taxes, and the difference between a cost and price proposal.

ACEC COMTO Meet & Greet     

11/15/2023     4:00 PM - 6:00 PM         

Conference Center at Sea-Tac Airport

17801 International Blvd, Seattle, WA, 98158

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Washington and Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Washington are passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion within our memberships and the A/E/C industry at large. Join us for a meet and greet event at the Conference Center at Sea-Tac Airport! This is a great opportunity for firms of all sizes to learn more about our two organizations and celebrate our successes for the year.  

Whatcom County US-Canada Projects Update   

Bellingham Golf & Country Club

3729 Meridian Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225

11/16/2023     7:30 AM - 9:00 AM         

Contractors, subs, and suppliers interested on bidding on $200M in expansion and modernization projects at Whatcom County's Us-Canada border crossings won't want to miss this event. Hear about capital projects from GSA, the agency leading the projects' design and construction plans.

King County Architecture & Engineering Consultant Orientation

11/16/2023     10:00 AM - 12:00 PM   

During this free online 2-hour session, we'll discuss: registering as a King County consultant, opting-in to County rosters, certifying as small firm, how King County implements Architecture & Engineering contracts, what to expect when submitting a proposal to King County, best practices for maximizing your opportunities and E-Procurement Supplier Portal introduction. 

Meet the Agencies - Pierce & Thurston Counties

11/30/2023     1:00 PM - 4:00 PM         

Thurston EDC - TwinStar Community Foundation Event Center

4220 6th Ave SE, Lacey, WA, 98503

If you are a contractor wanting to know more about public works, Meet the Agencies was created for you. The roundtable session format will allow you to sit down with each agency to better understand how to do business with them.

Monthly Sessions

University of Washington Virtual Workshops for Suppliers

11/2/2023       10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

The orientations will provide a learning opportunity to assist in navigating potential business prospects at the University and with other state agencies, as well as educational and other resources to assist businesses. 

APEX & SBDC First Friday Follow-up

11/3/2023       12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Friday Follow-up is an open forum, round table for businesses to get answers from your local PTAC counselor and SBDC Advisor. Bring your questions regarding government contracting and learn from knowledgeable Small Business Experts. Our focus is to share resources for growing your business.

APEX: Prime Connect

11/8/2023       8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

A structured matchmaking event for Primes and Subcontractors to connect on future projects.

Wednesday with the Deputy for Small Business

11/29/2023     10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Wednesday with the Deputy for Small Business is an opportunity for Industry partners to learn about doing business with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Keyport.

Doing Business with the State – DES

11/16/2023     3:00 PM - 4:00 PM         

On the third Thursday of the month, the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES) facilitates an interactive conversation with state procurement professionals who can provide information and insight on how to do business with the state.      

Series Courses

OSDBU Market Research Series

11/2/2023       11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Data Mining Federal Contracting - Current Opportunities

12/12/2023     10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How to do Federal Market Research in USASpending.gov

1/11/2024      10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Data Mining Federal Contracting - Ad-Hoc Reports

 2/13/2024      11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Data Mining the Federal Contracting Resources - Schedules and Pricing Tools

3/12/2024       10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Are you aware of the free, publicly available tools to help you identify buyers, competitors, partners, and opportunities? Knowing who buys what you sell, how they’re buying it, and who they’re buying from is essential for your success as a vendor at the Department of Veterans Affairs and other government agencies. Join us in this informative, hands-on series as we demonstrate how to use market research tools to identify opportunities, position your business for success, and get the desired results.

Tradeshows

Seattle Reverse Vendor Tradeshow       

11/1/2023       11:00 AM - 3:00 PM     

Seattle Center  

305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA, 98109

The Reverse Vendor Trade Show is an annual event hosted by the City of Seattle to allow vendors the opportunity to introduce themselves to a variety of City departments and other public agency representatives. Vendors can learn about upcoming solicitations, procurement opportunities, and sustainable purchasing while networking with other local vendors. Women-owned and minority-owned businesses are especially encouraged to attend.      

NAMC Oregon Trade Show       

 11/2/2023      3:30 PM- 5:00 PM        

Lloyd Center, 2201 Lloyd Ctr, Portland, OR, 97232

NAMC-Oregon Members take center stage at our inaugural Members Trade Show, as well as a special appearance by Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio! Please note that this event will replace our usual Monthly General Meeting for November, and we are thrilled to have a space for our members to share valuable insights and proudly showcase their exceptional projects and businesses! This is a free event and open to the public, with food and refreshments provided.

Meet the BIGS! Doing Business with the Government    

11/2/2023       8:00 AM-1:00 PM           

Northern Quest Resort and Casino

100 N Hayford Rd, Airway Heights, WA, 99001

MEET THE BIGS! You’ll have the chance to network with the largest government purchasers in our area, like Fairchild Air Force Base and the US Forest Service, as well as large prime contractors doing millions of dollars of work with the government every year. This will give you the opportunity to meet and talk about doing business with hundreds of local small businesses from a variety of industries.

DOE & PNNL Small Business SYNERGY DAY        

11/8/2023       8:30 AM - 2:00 PM       

650 Horn Rapids Road, Richland, WA, 99354

Join the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and other DOE West Coast sites in a Small Business Synergy Day! Representatives from the OSDBU, PNNL, and other DOE West Coast sites such as Idaho National Laboratory, One Hanford, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, will be on hand to provide information about how to do business with and upcoming procurement opportunities at their site. Round-robin matchmaking and exhibit booth time will also be held to give small businesses the opportunity to have more in-depth discussions and connections with the OSDBU and its sites and to network with other small businesses in their sector of expertise.

INDUSTRY DAY EVENT: USACE, Portland District & Oregon National Guard         

11/14/2023     8:30 AM - 3:30 PM         

15300 SE Minuteman Way, Clackamas, OR, 97015

Portland District USACE and the Oregon National Guard are hosting an Industry Day Event. Learn about upcoming contracts for Civil Works, White City, Pile Dikes Design, Marine Construction, HVAC Upgrades, and more. You will also learn about the contracting process with USACE and the Oregon National Guard.

Small Business Summit: Highlighting Veterans and Transportation Innovation    

11/15/2023     5:00 AM - 1:00 PM         

1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington, DC, 20003

In honor of Veteran’s Day, we celebrate and recognize our veterans and their service to this great nation with a day-long event focused on small business opportunities, access to capital, and networking. The inaugural event will kick off with remarks from Departmental Leadership. The first half of the day will also include panel sessions with subject matter experts on how to do business with USDOT, best practices for federal contracting, and how to increase SDVOSB utilization. Additionally, to commemorate Garrett Morgan’s contributions to transportation spaces and innovation, OSDBU will recognize the family of Garrett Morgan for the 100th anniversary of his invention of the 3-way traffic signal.

5th Annual Veteran-Owned Small Business Day: Inflation Reduction Act Opportunities (DOEVETS’23) 11/16/2023 9:00 AM - 2: 00 PM      

1000 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC, 20585

At our EOPA annual D.C. Climate Emergency & Energy Security Summit, we will welcome officials from across the country to be briefed by the White House and Department of Energy about the community benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). We will highlight how the IRA helps environmental justice communities, veteran-owned businesses, and new technologies. We will also showcase exciting clean energy solutions.

SBIR/STTR Fall Innovation Conference   

11/28/2023     8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center

201 Waterfront St, Oxon Hill, MD, 20745          

Connect with over 200 organizations and companies at America's Seed Fund hosts its Fall SBIR/STTR Innovation Conference, co-located with Defense TechConnect, on November 28th and 29th. The two-day event provides attendees the valuable opportunity to connect directly with federal agency representatives who represent the nation's largest source of nondilutive funding for high-growth startups and small businesses, America's Seed Fund, and offers programming on how to compete for funding.     

2023 Innovation Ecosystem Summit      

12/13/2023     9:00 AM - 1:45 PM                   

The SBA Innovation Ecosystem Summit connects organizations across sectors to learn from one another as we work together to build a thriving national innovation ecosystem that promotes equitable access to capital and resources for innovators nationwide. 

Alliance Northwest Conference

3/14/2024       8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Alliance Northwest is the largest business-to-government conference in the Pacific Northwest. This event features high-quality workshops and matchmaking sessions between small businesses, government agencies, and prime contractors.

Govology classes, live and on-demand, are Free for Washington APEX clients – contact your APEX counselor for access. Click here for the list of Govology this month’s live classes. 

Recorded webinars available 

Washington APEX Accelerator, formerly Washington PTAC provides technical assistance to help Washington businesses successfully compete in the government marketplace. A program of the Thurston Economic Development Council, in partnership with the following subcenters: