Wisconsin Procurement Institute

Wisconsin Lt. Governor's 2022 Small Business Academy
2022-05-06 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-05-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-05-04 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-05-03 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Mark your calendar for the Lieutenant Governor’s Small Business Academy, a four-day virtual conference taking place in the mornings from May 3 to 6. On May 6, you will also have the opportunity to join in person events across the State hosted by partner organizations. Please click here to register.
This free event is designed for:

Existing small businesses
Individuals who are thinking of starting a business
Entrepreneurs looking for funding and resources

The conference will provide entrepreneurs and startups with opportunities to learn from and connect with business leaders and technical and financial resource providers and to identify the tools they need to start and grow their businesses.
For more information including the day’s agenda, visit www.sbeacademy.com.

Sponsored by

Presented in Partnership with:
U.S. Small Business Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
WI Department of Transportation
Wisconsin Procurement Institute
WI Small Business Development Center
SCORE Association
Ethnic and Diverse Business Coalition

Manufacturing Matters: Thriving Through Turbulence
2022-04-28 - 2022-04-29 | Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, 333 West Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53203, United States
The 24th annual “Manufacturing Matters: Thriving Through Turbulence” event will be held on April 28-29, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To register, please click here.
April 28 will feature a “Celebration of Manufacturing Networking” reception from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. The full conference will be held in person on April 29. The conference will focus on highlighting the practices of manufacturers who are thriving through this turbulent environment, as well as sharing expert insights into what organizations can do going forward to be more resilient and adaptive to chance. Two keynote speakers and 12 session split among 4 tracks are features in this year’s conference. The tracks include:

People
Leadership
Improvement/Automation
Innovation

For more information about the event, please click here.

Don't be Victimized by Ransomware - Virtual
2022-04-27 10:30 - 12:00
REGISTRATION is open at this link.
Growing small businesses no longer have the luxury of a slow ramp-up to cybersecurity. Ransomware does not discriminate by business size, ownership, location, or industry.
Learn about the steps you can take to fortify your company’s operations against ransomware. The protection techniques you must incorporate in your business processes are no longer optional – they are critical and necessary for basic business operations.
This session’s discussion will feature subject matter experts Andy Fiumefreddo and Nia Mack with American Family Insurance, and Jeffrey Wheatman from Black Kite (click each name to view speaker bios). In this session, we will discuss:

Understanding ransomware and how it works
Techniques to fortify your business against ransomware
Recommended exercises to be prepared if you fall victim
Tools to identify risks and gaps in your current practices

Attendees to this session will receive access to Black Kite’s Free Vendor Risk Assessment. This tool offers visibility into a company’s potential supply chain risks.

This is a three-part series presented by American Family Insurance in partnership with the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) and Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI).
Jan 26 – Leveling Up Cybersecurity for You and Your Customers
April 27 – Don’t be Victimized by Ransomware
Jul 27 – Making Intelligent Investments in Your Company’s Cybersecurity

Doing Business with the National Park Service - Webinar
2022-04-26 10:00 - 11:30
Join us as the National Park Service Regional Small Business Lead explains what it takes to do business with the NPS. Learn about the agency, what they buy, how they buy, procurement forecasts, and more.
The National Park Service manages nearly 400 sites, covering approximately 84.6 million acres of public lands. Six of these National Park Service locations are in Northern Michigan and Northern Wisconsin.
They include:

Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI
Keweenaw National Historic Park, Calumet, MI
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising, MI
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Empire, MI
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Bayfield, WI
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Saint Croix Falls, WI

There will also be presentations from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the PTACs, aimed at helping you position for success in your federal contracting efforts.
Presentations by:

Ron Kesterson of the National Park Service
Tom Vargo of the US Small Business Administration
Leo Isleib of the NW Michigan PTAC
Steve Makovec of the Wisconsin Procurement Institute

Cyber Friday: Cyber Security Compliance with DFARS 252.204-7012 and 252.204-7020
2022-04-22 11:00 - 12:00
Calculating a Cyber Summary Score is not sufficient to provide adequate security and providing adequate security will not by itself comply with DFARS 252.204-7020. There are similarities between these clauses but there are also major differences which companies should understand and ensure that they incorporate into their contract compliance efforts.
Until CMMC v2.0 is formally rolled-out, and DFARS 252.204-7021 is included in solicitations and contract awards, companies in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) must adhere to DFARS 252.204-7020 NIST SP 800-171 DOD ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS (NOV 2020) to be eligible for contract award as either a Prime or a subcontractor.
Don’t be misled by the term “self-assessment.” The DoD Basic self-assessment is neither a stand-alone document, nor is it the starting point for DoD cyber security compliance. It is most definitely not a requirement to be taken lightly or casually. Rather, completing this document requires knowledge of the company’s cyber security status and also a sound understanding of DoD’s policies, requirements and expectations. When completed the summary score should characterize the company’s cyber security activities that are in-place and planned.

Why you should attend –
Attendees will gain information and insight into this DFARS requirement and DoD cyber security requirements. They will be better equipped to determine whether they can undertake completing the assessment in-house or if they should outsource all or specific aspects of the assessment. For companies considering outsourcing this requirement, this webinar series will help to prepare attendees to develop pertinent scopes of work and evaluate third-party responses. Additionally, companies that have completed an assessment will be better able to review and evaluate their scoring methodology and overall cyber security program.

Speaker: Marc Violante, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Cyber Friday webinars.

Doing Business with the USDA Forest Service - Webinar
2022-04-21 10:00 - 11:30
Join us as we hear from the USDA Forest Service Procurement and Property Services Team about what it takes to do business with them. Learn about the agency, what they buy, how they buy, procurement forecasts, and more.
The USDA Forest Service manages over 193 million acres of public lands including four national forests in Northern Michigan and Northern Wisconsin:

Hiawatha National Forest, Gladstone, MI
Huron-Manistee National Forest, Cadillac, MI
Ottawa National Forest, Ironwood, MI
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Park
Falls & Rhinelander, WI

There will also be presentations from the US Small Business Administration and the PTACs that can assist with your government contracting efforts.

Federal Acquisition Service Training
2022-04-20 12:00 - 13:00
The U.S. General Services Administration will be hosting its next virtual Federal Acquisition Service Training (FAST) virtual seminar on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 12:00 PM. The topic will be, “Defining Professional Services Requirements.” Please click here to register.
This year’s theme is, “Insights for Impact: Leveraging Category and Acquisition Expert Insights and Data Driven Strategies to Increase Federal Agencies’ Mission Capabilities.” The monthly sessions will also focus on improving requirements development with collaboration among agency program managers, contracting professionals, and industry partners.

NDIA Michigan MDEX 2022
2022-04-20 - 2022-04-21 | Macomb Community College Expo Center, 14500 Twelve Mile Rd, Warren, MI, 48088, United States
The National Defense Industrial Association will hold the in-person Michigan Defense Exposition (MDEX) and Detroit Arsenal Opportunities Conference on April 20-21, 2022 at Macomb Community College. To register, please click here.
MDEX is a premier buyer and supplier event. The program features program briefings from nine Army organizations from the Detroit Arsenal, presentations by Air Force Research Labs and the Office of Naval Research, buyer briefings from prime contractors, and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) training and bid matching..
For more information about the event, please click here.

The Contracting Academy (TCA) - Virtual
2022-04-20
The Contracting Academy (TCA) will be held virtually on Wednesday April 20, 2022. TCA is an opportunity for businesses to grow their technical knowledge of contracting with Federal Government, State/Local Government, and Government Prime contractors. The series of workshops will benefit established businesses looking to grow and develop their government sales.
The April 20, 2022 TCA will feature these sessions:

Update on Federal Small Business Programs (10 AM)
Cyber Security: looking beyond NIST 800-171 for Defense Contractors (11 AM)
Selling Goods and Services to the State of Wisconsin (1 PM)
A Discussion with Wisconsin State Buyers (2 PM)
Individual Meetings with State of Wisconsin Buyers (3 PM)

To Join Individual Meetings with State of Wisconsin Buyers, use the Microsoft Teams information provided here:
Teams 1 – DHS, ETF, DOC, DNR
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 872-242-8038,,719879481# United States, Chicago
Phone Conference ID: 719 879 481#
Find a local number | Reset PIN
Learn More | Meeting options

Teams 2 – WisDOT, UW-Madison, UW System
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 872-242-8038,,376814299# United States, Chicago
Phone Conference ID: 376 814 299#
Find a local number | Reset PIN
Learn More | Meeting options

Click HERE to view the full agenda and speaker information.
TCA is presented by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI).

Sales Opportunities with Local Government Agencies in SE WI/ Milwaukee Area (Virtual)
2022-04-19 13:00 - 15:00
Significant opportunities exist for small businesses to sell to local government agencies in Milwaukee and in Southeastern Wisconsin. Please join us and learn about how to do business with government agencies in the area.
Presentations will be followed by the opportunity for limited one-on-one meetings with Buyers. Meetings between Buyers and Registrants will be coordinated by WPI the day prior to the event. Please indicate interest in meetings when registering for this event.
WPI strongly recommends you have a current capabilities statement ready prior to your meetings. Attendees should be ready with a capabilities statement and prepared pitch to take advantage of the meeting time. Assistance to prepare is available with WPI – contact their staff at MichaelS@wispro.org or 414-270-3600.
Speakers will discuss:

What & how they buy
How they announce opportunities
First Steps – registrations, certifications, other requirements
Provisions for non-performance /Force Majeure

Presenters:

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District – Confirmed
Waukesha County – Confirmed
City of Milwaukee – Confirmed
Milwaukee County – Confirmed
Tru Mwololo, Manager, Small Business Programs, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
Benjamin Blanc, Government Contract Specialist, Wisconsin Procurement Institute

Acquisition Hour: Wage and Hour Laws in our ‘New Normal’
2022-04-12 14:00 - 15:00
For many employers, there is significant confusion as to what federal wage and hours laws mean during these COVID-19 times we live in. The times have changed, but the laws haven’t. So, it’s crucial that employers understand what federal wage and hour laws mean in these ‘non-normal’ times we live in. What are the rules for employees taking time off for COVID-related reasons? What about meal breaks and travel time? Who is exempt from overtime? Get some answers on these and other issues. This session, conducted by Corey Walton of the U.S. Department of Labor-Wage & Hour Division, will help employers connect those wage and hour dots as they navigate through COVID-19 challenges in the workplace.

Speakers:

Corey Walton, Community Outreach and Resource Planning Specialist, U.S. Department of Labor/Wage & Hour Division
Ben Blanc, Government Contract Specialist, Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI)

This webinar qualifies for 1 CPE credit.
To view a schedule of all upcoming webinars, CLICK HERE.

TKO: Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS)
2022-04-12 13:00 - 14:00
A Defense Logistic Agency (DLA) Training, Knowledge, and Opportunities (TKO) seminar will be held April 12, 2022 from 1-2 PM CST. The topic will be, “Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS).” To register, please click here. From the drop down menu, please select “DLA Land and Maritime,” then select the TKO seminar(s) you would like to register for.
Virtual TKO Seminars and Webinars are collective and/or individual sessions that teach vendors how to start doing business with Defense Logistics Agency. Vendors learn how to find open solicitations, how to submit a quote through the DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS), the procedures for viewing/downloading drawings, and many other topics. These courses are designed for dealers, distributors, and manufacturers, but NOT a company that provides “services.” All sessions are held virtually and free of charge.

Cyber Friday: Information Pathways – Critical Considerations for Cyber Security Plans, Policies and Procedures
2022-04-08 11:00 - 12:00
In developing its cyber security program, a company must consider categories of information, origination points and recipients – destination points, how the information will be used and pathways it will be routed along. Gaining this insight requires a company to look beyond the requirement and into the details of its systems and processes.
Until CMMC v2.0 is formally rolled-out, and DFARS 252.204-7021 is included in solicitations and contract awards, companies in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) must adhere to DFARS 252.204-7020 NIST SP 800-171 DOD ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS (NOV 2020) to be eligible for contract award as either a Prime or a subcontractor.
Don’t be misled by the term “self-assessment.” The DoD Basic self-assessment is neither a stand-alone document, nor is it the starting point for DoD cyber security compliance. It is most definitely not a requirement to be taken lightly or casually. Rather, completing this document requires knowledge of the company’s cyber security status and also a sound understanding of DoD’s policies, requirements and expectations. When completed the summary score should characterize the company’s cyber security activities that are in-place and planned.

Why you should attend –
Attendees will gain information and insight into this DFARS requirement and DoD cyber security requirements. They will be better equipped to determine whether they can undertake completing the assessment in-house or if they should outsource all or specific aspects of the assessment. For companies considering outsourcing this requirement, this webinar series will help to prepare attendees to develop pertinent scopes of work and evaluate third-party responses. Additionally, companies that have completed an assessment will be better able to review and evaluate their scoring methodology and overall cyber security program.

Speaker: Marc Violante, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Cyber Friday webinars.

2022 DLA Land & Maritime Supplier Conference
2022-04-06 - 2022-04-07
The 2022 DLA Land & Maritime Supplier Conference will be held on April 6-7 in Columbus, Ohio. To register, please click here.
The Conference’s theme is “Delivering Supply Chain Support in a Contested Logistics Environment. This two-day event gives attendees the chance to hear from government and industry speakers and acquire information on logistics and acquisition. Military service leaders will provider critical perspectives across elements of the end-to-end DoD supply chain as well as gain valuable insight into doing business with DLA.
For complete event details including an agenda, please click here.

DTRA-Wide Virtual Industry Day
2022-04-05 08:45 - 14:00
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) will be hosting an Industry Day on April 5. To register, please click here.
The Industry Day will feature an address from DTRA Deputy Direct RDML Scholl. in addition, DTRA Senior Procurement Executive Ms. Lisa Swan, SES, will present information about DTRA’s acquisition needs and small business achievement. Each Directorate and Special Staff Office that uses contractor support will present information about their missions and contracting information. For more information, please click here.

Wisconsin's Tri-County Latino Economic Unsummit (In-Person)
2022-03-31 07:30 - 14:00 | Delta Hotel Racine, 7111 Washington Avenue, Racine, WI, 53406
To register, please click here.
The Latino Chamber of Commerce of SEW is calling for the Tri-County Latino Economic Unsummit focusing on igniting structural and meaningful change to the Latino Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth.
Since its inception and the second Unsummit, the Latino Chamber of Commerce has been holding business listening sessions in our community. Through these sessions, we learned that there are key factors impairing the growth and scaling up of Latino owned enterprises. This summit will convene a series of engagement circles where entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to have authentic conversations led by policy makers, procurement officers, and providers.
Engagement Circles:

Access to Healthcare
Real Estate & Homeownership
Access to Competitively Priced Capital
Access to Workforce & Talent Development
Business Opportunities for Small Businesses

Kick-Off Keynote Speaker

Jonathan Delagrave, Racine County Executive

Luncheon Keynote Speaker

Nelson Soler, President & CEO, LCCSEW

Interested in assisting virtually? Call us at 888-2270, or at (414) 988-4082.

To stay up to date with the most recent announcements event details, please click here.

McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Compliance Webinar
2022-03-30 12:30 - 14:30
The U.S. Department of Labor will be hosting online compliance seminars related to the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Compliance Act (SCA). Please click here to register.
Participants will have access to pre-recorded trainings on a variety of SCA compliance topics, followed by the opportunity to participate in an overview and Q & A on these topics with Department of Labor staff from the Government Contracts Enforcement Division, the Branch of Construction Wage Determinations, the Branch of SCA Wage Determinations, and Regional Enforcement Coordinators.
For more information, please click here.

SBA Financing Tools for Small Contractors
2022-03-30 10:00 - 11:00
The General Services Administration, Great Lakes Region 5, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) is hosting a free webinar titled, “SBA Financing Tools for Small Contractors.” To register, please click here.
Topics covered will include the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) CAPLine loan program, the SBA Express program, and the SBA Surety Guarantee program.

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) - Chicago Industry Open House
2022-03-30 08:00 - 16:00
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Chicago District will be hosting an Industry Open House on March 30 in Chicago, IL. Session 1 will be from 8:00 – 12:00 PM. Session 2 will be from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. To register, please click here. Registration is due by March 15.
The event is open to all businesses, both small and large, interested in working with the Chicago District. The event will include briefings from Chicago District leadership and opportunities to network with District staff and industry partners. This is a great opportunity for you to share your firm’s unique capabilities and learn about projects within the Chicago District.
Please note that all guests will be required to provide either proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to the event to be admitted. Masks will be required IAW CDC recommendations. Due to COVID-19 precautions, registrations are limited and will be accepted first come, first served. Only three personnel from a company will be registered.
Please review the sam.gov announcement and, if interested, please respond to sbo.lrc@usace.army.mil with your registration form and your company’s capabilities statement. You will receive a confirmation as well as an attendee guide after the registration cut-off that will include information on the Chicago District, directions to the event, COVID-19 mitigation procedures, and other useful information.

9th Annual WPI and NCMA WI Chapter – FAR Evening Webinar and Study Group – Session 8, FAR Parts 42-53
2022-03-29 18:00 - 19:30
This will be the 9th year that the Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI) and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Wisconsin Chapter will be hosting and presenting this series.
These sessions are designed specifically for current Federal contractors.
In addition, these sessions will help you prepare for the NCMA CFCM certification exam. Learn more at https://ncmahq.org/Web/Certification/CFCM.aspx
Speakers:

Jason Rathsack, Supervisor, Contracting, DCMA Milwaukee, Oshkosh Residency Office
Mark Dennis, Wisconsin Procurement Institute

This webinar is eligible for 1.5 CPE credits.
View the full 2022 FAR Evening Study Group schedule.

Acquisition Hour: Introduction to Local Certifications Available to Disadvantaged, Woman, Minority or Veteran Owned Businesses
2022-03-29 13:00 - 14:00
Disadvantaged, Women, Minority or Veteran owned business can receive an advantage when selling to various Public and Private entities. In most cases, a certification process must be completed to qualify.
It is important for businesses to understand the certification requirements and the potential benefits to their business prior to investing their time and resources in the certification process.
This presentation will provide an overview of these programs, application processes, describe eligibility requirements, as well as the benefits and obligations for certifications with:

State Government agencies (including WisDOT and State of Wisconsin)
Local Government agencies (including Milwaukee City and County, Dane County, Madison (City), MMSD)
Corporate (Large business)

Speakers:

Kim Garber, Director-Small Business Programs, Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI)
Ben Blanc, Government Contract Specialist, Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI)

To view a schedule of all upcoming webinars, CLICK HERE.

Davis-Bacon Act Compliance Webinar
2022-03-29 12:30 - 14:30
The U.S. Department of Labor will be hosting online compliance seminars related to the Davis-Bacon Act. Please click here to register.
Participants will have access to pre-recorded trainings on a variety of Davis-Bacon and SCA compliance topics, followed by the opportunity to participate in an overview and Q & A on these topics with Department of Labor staff from the Government Contracts Enforcement Division, the Branch of Construction Wage Determinations, the Branch of SCA Wage Determinations, and Regional Enforcement Coordinators.

DLA Energy Worldwide Energy Conference
2022-03-28 - 2022-03-30
In 2022, the DLA Energy Worldwide Energy Conference will have more than 100 workshops offered. Topics covered include petroleum supply and distribution, supply chain services, aerospace energy, and installation energy. Sessions focused on the space launch community—liquid propellants, helium, and cryogenics—will be managed by DLA’s Aerospace Energy business line, with customers such as NASA, the International Space Station, Space and Missile Systems Center, and the Bureau of Land Management, who manages the federal helium reserve.
This is a unique opportunity for Department of Defense employees—military service members, contractors, and leaders—to meet with top industry experts to discuss current trends and initiatives in the petroleum, alternative fuel and renewable energy fields.

Cyber Friday: Securing your Supply Chain
2022-03-25 11:00 - 12:00
Supply Chains are vital to the Department of Defense being able to execute its mission. They are often complex, lengthy and involve numerous businesses. Supply Chain security issues continue to evolve and threaten not only major defense contractors but also smaller firms. The impact of these threats affects where we are today with respect to new and evolving security requirements, business expectations and how businesses select and engage with existing and prospective suppliers. The focus of this webinar will be on understanding supply chain information security which involves information types, handling requirements and security measures which can be key to maintaining and/or unlocking business opportunities at either a contract level or at a system level.

Speaker: Marc Violante, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Cyber Friday webinars.

USDA WOSB Connections Event
2022-03-23 12:00 - 14:00
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) will be hosting a Business Connections Event for Woman-Owned Small Businesses on March 23, 12:00 – 2:00 PM. Please click here to register.
This informational session will focus on WOSBs and provide small businesses with an opportunity to learn how to build capacity and successfully do business with USDA.

USACE Rock Island District Small Business Industry Day
2022-03-23 08:00 - 16:00
The 2022 United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Rock Island District Small Business Industry Day will be held on March 23. A pre-conference networking and social event will be held on March 22. To register, please click here.
The USACE Small Business Industry Day is an opportunity for businesses to showcase their capabilities and learn about upcoming projects with the Rock Island District. The event is open to all businesses. More details can be found by clicking here.

NAVAIR/NAVSEA FST Days 2022
2022-03-23 - 2022-03-24
The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), in collaboration with the Department of Navy’s SBIR/STTR Transition Program (Navy STP), are presenting the Navy Forum for SBIR/STTR Transition (FST) Focused Technology Virtual Showcase planned for 23-24 March 2022. The event is virtual.
Please note that to receive information on attending the event, email NavySTP@atsicorp.com with the subject line, “Navy FST Virtual Showcase.”
For more information about the event, please click here.
