Wisconsin Procurement Institute

13th Annual End of Year Federal Contractor Update - Virtual
2021-01-28 08:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
Join Wisconsin’s Federal contractors and subcontractors for this annual event. Keep up to date with this series of briefings focusing on changes and challenges in DOD/ Federal contracting.
Program: 8am – 3pm
Virtual Networking Hour – hosted by NDIA Great Lakes: 3pm – 4pm (Separate registration for this segment required) – click HERE.

Share in the conversation about federal contracting and contractors in the Midwest. (Bring your own “refreshments”)

View and download the full agenda HERE.
View the speakers’ bios HERE.
Speakers include:

Lieutenant Colonel Susan M. Depisstyer (Styer), Commander, Defense Contracting Management Agency, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
William Hughes, Attorney, Husch Blackwell LLP
Brian P. Waagner, Partner, Husch Blackwell LLP
Jason Rathsack, Group Lead, Business Operations, DCMA Milwaukee
Eric Ness, Wisconsin District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Sean Ketter, Vice President, Supply Chain Operations, Global Procurement and Supply Chain, Oshkosh Corporation
Nathaniel Millsap, Director, Security & Cyber, Fincantieri Marinette Marine
Richard Deschauer, Senior Director of Contracts and Compliance, DRS Naval Power Systems, Inc.
Daryl Zahn, CFCM, Senior Manager, Contracts and Compliance, DRS Naval Power Systems, Inc.
Nick Cucci, Director of Business Development, PDT, an Astronics Company
Virtual Networking Hour with –

Megan McKinney, Business Development, Army Programs, Beacon Interactive Systems
Aina Vilumsons, CEO, Wisconsin Procurement Institute

Topics this year will include:

Updates from DCMA
2020 Federal Case Law Update
Update from Washington, D.C.
2020 Updates in Contract Management
2020 Update on Federal Acquisition Regulations and Other
Update on Security Issues for Federal Contractors
2020 Small Business Updates

This virtual event is eligible for 6 CPE credits.

How to Get Certified as a Minority-Owned Business - Virtual
2021-01-30 09:00 - 10:00
EVENT FLYER
Minority owned business can receive advantage when selling to various Public and Private entities. In most cases, a certification process must be completed to qualify.
It is important for business 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 process, describe eligibility requirements as well as the benefits and obligations for certifications with:

Federal Government agencies
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)

Navigating DHS S&T Opportunities - Webinar
2021-02-02 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for the Insights Outreach webinar series launch: How to Work with S&T.
On February 2, at 1 p.m., DHS S&T Office of Industry Partnerships Director Megan Mahle and S&T Industry Liaison Dee Parker will highlight S&T’s unique innovation funding programs and current opportunities to adapt, develop, or commercialize your technologies in support of the DHS mission.

8th Annual WPI and NCMA WI Chapter - FAR Evening Study Group - Session 1, Introduction & FAR Part 16
2021-02-02 18:00 - 19:30
This will be the 8th 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://www.ncmahq.org/certification/certified-federal-contract-manager-(cfcm)

This session will be presented by Daryl Zahn, CFCM, Senior Manager, Contracts and Compliance, DRS Naval Power Systems, Inc.
This webinar is eligible for 1.5 CPE credits.
View the full 2021 FAR Evening Study Group schedule.

Cyber Friday: Embarking on the path to CMMC Level 3
2021-02-05 11:00 - 12:00
To be certified as CMMC L3, a company must be able to demonstrate its ability to achieve of both practices and processes associated with L3 but also those associated with Level 1 and Level 2 requirements. As the level of cyber maturity increases so does the formality and documentation needed. As an example at CMMC L3 companies will require formal Policies. More importantly the “institutionalization” of these practices will be assessed and will in part ultimately determine the level at which a company is certified. This webinar will provide information that will assist companies with their planning and initial efforts toward developing a company-centric and tailored program that is consistent with the goals of the CMMC program.

Speaker: Marc Violante, Wisconsin Procurement Institute

This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Cyber Friday webinars.

8th Annual WPI and NCMA WI Chapter - FAR Evening Study Group - Session 2, FAR Parts 1-4
2021-02-09 18:00 - 19:30

Acquisition Hour: Understanding Trends and Evolving Areas of Emphasis in the Federal Marketplace
2021-02-10 12:00 - 13:00
Budgeted monies need to be spent and strategic plans require action. Future looking companies will want to explore information available in budget, strategic plans and a variety of other resources to understand their customers and position themselves to take advantage of any resulting opportunities. This webinar will review several of these resources and discuss how the available information can be incorporated into a company’s federal market strategy.

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

Engage2Connect: Opportunity | Skills | Experience - Virtual
2021-02-10 12:00 - 13:30
Full Event Page
As we embark on a new year, and new administration, join us for a panel discussion, in our 3rd listening lab, “Engage2Connect.”
Panelists include:

Mr. Sam Le, from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) who will share new legislation updates,
Mr. Cameron Hernandez, from the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) presenting contracting and grant opportunities, and
Tommy Marks of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), who will discuss customized business development and industry-focused services to provide greater access to capital, contracts and markets for small businesses.

Doing Business with DLA - Webinar - With a Special Emphasis on the 8(a) SDB Program
2021-02-10 12:30 - 13:30
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Office of Small Business Programs offers monthly webinars to educate small businesses and others about DLA’s mission and opportunities to participate in our various supply chains.
February is Black History month. During this session we will have a special emphasis and focus for 8(a)/SDBs. This session is open to all not just 8(a) SDBs.
To register for this event go to https://tko.dla.mil select “HQ DLA Small Business Programs” fill out the registration form and additional information will be provided to you.

FAR Up Close - Overview of the FAR
2021-02-10 13:30 - 14:30
If you are currently or are planning to be a contractor or subcontractor to the Federal government, it is important to know and understand the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). The FAR is the principal set of rules governing the acquisition process and critical to your success as a contractor.
What you will learn:

How the FAR is structured
Locate and search for FAR clauses
Understanding how to determine what clauses apply to your solicitation / contract
A BASIC understanding of the FAR

Speaker: Daryl Zahn, CFCM, Senior Manager, Contracts and Compliance, DRS Naval Power Systems, Inc.
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View the full 2021 FAR Up Close series schedule.

2nd Quarter FY2021 Office of Construction and Facilities Management Virtual 1 on 1 Meetings
2021-02-16
In response to the Veteran-Owned Small Business and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business community request to have business networking dialogue with a senior leader in the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC), the Department made available a series of quarterly events.
The 2nd Quarter FY 2021 event will be hosted by Ms. Janice Speth, Acting, Associate Executive Director, Office of Facilities Acquisition, Office of Construction and Facilities Management for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The event is intended for firms operating under the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes:
236220 – General Construction
237990 – Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
541310 – Architectural
541330 – Engineering
541360 – Seismic Geophysical Surveying Services
The cost is free to attend. Space is limited; only 13 sessions are available.
One representative per firm will be permitted to participate.

TKO DIBBS Solicitations - Webinar
2021-02-16 13:00 - 14:00
The TKO seminar is a session that teaches 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 how to use Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) to get paid. There will also be many other relevant topics of discussion. This course is designed for dealers, distributors, and manufacturers, but NOT a company that provides services.
To register for this event go to https://tko.dla.mil, select “DLA Land and Maritime,” fill out the registration form, and additional information will be provided to you.

8th Annual WPI and NCMA WI Chapter - FAR Evening Study Group - Session 3, FAR Parts 5-12
2021-02-16 18:00 - 19:30

Acquisition Hour: Market Research - Successful Contractors Do Their Homework
2021-02-17 12:00 - 13:00
Successful contractors do their homework – or their market research. They determine who is buying, how they are buying, when they will be buying, how much they have procured in the past, what they are currently buying and what they will be buying in the future. They also know who are the current contract holders and who are their competitors.
This workshop will teach you how to do your own government contracting market research using on-line various tools that are available to you at no cost.
Who should attend: Any business determining if the government market is a good fit for their business, or businesses that want to learn how to better focus their government market efforts.

Presented by: Kim Garber, Manager Small Business Programs, Wisconsin Procurement Institute

This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Acquisition Hour webinars.

FAR Up Close - FAR Regulations and Clauses on Subcontracting
2021-02-17 13:30 - 14:30
The government’s requirements for subcontracting can seem complex and even tedious. Let WPI help simplify this for you! This webinar will provide an up close analysis of the FAR requirements on Subcontracting Plans required from large businesses, Subcontracting limitations imposed on small businesses, and clauses that are required to be “flowed down” into subcontracts. Please join us and gain a better understanding of what the federal government requires with regard to subcontracting.

Speaker: Helen Henningsen, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View the full 2021 FAR Up Close series schedule.

Cyber Friday: Preparing for a CMMC Certification assessment
2021-02-19 11:00 - 12:00
As the CMMC program evolves and matures, there will certainly be more information available that specifically addresses this topic. Even though there is currently no formal guidance, there is considerable information that can be gleaned from the program goals, requirements and resources. Given program guidance, it is obvious that the assessment will look beyond documents, policies and various logs. These records will be very important, but it is also important to recognize that the company in its entirety will be under review as well. This webinar will explore the general nature of formal assessments to help provide context to better understand the process which will assist in making appropriate preparations.

Speaker: Marc Violante, Wisconsin Procurement Institute

This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Cyber Friday webinars.

Acquisition Hour: Update on Federal Wage-Hour Laws
2021-02-23 13:00 - 14:00
This session will provide attendees with an update on federal wage-hour laws to help employers maintain compliance with Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, Service Contract Act and Fair Labor Standards Act provisions.
Mr. Walton will offer guidance on a wide range of topics including prevailing wages, completing certified payrolls forms, the correct payment of overtime and the tests used to determine if an employee should be classified as exempt.

Speaker: Corey Walton, Community Outreach and Resource Planning Specialist – U.S. Department of Labor/Wage & Hour Division

This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Acquisition Hour webinars.

TKO DIBBS Solicitations
2021-02-23 13:00 - 14:00

8th Annual WPI and NCMA WI Chapter - FAR Evening Study Group - Session 4, FAR Parts 13-18
2021-02-23 18:00 - 19:30

35th Annual DBE Workshop & Secretary's Golden Shovel Awards
2021-02-24 - 2021-02-25
The Annual DBE Workshop and Secretary’s Golden Shovel Awards is Wisconsin’s premier conference for small, minority, and women-owned businesses in the transportation construction industry. WisDOT partnered with the National Association of Minority Contractors-Wisconsin (NAMC-WI) Chapter to help DBE firms navigate the bends and turns in accessing federally funded road construction projects and open doors to opportunities to public-private funding partnerships that construct major building and community developments throughout Wisconsin.
The virtual conference is open to all businesses; small and large, prime/general contractors, architect-engineers, subcontractors, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, construction industry suppliers/vendors, local, state and federal procurement specialists, and small business advocates. In collaboration with NAMC-WI Chapter, WisDOT Office of Business Opportunity and Equity Compliance (OBOEC) will bring together industry experts, resources and highlighted opportunities necessary for you to become competitive and profitable in Wisconsin’ construction industry in the years to come.
On Wednesday, February 24, 2021 NAMC -Wisconsin Chapter will honor industry professionals and community leaders with their Golden Champion Award for Leadership in Minority Business Development in Wisconsin Construction Industry.
On Thursday, February 25, 2021 WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson will recognize the winners of the 2021 Golden Shovel Award who have demonstrated their commitment to the WisDOT DBE program, the utilization of DBEs on WisDOT projects and maintaining a diverse workforce year after year.

ED OSDBU Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) Virtual Conference
2021-02-24 09:00 - 12:00
Please join the U.S. Department of Education for a virtual meeting to provide the business community with information regarding the Department of Education’s Simplified Acquisition Threshold purchases under 250K. Provide knowledge sharing on how to engage with the program office designated points of contact.
– Wednesday February 24, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST (please note start time and time zone).
– You must RSVP to join the webinar.
– Upon successful registration, you will receive an email containing a personalized access link.

Manufacturing Matters! 2021 Virtual Conference
2021-02-25
Plans that manufacturers made heading into 2020 were greatly disrupted as they faced extraordinary challenges that required them to quickly adapt to an unstable and rapidly changing business environment. After an initial period of uncertainty, manufacturers refocused their priorities on what was most important and got back to work.
“Adapt & Advance” is the theme of Manufacturing Matters! 2021, and this year’s conference will share insights into how organizations and individuals can overcome challenges and turn disruptions into opportunities for growth. The manufacturing landscape remains dynamic, and the new economy favors those who position themselves to succeed regardless of market forces and disruptions.

February 2021 ALT Industry Day Session
2021-02-25 12:00 - 13:00
Full Event Details Page
Program Executive Office- Intelligence, Electronic Warfare & Sensors (PEO IEW&S) is excited to invite our industry partners to participate in our ALT Industry Day forum on Feb 25 at 1:00 p.m. Our PMs, along with our Army Contracting Command (ACC) counterparts, will again be on hand to share new opportunities as well as provide updates on those briefed during our past events.
Topics for Feb 2021 ALT Industry Day Session:

Contract Opportunities Overview, to include major milestone dates on the critical path to contract award.
Special Topic Discussion on Open System Architecture.
Q&A between industry and the PEO/PMs and ACC.

Those interested in participating will need to register at https://peoiews-events.com/alt/ by Feb 24, 2021 to receive access to the event link.
This is the only site that will contain read-ahead materials for Industry review prior to each session as well as previous Q&As. For questions please contact: usarmy.APG.peo-iews.mbx.information@mail.mil.

8th Annual WPI and NCMA WI Chapter - FAR Evening Study Group - Session 5, FAR Parts 19-29
2021-03-02 18:00 - 19:30

FAR Up Close - FAR Regulations and Clauses for Commercial Items
2021-03-03 13:30 - 14:30
If you sell goods, supplies, equipment, or even non-construction services in the private sector, then chances are that the Federal government also buys what you sell using Commercial Item procurement procedures. This webinar will explain the regulations, provisions, and clauses related to procurement of Commercial Items and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Items. It will provide an up close analysis of the FAR provisions on submitting an offer and on government evaluation of offers and will explain the FAR clauses that detail the applicable terms and conditions. Join us for this webinar and expand your knowledge about the federal government’s procurement of Commercial Items.

Speaker: Helen Henningsen, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View the full 2021 FAR Up Close series schedule.

Breaking the Barrier with Integrity Grading & Excavating - Rothschild, WI
2021-03-04 09:00 - 12:00 | Holiday Inn & Suites, 100 Imperial Drive, Rothschild, WI, 54474, United States
Integrity Grading & Excavating, Inc. cordially invites you to attend “Breaking the Barrier.”
View the Event Flyer
This FREE seminar is open to anyone interested in learning more about Wisconsin’s DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) program.
Featured Speakers include:

Madalena Maestri – WisDOT DBE Program Chief
Clyess Peterson – WisDOT Project Manager Tribal Affairs
Chris Steinagle – J. Ryan Bonding Company
Craig Clement – ProElectric (DBE)
Guest Panel for Q&A

Discover the advantages of being a DBE in Wisconsin.
Learn more about bidding and bonding for projects.
Gather creative resources for finding qualified employees.
Network with DBE’s, DOT Professionals and Contractors.
There is NO COST to attend this seminar.
Please RSVP to Kerry Miller at:

(715) 359-4042, OR
kerry.miller@integrityge.com

Department of the Navy Office of Small Business Programs Webinar Series – DHS
2021-03-04 12:00 - 13:00
Ms. Darlene Bullock, Executive Director, DHS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) will join us to discuss procurement programs, FY21 opportunities and procedures for small businesses.

Cyber Friday: CMMC Level 3 - Completing the steps needed to protect Controlled Unclassified Information.
2021-03-05 11:00 - 12:00
Achieving a CMMC certification is both an end and a starting point. Certification is the end of a long involved process that focuses on practices and procedures. The certification indicates that the foundational elements that are required are in place. However, certification is also a beginning as now a company is eligible to be awarded a contract, receive, handle and most importantly protect Controlled Unclassified Information. This is not only the most difficult task, it is the most important. This webinar will explore the issues related to making these transitions, what makes them difficult to achieve and possible strategies that may support these efforts.

Speaker: Marc Violante, Wisconsin Procurement Institute

This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Cyber Friday webinars.

TKO DIBBS Quoting - Webinar
2021-03-09 13:00 - 14:00

8th Annual WPI and NCMA WI Chapter - FAR Evening Study Group - Session 6, FAR Parts 30-33
2021-03-09 18:00 - 19:30
This will be the 8th 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://www.ncmahq.org/certification/certified-federal-contract-manager-(cfcm)

This session will be presented by Jason Rathsack, Group Lead, Business Operations, Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).
This webinar is eligible for 1.5 CPE credits.
View the full 2021 FAR Evening Study Group schedule.
