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2025-12-23 Federal Market Insights Episode 35 — Session Overview

WPI Podcast Episode 35 Summary 

The Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI) – www.wispro.org – is Wisconsin’s APEX Accelerator, operated under the Department of Defense (DoD), Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) with a mission to assist Wisconsin businesses compete in the government markets – to work with existing and new business to strengthen the defense and government industrial base by accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity, and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains.

37 years of service to all of Wisconsin’s 72 Wisconsin counties

The Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI) serves as Wisconsin’s APEX Accelerator. The APEX Accelerator is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense. WPI is also funded in part by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). The content of any written materials or verbal communications of the APEX Accelerator does not necessarily reflect the official views of or imply endorsement by our funders. 

Copied from: https://www.wispro.org/about-wpi/

The back of our Business Cards state –

Assisting Wisconsin Businesses compete in the government marketplace

  • Federal
  • State
  • County
  • Municipal\
  • Quasi – L1
  • Quasi – L2
  • Subcontractor to a OTSB Prime – subcontracting plan

OTSB Primes – Boeing, Oshkosh have incorporated a subcontracting plan requirement into their contracts. The Subcontracting Plan details categories of spend and percentages of the contract value.

As a for instance, if the Contract award is for $1,000,000 and the Subcontracting Plan states that 5% will be spent with Small Businesses, then 5% or $50,000 will be spent with companies identified as small businesses.

WPI can assist understanding these requirements and how to take advantage of them.

Resources – Partners:

  • SBA
  • Chambers
  • SBDCs
  • Variety of referral organizations
  • Law Firms
  • Friends of WPI – businesses, individuals, other organizations

Events

  • The Contracting Academy
  • Marketplace
  • GOBC
  • NDIA CMMC Academy
  • End of Year Contractor update
  • Wisconsin in Washington – postponed in 2025 shutdown
  • HUBZone orientation meetings regionally
  • WEDC supplier / buyer meetings online
  • DoD Contract Management Update
  • Tribal B2G conferences

Training

  • In person – by appointment
  • Office Hours – see schedule
  • Phone/Virtual/email
  • Acquisition Hour – Webinar
  • Federal Market Insights – Podcast
  • Cyber Thursday – Webinar
  • Partner Sessions/Events –  WPI Calendar  SBA, State of Wisconsin, Major Metro

Counseling:

  • Registration in SAM.gov preparation and assistance
  • Requirements for SBA Certifications:  WOSB/VOSB/8a/HUBZone
  • How to locate opportunities and Save Searches in SAM
  • How to conduct Market Research in SAM and other websites
  • Proposal technical review
  • Marketing in SBA Small Business Search profiles
  • Training for Buyer Meetings
  • Finding your niche in government sales
  • Cyber security and the CMMC process
  • Contractor Performance and Risk System
  • Locating State of Wisconsin opportunities
  • Navigating Wisconsin VendorNet and eSupplier