By Veronica Sandate Craker
The Ninth Annual Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium and Department of Energy Small Business Summit will be April 18-19 at TRAC in Pasco.
The annual event allows small business owners to interact with government contracting experts and network with Hanford contractors.
This year?s event will be different than years past because the Office of Small and Disadvantage Business Utilization will use the event in place of its annual Department of Energy Conference.
?They are not doing that this year, they?re doing regional summits,? said Kayla Pratt, TRIDEC director of communications and member services. ?So they are tagging on to our event.?
This year will feature a visit from Bill Valdez, principal deputy and acting director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. Valdez will speak briefly during the April 19 luncheon.
The event also includes bus tours of the Hanford site, a new addition, said Pratt.
?The Hanford bus tours will include some cultural aspect, the history of the grounds not just the cleanup,? Pratt said.
Tours are approximately five hours long and appropriate clothing will be required. The guided tours leave every two hours, with the first scheduled to depart at 7:30 a.m.
?The bus tours usually fill up really fast, there?s only 120 spots,? Pratt said.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit the Cold Test Facility, the B Reactor and Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility.
At 5:30 p.m. April 18, the main event will kick off with a ?Nuclear Networking? reception at TRAC in Pasco.
?Its nuclear themed so we will be doing nuclear networking,? Pratt said. ?Not necessarily promoting nuclear energy, but acknowledging that?s who we are.?
On Thursday, April 19, the event starts at 7:30 a.m. with registration and a continental breakfast. Breakout sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 11:15 a.m.
Topics for the breakout sessions include: ?Successful Bid Strategies ? Preparing a Proposal,? ?The Value of Teaming,? ?Smart Solutions for Small Business Success,? ?Small Business Success Story,? ?Future at Hanford: Energy Update/Community Outlook,? and ?Government Contracting Programs.
Mark R. Thomas will be the keynote speaker at lunch, which begins at 11:30 a.m.. Thomas will lead a presentation entitled ?Top Ten Ways to Stay in the Black and Out of Jail.? Afterward there will be a business expo with the Department of Energy, Hanford Prime Contractors, PNNL, representatives from ports, municipalities, state, federal agencies and other businesses.
Many of the businesses that have signed up for the expo are coming to the area from outside of the Tri-Cities, Pratt said.
?Registration is limited and I?m seeing we?re having a lot of exhibitors that we never had before,? Pratt said. ?It?s crazy just how many people are wanting to attend this event.?
The US Department of Energy, the Hanford Site Prime Contractors and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are sponsoring the event. The cost to attend is $50 for attendees who register by April 12 or $75 for those who register after that date. Sponsorships are also available and range in prices from $800 to $2,500. To find out more visit www.tridec.org or call 735-1000.
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