Fostering Relationships with Construction Industry Day

  • Published
  • By Major William-Joseph Mojica
  • 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

The 934th Airlift Wing Contracting Flight held a Construction Industry Day on March 26, 2019 on behalf of the Department of Defense in partnership with the Minnesota Procurement Technical Assistance Center and the Small Business Administration. 

Nearly 40 local small business and over 70 people attended the event which was a huge success in providing awareness to small businesses with regards to the 934th Airlift Wing.

“Our goal really is to introduce the 934th Airlift Wing to small businesses and to expand interest in construction projects that we have on our base,” said Carolyn Lohman, chief of the contracting office.  “That increases the competition, it reduces cost, and it also provides opportunities for small businesses to do business with the government.”

Traditionally, Air Force units have held an Industry Day as a means to create partnerships and increase small business participation in the Air Force’s industrial supply chain. This year, the 934th Airlift Wing’s Contracting Flight highlighted some of the upcoming projects on behalf of the wing.

“It’s not just our business policy, it’s the policy of the government to provide maximum opportunities in their acquisitions to small businesses,” said Lohman.

These types of events provide an emphasis on the capabilities of small businesses that can be used to provide new concepts, highlight existing small business products, promote partnerships and integrate small businesses’ services, products, and technologies into the Air Force’s normal way of doing business.

After the formal portion of the event, representatives from the small businesses present were able to speak with members of the 934th Contracting Flight and the 934th Engineering Flight on how they can potentially sign-up and submit bids for various upcoming projects.