COLLABORATE WITH US!

To sustain the U.S. Army Futures Command, Austin, as an integral part of the Army Small Business Programs Team and a premier leader within the U.S. Army Futures Command by optimizing business opportunities for small business concerns to support the Command’s many programs’ missions and strengthen our nation’s economic development.

Paving the Way for New Ideas

The Army understands that the strength of our fighting force – and, by extension, our ability to protect the nation – is heavily influenced by the efficiency, flexibility, durability and accuracy of our operational tools and equipment.

Our partnerships with small business helps keep us abreast of state-of-the art technologies and solutions, contributing to our ongoing efforts to modernize the Army.

Some examples of recent small business partnership successes include:

Developing augmented reality goggles for military working dogs, which help handlers provide directional cues from a distance.

Applying new radio frequency and photonic technology to eliminate communication signal interference.

Utilizing advances in chemical detection technology to detect chemical weapons at low concentration levels.

Investing in the Future

Do you have a product or idea that you think would benefit the Army?

We invite you to connect with us on Tuesday and Thursdays to discuss capabilities briefing opportunities; to register, please email us at
usarmy.office-of-small-business-programs@army.mil

You can also stay up-to-date on opportunities offered through the Army Applications Lab by joining its network via https://aal.army/join/.

For those new to working with the Army, we suggest also exploring the below resources and topics.

Upcoming Events

AUSA 2022 - Global Force Symposium & Exposition

AUSA Global Force Symposium (GFS)
29-31 March 2022
Huntsville, AL

Understanding Army Contracting

Become Familiar with Contracting Regulations and Procedures

It's very important to understand the rules that govern Department of Defense (DoD) acquisitions, as they are complex. The following regulations govern contracting procedures within the Army and are available online

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) - https://www.acquisition.gov

Utilize the Army Small Business Programs

The Army runs several socioeconomic programs that provide assistance to small businesses of various types (http://osbp.army.mil/).

Examples include:

Service-Disabled / Veteran-Owned Small Business
Historically Underutilized Business Zones
Small Disadvantaged / 8(a) Business
Woman-Owned Small Business
Subcontracting
Mentor-Protag
Small Business Innovation Research
Small Business Technology Transfer
Historical Black Colleges and Universities / Minority Institutions

Pursue Subcontracting Opportunities

A large secondary market exists in subcontracting opportunities with DoD prime contractors. The DoD Prime Contractor Directory identifies large prime contractors, projects and points of contact. You can use this directory to assess potential subcontracting opportunities.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) SUB-Net database allows you to search for potential subcontracting opportunities and includes solicitations and opportunities posted by large prime contractors and other non-federal agencies.
The SBA's "Subcontracting Assistance Directory" also identifies people you can contact if you have questions about subcontracting.

Monitor Federal Business Opportunities

Federal business opportunities are posted on www.SAM.gov. This is a single point of entry for the federal government that is updated daily.

Explore DoD Research and Engineering Opportunities

The Defense Innovation Marketplace is a communications resource to provide industry with improved insight into DoD research and engineering investment priorities. The Marketplace contains strategic documents, solicitations and information on news and vents to better inform independent research and development (IR&D) planning. The IR&D Secure Portal also houses project summaries that provide DoD with visibility into IR&D efforts submitted.

Connecting Industry and DoD

Register Your Company

Once you determine the product or service you wish to sell to the Army, you’ll need to register your company in SAM.

First, however, you’ll need to identify an appropriate Federal Supply Classification Code (FSC) for your company. FSCs are used to group products into logical families for management purposes. FSCs are listed here: https://everyspec.com/FSC-CODE.

You’ll also need to consult The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), a system that groups establishments into industries based on its primary activity, to determine the NAICS code for your business size. You can utilize the Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard table to determine your business size in that NAICS code. Please keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for companies to qualify as small for one type of product they sell, but as large for another.

When you’ve determined your FSC and NAICS codes, you can register in SAM.

Registration is free and can be accomplished online at www.sam.gov. During this process, you will be assigned a new CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) code if one doesn’t already exist; or, if you have an existing CAGE code, your information will be updated. The CAGE code is a five-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to entities located in the United States and its territories.

A Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number is also required and may be obtained from Dun and Bradstreet at www.dnb.com or by calling 1-800-333-0505 or 610-882-7000. The DUNS number is a unique nine-digit identifier for businesses used to establish a D&B business credit file, which is often referenced by lenders and potential business partners to help predict the reliability and/or financial stability of the company in question.

After your initial SAM registration, you must update your registration every year. Be sure not to overlook the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) profile of your SAM registration. This database is also used by government buyers seeking specific small businesses.