Our Commander in Chief President Barak Obama was once quoted as saying, "Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstones of our communities (2011)." The belief in America's small businesses is certainly not new and has been a sentiment held by past administrations. There is a clear message that has been sent that illustrates the need for the Department of Defense and service agencies to engage small business and maximize opportunities accordingly.

Andre J. Gudger, director, Office of Small Business Programs and Richard Ginman, director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy wrote in a June 2011 "Increase Dynamic Small Business Role in the Defense Marketplace" memorandum, "The Department of Defense is committed to removing any barriers that impede the full utilization of small business" and noted that "small businesses provided the department with an important degree of agility and innovation." The comments by Gudger and Ginman illustrate the increased emphasis that the DoD has to maximize small business participation in our acquisitions.

Here at Hill, the Small Business Office has the mission to "maximize small business participation in Ogden Air Logistics Center procurements." The Small Business Office does so through counseling of contractors, managing an outreach program and routinely tracking small business goals to ensure the expectations of the DoD are met. One method of engaging the small business community is through a new monthly series of workshops and "Matchmaking Events." This program is designed to educate contractors on Hill AFB requirements and contracting with the federal government and to participate in face-to-face discussions with government personnel. Details of upcoming events will be posted on the government point-of-entry FedBizOps (www.fbo.gov) and the Small Business Office website which is currently under development.

The Small Business Office encourages interaction with its customers to find the best fit for small businesses, whether through prime or subcontract opportunities. Through this partnership, the Small Business Office aims to provide smart solutions that fit the taxpayer needs and ultimately, the war-fighters.

As a part of the Small Business Office, I see the tremendous benefit that the small business community can have in strengthening our country and contributing to the successful mission of our men and women in uniform. I encourage and welcome members of Team Hill and our community partners' to work in conjunction with us to determine how our office can help support the Air Force mission.