Resources on International Women's Day

In honor of International Women's Day, we have been searching the 'Net for some resources that benefit women.  We hope that you may benefit from these resources, or you can pass them to someone who will. In no order, here are some of the best resources we found online.

• Kiva: A site where you can lend women in other countries money to start their own businesses.  This is a chance for women to get out of poverty to help themselves and their families.
• Small Business Administration is a site where where women can find content on business and its related issues.  Need to know how to write a business plan? What should you know about hiring employees?  Be sure to visit the SBA.
• Dress for Success provides professional wear for women looking for work or are in the workplace.  A woman can get two outfits; one for a job interview and the other to wear to work.  In fact, visit the site to find out where you can donate a suit.
• Women's Sports Foundation helps promote physical and sports activities awareness to girls and women.  This is a great site 
• Kickstarter allows you to post your creative venture idea online in hopes of getting financial supporters to make it a dream come true.  There are different categories available.  Be sure to take a look, and be inspired to create or back an idea financially.  No backing is too small.
• International Museum of Women: An online museum that curates via multimedia  arts, stories and ideas of women globally.  There are also real live events as well.  Be sure to visit it for a little taste of the cultural arts.
• Women for Women: This organization works with women who are from war torn countries.  Women are given opportunities to learn new skills and training, in hopes of rebuilding their lives with stability through work.

Be sure to list some of your favorite resources.

Understanding the 8(a) Program Webinar - 5/9

American Express OPEN and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) are offering a free one-hour educational webinar on Wednesday, May 9 on the formal certification process for the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program – a nine year program designed to assist in the development of small companies owned and operated by individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged. The program provides participants with access to a variety of business development services, including the opportunity to receive federal contracts on a sole-source or limited competition basis, and has been an important driver of growth for thousands of minority entrepreneurs over the past few years.

Taught by Give Me 5 instructor Gloria Larkin, participating business owners will learn in detail what to do before, during and after 8(a) certification. This session will clearly define the eligibility criteria, the program’s timeline, tips to market your certification effectively, the secret of 8a sole source contracts, and teaming to leverage the 8(a) certification after graduation. This webinar is part of Give Me 5, a national program created by American Express OPEN and WIPP to help women business owners get a leg up on selling to the world’s largest customer: the U.S. government.

Additional Information can be found below:

Give Me 5 190: Understanding the 8(a) Program

Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Time: 3 PM ET/12 PM PT

Where: Virtual

Teaching Women Business Owners How to Pitch to the Federal Government

Did you know there is roughly $27 billion in contracts set aside specifically for women business owners? Thanks to the Small Business Administration’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program, which went into effect on February 4, women business owners have a greater chance to win government contracts. In fact, the Kauffman-RAND Institute for Entrepreneurship Public Policy estimates that the program could benefit approximately 684,000 of these companies.

American Express OPEN and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) are offering a free, one-hour tutorial next Wednesday, June 29 to teach entrepreneurs how to market their companies to government agencies.

This educational webinar is part of the Give Me 5 program, a national initiative created by American Express OPEN and WIPP to help women business owners get a leg up on selling to the world’s largest customer: the U.S. government. This online event will be hosted by Lourdes Martin-Rosa, President, Government Business Solutions and American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracts.

Additional information can be found below:

Give Me 5 110: Pitching your company to the federal government

Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Time: 3-4pm EST/ 12-1pm EST

Where: Virtual

Business owners who are interested in registering for the Webinar should visit: http://www.wipp.org/events/event_details.asp?id=165187.   Additional resources for business owners can be found on www.openforum.com/governmentcontracts.

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Free Webinar for Small Business Owners on how to Self-Certify for the WSOB Federal Contract Program

Thanks to the Small Business Association’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program, which went into effect on February 4, women business owners have a greater chance to win government contracts; 684,000 women-owned businesses could potentially benefit. (Male-owned businesses are not exempt; they can take part by partnering with women-owned businesses.)

To help business owners take advantage of this growth opportunity, American Express OPEN and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) are offering a free, one-hour tutorial on Thursday, April 14. This session will provide further details on eligibility requirements and contract set-asides, and the step-by-step requirements for certification, including:

·         WOSB and EDWOSB certification requirements

·         Submitting documents to the SBA’s WOSB program repository

·         Update on 3rd Party certifications

This educational webinar is part of the Give Me 5 program, a national program created by American Express OPEN and WIPP to help women business owners get a leg up on selling to the world’s largest customer: the U.S. government.

Additional information can be found below:

Give Me 5: How to Self-Certify for the WOSB Federal Contract Program (Part 2) 

Date: Thursday, April 14, 2011

Time: 3-4 p.m. ET / 12 p.m.-1 p.m. PT

Where: Virtual

Business owners who are interested in joining the Webinar should visit http://www.giveme5.com/events#232. Additional resources for business owners is the OPEN Insight Guide, Government Contracting: Women in Procurement, found on OPEN Forum. This OPEN Insight Guide offers tips and advice to help business owners understand the program and determine whether their businesses qualify to participate.

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Women Procurement Program Effective Today

Today the Small Business Association’s (SBA) Women’s Procurement Program law goes into effect to expand federal contracting opportunities for women-owned businesses. There are $30 billion in contracts set aside specifically for women.  For the 80,000 women-owned small businesses registered to do business with the federal government, this is an enormous opportunity.

For the first time, federal agencies can set aside contracts specifically for women-owned small businesses.  In addition to opening up more opportunities for women business owners, the rule is also another tool to help the government meet its statutory goal that 5% of federal contracting dollars go to women-owned small businesses. Women received only 3.4% of federal contract dollars in 2009.

Participation by women business owners in federal contracting can be a lucrative revenue booster. According to American Express OPEN’s government contracting survey, two thirds of women whose firms do business with the federal government generate more than $1 million in sales.

After a business has its NAICS code, D-U-N-S number and is registered on the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) – the primary supplier database for the federal government, Lourdes Martin-Rosa, American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracting, offers the following tips to help business owners stand out from the competition and get a leg up on the more than $500 billion the U.S. government spends each year on goods and services.

• Get your business certified: Visit www.sba.gov/gcbd to determine if your business qualifies for Small Business Certification
• Know the agency you are targeting: Before responding to any government solicitation, check out the history of the agency’s product/service awards at www.fpds.gov.
• Check out the procurement forecasts for your targeted agencies: Each federal agency produces and is required to post on their website an annual procurement forecast, maintained by its Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) or equivalent. Contact each agency OSDBU at www.firstgov.gov to see what goods or services they anticipate buying.
• Make your price list easy to understand: Address all required items, even if they’re not applicable. If you’re in a competitive area, you may need to discount your top commercial price. But don’t discount so much that you will lose money on the transaction, and keep in mind that government agencies seek the best value, not necessarily the lowest price.
• Learn from those who preceded you: Use available resources to find information that will save you time and money.

For more resources on how women can get ahead, visit the Give Me 5 website for online resources and information about regional events.  American Express OPEN also created OPEN Insight Guides on OPENForum.com/governmentcontracting to provide tips and advice for business owners looking to do business with the government.

Learn the Ins and Outs of 8(a) Certification to Succeed In Govt. Contracting

One way for small business owners to gain traction in federal contracting is through the 8(a) certification, the SBA’s program for socially and economically disadvantaged firms.  Through the 8(a) program, billions of dollars worth of contracts are set aside for only 8(a) certified firms. Learning to correctly certify under the 8(a) program gives a company the opportunity to take advantage of set aside contracts and specialized business training – thus increasing chances of success.

For the last couple of months, we’ve been sending you webinar information on special one-hour, one-on-one mentorship sessions where a federal contracting expert has mentored a small business owner on how to strategically expand into the federal contracting arena. These webinars are a part of the Give Me 5 program – a national program by American Express OPEN and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) to help women businesses owners access and win government contracts.

As part three of this training session, Ann Sullivan, WIPP Government Relations and Give Me 5 instructor, will help business owner Regina LePak of Frances Construction, Inc., learn the ins and outs of 8(a) certification. 

During the one-hour webinar, Ann will discuss the process of becoming 8(a) certified, how a business owner can use the certification to their advantage, and the potential pitfalls to avoid once certified.
Additional information can be found below:

Give Me 5 315– Lessons Learned: The Ins and Outs of 8(a) Certification

Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Time: 3-4 p.m. ET / 12 p.m.-1 p.m. PT

Where: Virtual

Registration is open to everyone; more details can be found here: http://www.wipp.org/events/event_details.asp?id=137550.

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