NDVSB Federal Program
We know how difficult it is to try to do business with the federal government. Our path for our small business partners is to help them enter federal government acquisitions through single purchases on the government purchase card (GPC). This can lead the small business to larger acquisition vehicles – purchase orders to blanket purchase agreements to contracts and beyond.
Our small business partners do not need to be on a GSA schedule to gain visibility or new business from the federal government. Instead, our small business partners have joined the NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace – an eMarketplace that is exclusive to small businesses product and service suppliers that are US-based and nationally certified veteran-owned, minority-owned, women-owned, or military spouse-owned.
Benefits Of The NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace For Federal Agencies
The NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace is available to all federal agencies. We launched with the Department of Defense first, as it directly supports the Department of Air Force First Look Program. We started with making sure we successfully deployed the NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace to meet the goals of Major General Holt, but Air Force bases have begun to see the benefits that the NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace brings to their government purchase card holders, contract officers, and resource advisors. The big picture and vision is for federal agencies to utilize NDVSB as the vehicle to centralize all purchasing and market research activity.
Features Of The NVDSB/AAFES eMarketplace For Buyers:
- Each base, installation, or agency has their OWN privately branded NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace
- This is NOT a commercial site – it is accessed via the Exchange Business Delivery website, providing confidence to shop backed by the security of AAFES
- The eMarketplace is built for ease of use – cardholders are preloaded, and the entire supply chain is standardized, providing a complete, secure purchasing process where the buyer pays the certified small business suppliers directly
- The ONLY Federal eMarketplace offering service suppliers – available via ‘Key Word” search, all service suppliers have easily accessible capability statements
- Supplier’s 889 compliance forms are readily available for review
- The cost for suppliers to participate is less than any of the other federal eMarketplace, with all AAFES proceeds going back into the “quality of life” force multiplier – MWR program!
Benefits Of The NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace For Small Business Partners
The GPC is used in many ways – mandatory spend/contracts, open-market, retail stores, and more. Only a portion of that money makes it to vendors on the open-market. The NDVSB/AAFES eMarketplace is used as the gateway for NEW entrants (small businesses) selling to the federal government, market research for established vendors, and more visibility to federal contract opportunities.
Air Force 'First Look' Program Drives Purchasing Power
These are massive e-commerce engines that will help create that tipping point, Hogan said.
“We want to do business with the local small businesses,” he said. “Things like this and the industry days are vital to breaking down some of those barriers and complexities in doing business with the Air Force.”
Major Gen. Cameron Holt, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics said, the First Look Program is going to put a giant magnifying glass over the local communities.
“We are going to reverse the trend of disconnecting ourselves from small businesses and our communities,” he said during the workshop. “You, as GPC holders, are going to change the reality that we have gotten to, and you are going to rejoin our communities. You are going to lead that charge.”
LEARN MORE