NAVSEA | Dan Duckwitz
Small Business Success Tips Podcast (episode 28)
Summary: Dan Duckwitz explains the importance of research and small business solutions that address the pain points of specific program offices, the complexity of the NAVSEA structure and the need for small business feedback.
Guest Bio | As NAVSEA Deputy for Small Business, Dan Duckwitz is lead for contracting, small business coordination, acquisition and industrial analytics and the Mentor-Protegé program.
NAVSEA is the largest of the Navy's five system commands. With a fiscal year budget of nearly $30 billion, NAVSEA accounts for nearly 25% of the Navy's entire budget. NAVSEA manages 150 acquisition programs and manages foreign military sales cases that include billions of dollars in annual military sales to partner nations.
In this episode, Dan Duckwitz and Neil McDonnell discuss:
- how NAVSEA fits within the complex Navy structure, overseeing field activities nationwide and providing the engineering, scientific, technical and logistical expertise, products and support to the fleet
- how contractors can frame solutions better if they read the Small Business Strategy for the specific program office that they're targeting
- how each of the 21 NAVSEA field activities has a full time or a part time small business representative in that contracting office
- DPMs (deputy program managers)
- the five affiliated NAVSEA Program Executive Offices (PEOs) responsible for life-cycle management of their assigned programs
- how to research whether NAVSEA buys what you sell, and whether prime and subcontracting opportunities exist
- vehicles for NAVSEA acquisition including engineering services, professional support, logistics and business financial management
- how to identify a program's pain points or choke points and the importance of bringing a specific solution to a specific problem
- the need for tactical, actionable feedback from small businesses regarding Sources Sought and RFPs: are they unduly restrictive or have un-related qualification requirements? do small businesses have difficulty getting access to program offices?
Referenced Links:
- NAVSEA org chart
- Major Navy Buying Commands
- Warfare Center Contacts
- NAVSEA's Long Range Acquisition Forecasts (LRAF) for headquarters and enterprises
- NAVSEA Small Business Industry Day presentation (Aug 2019 download)
- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
- DON Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP)
- List |160 Navy small business professionals
- List |NAVSEA Deputy Program Managers (with codes and phone numbers)
- USA Spending
- FPDS | Federal Procurement Data System
CONTACT |Dan Duckwitz
ABOUT YOUR HOST
Neil McDonnell is an experienced small business owner and seasoned entrepreneur. An Army veteran and the founder HUBZone Chamber of Commerce, Neil is a government contracting subject expert and small business advocate for media and conferences.
His podcast series offers key information and tips to help small businesses gain insight into government agencies and large prime contractors and develop strategies to effectively present services.
SPONSOR: Small Business Success Club
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Neil McDonnell
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Neil brings 20+ years experience as a small business federal contractor, personally winning and supporting numerous government contracts for the US Army, Navy and Air Force, HHS, VA, DOT, DOI, DOE, the Executive Office of the White House and numerous large prime contractors.
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