Denise Benjamin Sirmons | OSDBU | Environmental Protection Agency

Small Business Success Tips Podcast (episode 1)

Summary: Denise Benjamin Sirmons, EPA Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization discusses the EPA contracts awarded to small businesses and offers tips and strategies to build strategic relationships

Guest Bio: Denise Benjamin Sirmons is the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at the Environmental Protection Agency. OSDBU programs support the EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment by advancing the business, regulatory, and environmental compliance concerns of small businesses.

Denise has served in various leadership positions at the EPA, including in the Office of Diversity, Advisory Committee Management and Outreach, Office of Grants and Debarment, and the Office of Acquisition Management. Denise is the former Assistant General Counsel for Contracting at the U.S. Small Business Administration, and worked as a litigator for a major national law firm.

In this episode, Denise Benjamin Sirmons discusses:

• Doing business with the EPA, the contracting process and points of contact
• Regulations and policies for EPA acquisitions
• The importance of submitting tailored capability statements to demonstrate direct benefit to EPA
• How participating in networking events and events can cultivate important relationships
• The EPA vender communication plan
• EPA-hosted events for large primes to meet directly with potential small business subcontractors
• Research strategies using NAICS codes, program office, contracting officers etc
• FPDS or USA Spending searches to find existing contracts and prospective partners already contracted with EPA
• EPA Acquisition Forecast Database designed to help companies spend more time bidding and less time searching for procurement opportunities

Listen to the Full Episode

 Host:  Neil McDonnell, small business owner, Founder HUBZone Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Trainer.

This 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.