Lockheed Martin, AF work for better small-biz opps
The Air Force Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Lockheed Martin Corp. have signed a memorandum of understanding to improve their outreach to small businesses.
The Air Force Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Lockheed Martin Corp. have signed a memorandum of understanding to improve their outreach to small businesses, the Air Force announced Aug. 16.
The MOU will allow the Air Force and Lockheed Martin to share resources to identify opportunities for small-business contracting with the Air Force and with Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin, said Joseph Diamond, director of the Air Force Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Office.
"It will also help increase the small business-manufacturing base for the Air Force and serve as a model for other large business-to-Air-Force partnerships," Diamond said.
The MOU, initially in effect for one year, formalizes a working agreement between the Air Force and Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin's responsibilities under the MOU include providing the Air Force Outreach Program Office with potential procurement opportunities for notification to small businesses, assisting with or sponsoring events to raise awareness of small-business opportunities, and working with the Air Force to identify specific manufacturing procurement opportunities.
The Air Force's responsibilities under the MOU include assisting in outreach and training, and allowing Lockheed Martin access to certain supplier listings, training programs and online training courses.
Emmanuel Zulueta, Lockheed Martin's senior vice president for corporate shared services, said the MOU will help the company identify new suppliers and opportunities for small businesses sooner.