99 -- NAVY GOLD COAST SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE

The Navy Gold Coast 2002 Small Business Procurement Opportunity Conference will be held on October 8, 2002 at the Marriott-Residence Inn in Oxnard, California. The conference host for the 14th annual event is the Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. It is co-sponsored by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme and the Naval Facilities Institute, Port Hueneme. The one-day conference will run from 7:15 AM to 4:00 PM. Representatives of major DOD, Federal, Civilian Agency and Prime Contractors buying activities will be brought together with small business concerns interested in selling their products and services to the Government and prime contractors. Keynote speaker for the event is Ms. Nancy Tarrant, Director of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Office of the Secretary of the Navy. Ms. Tarrant will provide an overview of the current Navy Small Business Program and achievements. Special guest speaker will be Scott Denniston, Office of Veterans Affairs, Director of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization. He will speak on the elements of the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 and its impact on firms owned by veterans. A panel presentation will include representatives of the Small Business Administration, the Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Los Angeles. In addition to individual counseling by the activity representatives and Government prime contractors, the Department of Defense Western Regional Council for Small Business Education and Advocacy will conduct training seminars. Subjects will include Marketing Your Business and Contracting with the GSA. Navy Purchase Card Program Managers will be available to discuss the Commercial Purchase Card Program. Conference registration fee is $45.00. The registration form and additional material are available on the Internet at www.goldcoastsboc.com. If you cannot obtain the registration materials on-line, please contact Weapons Division Small Business Office at telephone (760) 939-2712 or FAX the request to (760) 939-8329. Registration is limited and will be handled on a first-come, first serve basis. A special room rate of $99 is available at the Marriott. Just call the hotel at (805) 278-2200 and mention the Navy Small Business Conference prior to September 30th in order to receive the conference rate.