The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) officially transitioned into conducting virtual Vendor Outreach Sessions (VOS). VOS is a series of pre-arranged 15-minute appointments with Small Business Specialists from various components of DHS procurement offices. These sessions provide the small business community an opportunity to discuss their capabilities and learn about potential procurement opportunities. Also, in attendance are Prime Contractor Small Business Liaisons (Primes) from several large businesses, some who have contracts with DHS. The Primes offer possible subcontracting opportunities and the potential for establishing a mentor-protégé relationship. There is no cost to the small business vendors. Refer to the VOS FY2022 Schedule link to view or download the calendar. The upcoming November 18, 2021 is reserved for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses ONLY in honor of Veterans Day. Registration for the November 18th VOS will begin on November 4, 2021, at 12:00 noon, eastern time. Please read the instructions carefully at Small Business Vendor Outreach Sessions | Homeland Security (dhs.gov) as the sessions fill up quickly. Individuals must register their companies in advance of the session, and it is advised that companies register in advance of the scheduling date as well. Companies are to register at https://vos.mybusinessmatches.com/. Vendors who wish to participate, must provide a valid email address in their My Business Matches profile that can be used with various virtual tools (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, etc.). Once your firm receives confirmation of an appointment from the scheduling site, you will receive a follow-up email with the virtual meeting invitation. Please be advised that if connectivity issues occur using the virtual tools, the session will be conducted telephonically. If you have any questions regarding virtual VOS events, send them to the VOS mailbox at
[email protected]. In the event the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issues the Federal Government a delayed opening of 2 hours (or more) or closed in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, the virtual VOS existing appointments will be re-scheduled in accordance with the availability of the Small Business Specialist. On the morning of the event, please visit www.opm.gov for more information.