WIPP and American Express OPEN Announce Education Program to Help Women Business Owners Secure More Federal Contracts

“Give Me 5: Education and Access for Women in Federal Contracts” Helps Women Business Owners Apply for Additional $5 Billion in Government Contracts

WASHINGTON – September 18, 2008 – Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), a not for profit public policy organization and the nation’s largest bipartisan women’s business group, today announced a national partnership with American Express OPEN, the nation's leading issuer of payment card products and lines of credit for small business owners, to launch “Give Me 5: Education and Access for Women in Federal Contracts.” The national program is designed to educate women business owners on how to apply for and secure federal procurement opportunities. Click here to see full release.

BUSINESS / SMALL BUSINESS | October 2, 2008
Women Business Owners Seek Better Access to Federal Contracts
By ELIZABETH OLSON
The effort to obtain more contracts for female-owned businesses comes as increasing numbers of women are running their own companies. Click here.

SPOTLIGHT FEATURE

Five Keys to Multi-Million Dollar Success – Meet Marissa Levin, CEO, Information Experts
by WIPP Member Judy Bradt, Principal, Summit Insight LLC

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

As business owners, first and foremost, we are always looking for opportunities to expand our businesses. One important way you can do this, is to register with the Central Contract Registration database, the CCR. The CCR is a database, (managed by the Department of Defense), of all businesses contracting or seeking contracts with the federal government. It is also used by many corporations who are seeking women business enterprises as suppliers.

The CCR is not only a place to register if you are considering a government contract, but it will collect and validate information so that agencies or corporations looking to acquire services can easily find you. If you aren’t sure that you have a product or service that the government would want – you may be surprised!! Look in the resource section for two sites you can check for businesses similar to yours that are awarded contracts.

It is so easy to register on the CCR, and while it opens the doors to many business opportunities, it will not cost you a penny to register – and will only take you about half an hour.

There are a few things you need to do to prepare before you go so the registration will go smoothly. Please contact Megan Markoff, 1-888-488-WIPP, or mmarkoff@wipp.org, at WIPP, who will step you through the process and provide you additional information prior to our conference in Washington, D.C.

POLICY CORNER

Despite their sizable contribution to the economy, representing one-third of all small business owners, women are still not getting their fair share of procurement opportunities.
Click here to read about the policies affecting women’s federal procurement.

NEWS

Click here to read news on Give Me 5 and women’s federal procurement issues.

TRAINING PODCASTS

Click Here to listen to recorded Give Me 5 training sessions.

RESOURCE CORNER

Click here for online resources to guide you through federal contracting.

EVENTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

Click here for federal procurement trainings and events.