News

Reaching out to small business

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Maj. Gen. Robert McMahon wants Robins to ink more contracts with small businesses in Middle Georgia, but it's not just because he wants to help the little guy.

McMahon, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center commander, gave the opening comments at a conference last week with the aim of helping small businesses learn how to make Robins a customer.

He said he wants to see more local businesses competing for contracts in part because it will help the local economy. But equally important to him, he told the business representatives gathered at the Museum of Aviation, is more involvement from small business will mean better value for the base by increasing competition.

"I think it is the opportunity for a win-win situation between you and me as we do this," he told the attendees.

The conference came at McMahon's request, who asked the Robins Small Business Office to conduct a seminar to help businesses learn how to win contracts with the base.
The conference had 104 attendees, representing 84 businesses. McMahon told those in attendance the purpose of the conference was to "demystify" the process of working with the base.

"We are not the easiest people to do business with," McMahon said. "If you look up the word 'bureaucracy' in the dictionary our picture is there. Doing business with the government can be difficult, especially for small businesses that don't have 200 lawyers and 1,700 accountants."

Speakers throughout the day gave attendees information on the process of competing for a government contract. The speakers included representatives from the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center, the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center, and the General Services Administration, as well as Robins representatives.

Debbie Jackson, Small Business Program director, said attendees were given a survey to measure the success of the conference.

The survey results will be examined to determine whether more conferences will be needed in the future.