Farooq Mitha, director of the office of small business programs at the Department of Defense, said small companies and their innovative technologies could enable the U.S. to maintain a military edge in this era of strategic competition and DOD recognizes its role with the release of its Small Business Strategy.
Mitha wrote in an opinion piece published Tuesday on The Hill that the strategy seeks to increase small businesses’ involvement in defense procurement efforts.
“We will do this by streamlining points of entry into the department for small companies, so it is easier for them to know where to start, ensure that small business activities align with efforts to sustain and expand the department’s industrial base and modernization priorities, and stepping up our engagement and resources to support industry,” he noted.
Mitha said the department will facilitate access for small enterprises by taking a more integrated approach across its programs and make business.defense.gov a key point of entry for small companies looking to do business with the Pentagon.
He also cited the current administration’s move to introduce changes to category management to increase opportunities for small businesses and DOD’s plan to strengthen engagement with such businesses through APEX Accelerators and provide cybersecurity training and other related resources through Project Spectrum.
“These initiatives and others in our Small Business Strategy aim to make small businesses an indispensable partner in the mission to protect our national security,” Mitha added.
