Each year, the SAME Small Business Conference brings together small businesses, large corporations, and federal government agencies to take a deep dive into the current and future state of federal contracting. The 2025 Conference, held at the end of November, focused on accelerating readiness for small businesses and the nation as both public and private sectors embrace the role of Artificial Intelligence in government acquisition, management, and compliance.
“Small businesses support an incredible amount of economic growth through innovation, job creation, and community development,” shared Matt Hood – RA, NCARB, PMP, Lead Architect and Design Manager at Chenega Architecture and Design Solutions, LLC. “Participation in events like the SAME Conference ensures the perspectives of small businesses are included with those of larger organizations and underscores their essential role in the federal contracting landscape.”
With so many changes already happening in the federal government and more to come, the opportunity to be part of vital conversations at their earliest stages is critical. “Take RFIs and RFPs,” shared Todd Butler, President of Articus Solutions. “In short order, they will likely emphasize AI readiness and interoperability, and automated evaluations and accelerated cycle times will likely lead to shorter, more frequent spending cycles.” Learning about these changes, understanding both legal and technical requirements, and being able to turn these strategies into action will enable small businesses to adapt quickly to these new requirements and will help them gain a competitive advantage.
It’s not just technology, however, that’s disrupting the federal government contracting process. “Small businesses and large corporations alike are facing challenges with the requirements from CMMC compliance and the overhaul of FAR – Federal Acquisition Regulation,” explained Michael Montgomery, President of Chenega Architecture and Design Solutions, and Chenega Worldwide Support. “This applies particularly to FAR Part 19 associated with the Rule of Two for small business set-asides and the precedence shift to small businesses in general over the socio-economic category of 8(a) corporations.” To this end, as set asides and sole-sourcing opportunities shift with these new FAR considerations, taking advantage of the conference’s SBA Mentor-Protégé programs enables small businesses to access larger contracts and resources.
While it’s vital for small businesses to collaborate with large corporations to gain access to federal contracts, even with the changes The Rule of Two and sole sourced contracts, 8(a), small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), and Alaskan Native Corporations bring their own unique value to the federal government. “Our SBD status, for example, allows us to offer a compelling value proposition to the federal government,” explained Kris Singleton, President of Astraeus Operations. “As a small business partner, we bring financial strength, mature processes, relevant past performance, and a deep understanding of our federal customers’ needs. Chief among the value SDB’s bring is a streamlined acquisition process that reduces procurement (PALT) and a performance-based approach to requirements development and delivery, which reduces cost, risk, and schedule while improving quality and end-user satisfaction.”
“Each branch of the federal government demonstrated a strong commitment to collaborating with businesses at the conference. These agencies made a concerted effort to communicate their goals and objectives with clarity, ensuring that attendees understood the direction and priorities for upcoming initiatives,” Hood concluded. “This transparency is instrumental in bridging the gap between government requirements and business capabilities. As it does each year, the SAME Conference highlighted the government’s proactive approach to supporting businesses and helping bring projects critical to mission success and national security to fruition.”