Council Hosts Successful Town Hall Meeting in Columbus
On March 12 in Columbus, Ohio, the National Women’s Business Council held the first of three town hall meetings for women entrepreneurs scheduled for 2008. The free event, which attracted more than 150 participants, provided an opportunity for the Council to hear from a diverse population of women business owners who may not be involved regularly in the public policy process. The Council will hold similar town hall meetings in Houston, Texas on April 3 and Boca Raton, Florida on May 14. Visit www.nwbc.gov for more information or to register.
Council Discusses 2008 Priorities at Meeting
On March 13, the Council held a semi-annual meeting at the headquarters of The Longaberger Company in Newark, Ohio following the Columbus Town Hall Meeting. The meeting was hosted by Council Chair Tami Longaberger at her company headquarters in order to mark her last meeting as Chair. During the meeting, Longaberger presided over the swearing-in of two new Council members. In addition, the Council discussed the state of women’s procurement, reviewed recent projects and discussed plans for FY 2008.
Comment Period Extended on Women-Owned Small Business Contracting Rule
The U.S. Small Business Administration has reopened the comment period on the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Assistance Procedures (72 FR 73285) proposed rule. The original comment period was from December 27, 2007, through February 25, 2008, but the SBA reopened the comment period until March 31, 2008 to accommodate the great level of interest that the proposed rule has generated.
NWBC to Participate in Procurement Conference
NWBC once again will be participating in the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s (OSDBU) 18th Annual Procurement Conference at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland on April 24, 2008. The national one-day conference is geared to fostering business partnerships between the Federal government, prime contractors, and small, minority, veteran-owned, HubZone, and women-owned businesses.
Small Business Week Events Scheduled for April
The Small Business Administration will mark National Small Business Week 2008 from April 21-25. Beginning with three days of events in Washington, D.C., the SBA will recognize more than 100 outstanding business owners from across the country. On April 24th, following DC-based events, Small Business Week will move to New York City, where SBA will participate in the closing bell ceremony at NASDAQ to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Women’s Business Ownership Act (HR. 5050), which established NWBC and the Women’s Business Center program. NWBC will then serve as a host of a reception following the event, “Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs,” along with other women’s business organizations and corporate partners.
March is Women’s History Month
The Council, along with several other government agencies, will be celebrating Women’s History Month at a special event on March 27 in Washington, DC. The event, entitled Women Making History…Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, is being organized by the National Women’s History Month Inter-agency Committee. The program will include workshops on finance and career development, agency displays, and keynote remarks from Ms. Shinae Chun, Director of the Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor.
Women of Courage Honored on International Women’s Day
Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula J. Dobriansky honored eight women with 2008 International Women of Courage Awards on March 10th, International Women’s Day. Later that day, President and Mrs. Bush also honored the award winners at the White House at a ceremony attended by women members of Congress and cabinet members. NWBC Executive Director Margaret Barton attended both events.
SBA Launches Online Contracting Course
The U.S. Small Business Administration recently launched a free online course called Business Opportunities: A Guide to Winning Federal Contracts. The instructional, self-paced guide, available on SBA’s Website at www.sba.gov/training, is designed for all small businesses, especially women entrepreneurs and small firms in underserved markets that have historically had difficulty in tapping into federal contract markets. The course provides information about the $400 billion federal market, contract rules, and most importantly, where to find contract opportunities and how to sell to the government.
Office of Advocacy Identifies Regulations Needing Reform
As part of its Regulatory Review and Reform (r3) initiative, the SBA Office of Advocacy recently announced the 2008 Top 10 Rules for Review and Reform. The Top 10 are drawn from over 80 rules nominated by small business owners and their representatives and recommendations for addressing these rules have been transmitted to the appropriate federal agencies. Making the Top 10 is a recommendation to simplify the home office business deduction.
SBA Announces Emerging 200 Cities
On March 11, the Small Business Administration announced the selection of 11 cities to participate in the Emerging 200 initiative, a jobs and growth stimulation effort targeting promising inner-city small businesses. The designated cities are Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, New Orleans, Des Moines and Oakland. The initiative will enable entrepreneurs from 200 small, inner-city companies to participate in an intensive and comprehensive curriculum focused on developing winning, local strategies and attracting capital to fuel growth.
