The Air Force partners with small businesses across the country, with a Small Business Office attached to each Air Force Life Cycle Management Center installation. As a knowledgeable resource about Air Force acquisition practices, and through engagement with events like Vendor Industry Days, the office is a vital component in supporting the needs of warfighters.
In this Leadership Log podcast, we chat with Yolanda McCain, Director of the Small Business Office within the Business and Enterprise Systems (BES) Directorate.
McCain discusses a variety of topics related to her work, including:
How her office’s work acquiring resources for Air Force warfighters through outreach with the small business community:
“I interact with companies and learn more about who they are in terms of their capabilities, in terms of the experiences and things that they have and how those relate to what they can bring to our government requirements in the acquisition process and how they can help to solve some of the challenges that we as a government face in terms of solutions that we need for warfighters…”
How small business members can participate in Vendor Industry Days on 22 May 2024:
Industry partners “will hear from some of the stakeholders and requirement owners and those acquisition teams regarding some specific acquisitions. And then there's always a component where we strive to provide updates or educational information regarding some of the exciting things going on from a technical perspective within BES.”
Encouragement for women to grow their Air Force Careers:
“Be open to asking questions to learn more from a… wide group of people with various experiences or with varied experiences from your own” [immediate work groups]… and also “branching out and making introductions and connections and receiving feedback from those outside of that circle as well.”
To hear the full conversation, watch above or on YouTube. You can also listen by searching “Leadership Log” on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Overcast, Radio Public or Breaker.