# DLA Land and Maritime Small Business office to offer matchmaking sessions at supply chain conference

/ Published March 22, 2024
COLUMBUS, Ohio, 
*Editor’s note: This is the third article in a six-part series as Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime prepares for the 2024 DLA Supply Chain Alliance Conference and Exhibition. The first two articles *can be found on the***conference page**under the ‘in the news’ tab.*

Small businesses who attend the DLA Supply Chain Alliance Conference and Exhibition, April 23-24 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, will have several opportunities to participate in matchmaking sessions with large prime contractors and the Land, Maritime, Aviation and Troop Support supply chains of DLA.  

Small businesses attending the one-on-one sessions, to be held throughout the two-day event, will have just eight minutes to pitch what they are searching for, or what they have to offer.

“Matchmaking is like speed dating,” said Matthew Elliott, deputy director for DLA Land and Maritime Office of Small Business Programs.

But rather than two individuals looking for their soulmate, it’s an efficient way for small businesses to find collaboration partners in the defense contracting landscape, he noted.

“Traditionally matchmaking has been between small businesses and DLA, but at this event we are also opening it up to large businesses for the first time,” said Kreston Harris, director of the DLA Land and Maritime OSBP.

Large businesses who are prime contractors for DLA often look to specialized small businesses to make critical parts for weapons systems used by the warfighter daily, he said.

“Opening up matchmaking to include large businesses helps them to help us get more small businesses into the fold,” Elliott said.

Harris explained that large businesses usually do not make the weapon systems themselves, rather they manage multiple subcontractors who make the product for them using their design.

“Each prime contractor also needs multiple subcontractors to get the repair parts needed to keep fielded weapons systems operational for use by American and foreign military services in conflicts around the world,” he said. “Those subcontractors are most often small businesses.”

Elliott said the matchmaking sessions between small businesses and DLA will allow them to pitch their product or service to a DLA OSBP representative in that same eight-minute timeframe.

“Small businesses get to see if they are a fit for DLA in a casual setting,” Elliott said, mentioning that at a recent conference, he had 23 new small businesses participate in one day.

“It’s a great networking opportunity and many small businesses should take advantage of it,” he added. “It’s all about opening that door into the government space.”

Small and large businesses interested in attending a matchmaking session at the conference may sign up by visiting the National Defense Industrial Association Industry Matchmaking page at https://www.ndia.org/events/2024/4/23/4780---dla/industry-matchmaking

Outside of the matchmaking sessions, small businesses may also connect with a DLA OSBP representative at the DLA Small Business booth on the exhibition floor throughout the event.

More information on the 2024 DLA Supply Chain Alliance Conference and Exhibition can be found here. To register, visit https://www.ndia.org/events/2024/4/23/4780---dla