Connecting Suppliers with DLA

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Issue 28

April 2023

2023 TKO 

Mark Your Calendars!

TKO 

Seminars are 

FREE!

Learn how to do business with 

the Government!

May 9-10, 2023

June 13-14, 2023 (APEX Only)

July 11-12, 2023

September 5-6, 2023

November 7-8, 2023

HELD VIRTUALLY

9:00 AM - 2:30 PM (EST)

Register at: https://tko.dla.mil/

www.dla.mil

www.facebook.com/dla.mil

www.twitter.com/dlamil

www.youtube.com/user/

dodlogisticsagency

The APEX Accelerators, formally known as the Procurement Technical 

Assistance Program (PTAP), was authorized by Congress in 1985 to expand the 

number of businesses capable of participating in government contracts. 

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2020 ordered the PTAP 

to move to Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD

(A&S)); and the DoD Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) began to manage and operate PTAP with a new name, APEX Accelerators, effective FY 2023. 

The APEX Accelerators program focuses on building strong, sustainable, and 

resilient U.S. supply chains by assisting a wide range of businesses that pursue 

and perform under contracts with the DoD, other federal agencies, state and 

local governments and with government prime contractors. 

APEX Accelerators provide critical assistance to new and existing businesses 

interested in government contracting to enhance the defense industrial base. 

PTAP IS NOW 

APEX ACCELERATORS

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APEX Accelerators help businesses 

• complete registration with a wide range of databases necessary for them to participate in the government 

marketplace (e.g., SAM).

• identify which agencies and offices may need their products or services and how to connect with buying agencies 

and offices.

• determine whether they are ready for government opportunities and how to position themselves to succeed.

• navigate solicitations and potential funding opportunities.

• receive notifications of government contract opportunities on a regular basis.

• network with buying offices, prime contractors, and other businesses.

• resolve performance issues and prepare for audit, only if the service is needed, after receiving an award.

APEX Accelerators are placing an emphasis on helping underserved businesses that are eligible for certain 

government solicitations designed for the promotion of diversity, inclusion, and equity, and guiding them throughout 

the entire process. APEX Accelerators will continue increasing the number of Defense Industrial Base (DIB)-ready and 

Government Industrial Base (GIB, including local and state governments)-ready businesses including:

• Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs)

• Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones)

• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOSBs)

• Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs), and

• Other underserved small businesses

Visit Apex Accelerators for more information. 

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PTAP IS NOW 

APEX ACCELERATORS (cont.)
What is an SDVOSB?

An SDVOSB is a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to the solicitation or contract in question. An SDVOSB must be no less than 51% 

owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans. Refer to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for 

full eligibility requirements. 

What is the SDVOSB Program?

The SDVOSB Program is one of the small business socioeconomic programs in Part 19 of the Federal Acquisition 

Regulation (FAR). Federal agencies reserve certain contracts exclusively for SDVOSBs. These are called SDVOSB setasides and DLA makes hundreds of SDVOSB set-asides annually, including in DIBBS.

What are the certification requirements to participate in SDVOSB set-asides?

OLD: You may self-certify your SDVOSB status through 2023 to compete for set-aside contracts at most federal 

agencies, including at DLA. Self-certify in the socioeconomic status section of your business profile at SAM.gov.

NEW: SDVOSBs must apply for certification by the SBA on or before December 31, 2023. If not, you become ineligible 

for SDVOSB set-asides on January 1, 2024, until your application to SBA is submitted and approved. If you apply to 

SBA for SDVOSB certification by December 31, 2023, you remain eligible for SDVOSB set-asides until SBA makes a 

decision on your application.

Why did the rules change?

Section 862 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283) established the new 

certification requirement. The SBA published a final rule in the Federal Register on November 29, 2022 to implement 

the change.

What can I do now?

To establish an SBA account and apply for certification, visit the Veteran Small Business Certification portal. You will 

be able to access checklists and pre-application guides through the application portal. Also refer to SBA’s Veteran 

Small Business Certification Fact Sheet that will help you prepare your application and gather the correct documents.

Where can I find help?

For assistance understanding the rules or help applying to SBA for certification, contact the APEX Accelerators

(formerly known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs)). Funded by the US Department of Defense, the APEX Accelerators provide no-cost assistance related to the small business programs and other aspects of 

selling to the federal government.

You may also contact the DLA Small Business Office, which has personnel stationed at each of DLA’s buying 

commands.

COMING SOON: 

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE SERVICEDISABLED VETERAN-OWNED (SDVOSB) SMALL 

BUSINESS PROGRAM

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Suppliers are reminded that violation of the terms for the Commercial and Government Entity Code (CAGE) assignment can result in their DIBBS account registration being delayed or their DIBBS account(s) being locked. Suppliers 

are urged to review the Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI) link and information below.

SUBPART 204.18 — COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT ENTITY CODE (osd.mil).

PGI 204.1870-2 Maintenance of the CAGE file.

(a). Assignment of CAGE codes for entities located in the United States or its outlying areas.

1. CAGE codes are assigned per legal entity at individual physical addresses (i.e., the same entity at the same 

physical address will not be assigned two or more CAGE codes). The only exception to this rule is when an 

entity has a registration in the SAM with multiple EFT addresses identified by multiple DUNS+4 numbers. In 

this case, each DUNS+4 number record is assigned a separate CAGE code to assist in correct processing of 

payments.

2. CAGE codes are not assigned to mailing addresses; a physical address shall be provided. Neither U.S. Post 

Office boxes nor addresses that can be identified as belonging to commercial mail and/or shipping provider 

locations will be accepted as physical addresses.

3. CAGE codes are not assigned to entities where the provided physical address is identified as a short-term 

virtual location, such as mobile offices, commercial packaging/mailing facilities (e.g., UPS stores, FedEx 

stores), mailbox rentals and certain business incubator locations if the majority of the operations are not 

performed from that incubator location. A sole proprietor, partnership, corporate entity, or other business 

organization shall have a principal place of business, even if it is a home office, from where the business 

operates and record books are maintained. In that case, a home address of an officer of the company or 

board member would be required.

4. Individuals who register in SAM as sole proprietors are assigned CAGE codes. However, there may not be 

multiple CAGE codes assigned to the same location even if the entity names are differentiated by establishing 

a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) (e.g., “John Smith” and “John Smith, LLC”). Additionally, the standard for 

the legal business name for sole proprietors, driven by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standards, is the use of 

the individual’s personal name. Any additional name used for the sole proprietorship should be identified as 

a doing business as (DBA) name (e.g., “John Smith” is the legal business name, “Smith Construction” is the 

DBA).

5. Authorized agents or brokers may be assigned CAGE codes for identification and processing purposes. A single 

CAGE code will be assigned to the agent or broker entity in addition to any codes assigned to the entities 

represented by the agent or broker (i.e., only one code will be assigned to a specific agent or broker entity 

regardless of the number of firms represented by that agent or broker ). Codes will not be assigned to an 

agent or broker in care of the entity being represented or in any way infer that the agent or broker is a 

separate establishment bearing the name of the entity represented by the agent or broker.

TERMS FOR COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT 

ENTITY CODE (CAGE) ASSIGNMENT REMINDER 

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6. There are some cases where both the owner of real property and a separate legal entity located at the same 

address as the real property each are required to have CAGE codes assigned. Examples are an office building 

owner and a tenant in the office building, or a land owner and a company using all or a portion of the land to 

farm. Additional cases exist where two separate entities may lease office space in the same building and both 

require CAGE codes. In both of these situations, the most specific physical address will be requested (i.e., 

specific additions of suites, floors, or room numbers) to distinguish between the two entities. If no more 

specific physical address is able to be identified, then documentation such as that listed in PGI 204.1870-2(c)

(3)(i)(A) will be requested to ensure that the entities are separate legal entities.

TERMS FOR COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT 

ENTITY CODE (CAGE) ASSIGNMENT REMINDER 

(CONT.)

LAND SUPPLY CHAIN - “HOT” ITEMS LIST

Do you have parts on hand? Government surplus?

Manufacturers’ overruns? 

DLA Land Supply Chain has posted a list of items that are urgently needed at: Selling to DLA Land and Maritime

We are looking for readily available and usable material. We are asking our industry partners to review this list and let 

us know if you have surplus, manufacturers’ overruns, or residual inventory. The intent is to update this list monthly 

so please check back regularly. 

Please submit inquiries to FL.AvailMat@dla.mil .

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Save the Date! The 2023 DLA Supply Chain Alliance Conference & Exhibition will be May 3-4, 2023 at the Greater 

Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, VA. 

Please visit DLA Supply Chain Alliance Conference & Exhibition (ndia.org) for registration information and additional 

details coming soon. 

SAVE THE DATE: DLA SUPPLY CHAIN ALLIANCE 

CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION
DIBBS TEXT SEARCH FULL 

FUNCTIONALITY IS RESTORED

PHISHING ATTACKS SPOOFING DLA SUPPLIERS

DLA has observed an increase in targeted 

phishing attacks against contracting officers. 

The phishing emails are designed to spoof 

legitimate DLA vendors asking questions about 

contracts or solicitations. In many cases, these 

hackers are sending multiple emails with the 

same or similar requests to create a sense of 

urgency that pressures the contracting officer 

into clicking on the malicious links within the 

emails. Contracting officers have been 

reminded to remain vigilant. If in doubt, they 

have been advised to call the company or the 

POC for the contract/solicitation using DLA 

records, not the suspicious email. DLA vendors 

are reminded to exercise good cyber hygiene. 

Protect your information and your network 

credentials to avoid facilitating cyber attacks. 

Page 6

The text search capability on DIBBS had been in a 

degraded state for several months. That has been 

corrected and full text search capabilities are now 

available. 

Please see our text search guide for additional text 

search help. https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/refs/

help/Solicitations/DIBBS-Text-Search-User-Guide.pdf

Additional questions should be directed to the DIBBS 

helpdesk at dibbsbsm@dla.mil .