If you’re a woman-owned small business looking to contract with the federal government and seeking assistance on how to navigate in the federal procurement arena, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has good news for you!

In FY 2012, the federal government awarded $16.1 billion in federal contracts to women-owned businesses, but there is still more work to be done.  That is why the SBA is continuing its partnership with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and American Express Open on the ChallengeHer initiative that was launched last spring, to help more women-owned businesses get a bigger piece of the federal contracting pie and benefit from SBA’s Woman-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program.

Earlier today, I spoke at the ChallengeHer women-owned small business opportunity forum at the Department of Energy hosted by the SBA, WIPP and American Express Open.  The event featured panel sessions on how to contract with the government from 8am to noon and networking opportunities for women-owned businesses from 1pm to 3pm.

ChallengeHer–What is it?

The ChallengeHer campaign leverages the resources of the SBA, WIPP and American Express Open by hosting events around the country to connect women-owned businesses with decision makers and procurement officials at federal agencies and prime contractors to receive guidance on how best to sell their goods and services to them.

The events also provide insight on how women-owned businesses can register in the federal government’s Systems for Award Management (SAM) database—the official contracting portal for small businesses to submit their profiles in order to do business with the federal government and provide eligibility requirements for women-owned businesses to participate in SBA’s Woman-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program.

How Can I Attend?

To date, the SBA, WIPP and American Express Open has hosted ChallengeHer events in Phoenix, AZ, Seattle, WA, New Orleans, LA, Atlanta, GA, Norfolk, VA, Denver, CO and Washington, D.C.

Below is a list of upcoming ChallengeHer events.

ChallengeHER – WOSB Opportunity Forum with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)
> Register Here

ChallengeHER – WOSB Opportunity Forum with U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 1:00 PM (EDT)
> Register Here

ChallengeHER – San Francisco, CA
Friday, June 13 from 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM (PDT)
> Register Here

ChallengeHER – Milwaukee, WI
Thursday, June 26, 2014 from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (CDT)
> Register Here

ChallengeHER – San Diego, CA
Wednesday, July 16, 2014 from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PDT)
> Register Here

ChallengeHER – Chicago, IL
Thursday, August 7, 2014 from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (CDT)
> Register Here

ChallengeHER – Charlotte, NC
Tuesday, August 19, 2014 from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)
> Register Here

ChallengeHER – Raleigh, NC
Tuesday, August 19, 2014 from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)
> Register Here

Stay tuned for more information on the ChallengeHer campaign and events near you.