EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Airmen assigned to the 354th Contracting Squadron attended the 2019 Interior Alaska Industry Day in Fairbanks, Alaska, Dec. 3. The event centered on providing information about government projects to local small businesses.
Along with Airmen assigned to 354th CONS, Soldiers from the 715th Contracting Team from Fort Wainwright were present to help discuss future projects for their installation. A representative from the Alaska Procurement Technical Assistance Center and the U.S. Small Business Administration were also in attendance to give advice on how to qualify for government contracts.
At the event, information about upcoming Fiscal Year 2020 projects and related contracts were made available to those in attendance. Some of the contracts involve the F-35A Lightning II coming to Eielson, beginning in April of 2020.
“We wanted to have people from Eielson and Wainwright in a room with local vendors and companies to discuss unique business opportunities,” said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Alan Snyder, 354th Contracting Squadron acquisition contracting manager.
The event established new relationships and potentially new partnerships for Eielson and Fort Wainwright to utilize in order to be more cost effective and manage finite resources when undertaking installation projects.
“We want to foster a better business environment,” Snyder said. “Building rapport with the local industry is necessary.”
The connections made at the 2019 Interior Alaska Industry Day coupled with the local vendors’ specific expertise about Alaska and its resources will ultimately lead to better candidates for upcoming projects at military instillations in the interior of Alaska.