Cooperative relationships key to Small Business Office success Published Feb. 15, 2006 By G. A. Volb Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Ogden Air Logistic Center's Small Business Office broke records last year, helping earn its director a special achievement award along the way. The office, which searches for small businesses to work with, exceeded goals by more than 150 percent - providing training and counseling that heightened awareness and interest within the community. "I like to think we've done a nice job of building a cooperative relationship with program offices and contracting offices," said Christy Smittle, director of the Small Business Programs office here. "A key to our success is listening to their needs and concerns, then developing strategies to help them meet those needs. We help them incorporate the strengths that small businesses bring and create a win-win for all concerned." Program success is important since, by law, federal agencies are required to ensure a fair portion of goods and services bought at the center are awarded to small business. "We work to find common ground between what we need and what small businesses can offer," said Ms. Smittle, who recently received an Air Force Materiel Command special achievement award for her work. She said there've been some major improvements in the way they do business that helps small business owners get their foot in the door. "We've gone almost completely electronic," she said, "from posting solicitations and data packages on the Web, to electronic transmittal of contracts and payments. "We also provide up-to-date information on our Web site, including links to the Air Force small business learning center, source development training, and major acquisitions underway here of interest to small businesses," said Ms. Smittle. "We hope this is a one-stop shopping Web site that has all the information an owner would need." According to the Auburn, Calif., native, there's a good reason for the Air Force's use of small businesses. "They tend to be very responsive to our needs because they have a flatter organizational structure, fewer layers of management, and less bureaucracy. These give small businesses an edge when it comes to costs, making them more attractive. They also account for 99.7 percent of all U.S. employers, create two out of every three new jobs, and are responsible for 47 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. So while they may be small businesses, they're influence on the economy is quite substantial." "This all gives us the advantage of cost and schedule savings as well as being able to take advantage of the innovations created and maintaining a strong competitive industrial base, which is always a good thing," she added. Last year, the percentage of awards to small businesses jumped to 18.2 percent - the highest it's been in more than a decade. "That totaled some $511 million to small businesses," Ms. Smittle emphasized, adding, "we're looking to improve on those numbers this year."