Each fiscal year (FY) the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), as part of the Small Business Outreach Program, virtually conducts ten sessions of 15-minute pre-arranged meetings with small businesses. Vendor Outreach Sessions (VOS) provides small businesses with a platform to discuss their capabilities, learn about DHS procurements, and meet with large businesses to discuss subcontracting and partnering opportunities. We reserve four sessions for women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, small disadvantaged (including 8(a)) and HUBZone small businesses. VOS is conducted by DHS Small Business Specialists (SBS) from each operational contracting component and large businesses (“counselors”). The next DHS VOS is June 27, 2024. This session is reserved for all Small Businesses. Refer to the DHS VOS FY 2024 Schedule to view or download the calendar and read the Small Business Vendor Outreach Sessions’ instructions carefully.
Effective October 1, 2022 (Fiscal Year 2023 VOS), there are significant changes to the VOS Program:
Meeting requests for the June 27, 2024, VOS will begin on June 13, 2024, at 12:00 noon, eastern standard time (EST) and close on June 18, 2024, at 11:59 p.m., EST. Please read the instructions carefully at Small Business Vendor Outreach Sessions | Homeland Security (dhs.gov). Be aware that requesting a meeting does not guarantee a meeting and each counselor (SBS and large business) will only accept meetings that support their needs.
NOTE: All small businesses that have previously registered to take part in a VOS must update their profile to complete additional mandatory fields. For example, NAICS Codes and a capability statement are now required. Some businesses may need to re-register. If you have previously met with a DHS component within the last three months, please consider this before registering for any VOS. Directly contact the component small business specialists to schedule a follow-up discussion outside of VOS instead. This allows more opportunities for other small businesses who have not met with DHS to request a meeting and discuss their capabilities.
Each profile must include a valid email address compatible with various virtual meeting tools (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, etc.). If connectivity issues occur using the virtual VOS links provided, expect to conduct the session telephonically. There are some DHS components that cannot access certain virtual tools. In those instances, we consider Microsoft Teams the preferred tool.
There is no fee for VOS. Please report any fee related inquiries and questions regarding the VOS program to [email protected].