Our live trainings, offer dynamic and interactive learning experiences designed to equip you with practical skills and actionable knowledge in real time. These sessions provide the opportunity to engage directly with APEX staff and industry experts, ask questions, and participate in discussions that deepen your understanding of government contracting topics. We hold most of our trainings online to offer maximum convenience, allowing participants to easily access valuable content without the need for travel.
Your local APEX Accelerator and the National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series. Part 1 of the Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series includes:
- Accounting System Requirements
- Real Time Labor Evaluations
Prior to being awarded a cost reimbursable contract, federal government contractors need to ensure their accounting system is adequate for determining costs applicable to federal contracts. This is accomplished when DCAA conducts a Pre-Award Accounting System Audit at the request of a federal agency. During this training, DCAA will discuss the federal regulations that define an acceptable accounting system, evaluate the minimum requirements of the SF 1408 criteria, and how small businesses can prepare for this type of audit. Experts from DCAA will differentiate between direct versus indirect costs, define total contract costs, provide an overview of indirect allocation bases, and learn how FAR Part 31 clauses describe allowability, allocability, and reasonableness.
Once awarded a cost reimbursable contract award, contractors are eligible for floor check audits, otherwise known as "real-time labor evaluations". Join DCAA as we discuss what is a real- time labor evaluation, why DCAA performs them, and how small businesses can prepare for these audits.
Speaker: Peggy Galindo, DCAA
Join us for part of our Federal Contracting Playbook Series with RSM Federal. We will be led by nationally-recognized experts from RSM Federal, an award-winning firm that works with companies to accelerate their understanding of the government market and learn how to position for and successfully win government contracts - with exceptional results.
Session 1 - Brutal Honesty: How to Succeed in Today's Government Market
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM (CST)
Undoubtedly, there has been some fundamental restructuring of the government contracting marketspace: Executive orders and FAR class deviations increasingly circumvent traditional statutes and regulations, eliminating feedback mechanisms relied upon by industry. We'll explore these and other impacts, including the federal workforce, evolution of category management, and the current and anticipated changes in regulations impacting the small business community.
Learn how your company can pivot to achieve success in these three critical areas:
- Mindset
- Marketing
- Business Development
Session 2 - Leveraging AI for Government Contracting Success
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (CST)
Explore how government contractors (small and large) can harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to streamline operations, enhance decision-making processes, and gain a competitive edge.
Learn how AI can be integrated into various business functions:
- Procurement
- Project Management
- Compliance
- And More!
Whether you're a seasoned government contractor or new to the field, this session will offer valuable insights and actionable steps to effectively leverage AI to transform your operations and position your organization for success in the competitive landscape of government contracting.
Annually the Federal, State, and Local governments in the U.S. award nearly $5.5 Trillion in contracts and subcontracts via the proposal process.
- Gain an understanding of the overall proposal process and best practices
- Learn to develop compliance matrices, outlines, and other tools
- Discover techniques to differentiate your proposals from your competition
- Have your proposal questions answered
Join us for part of our Federal Contracting Playbook Series with RSM Federal. We will be led by nationally-recognized experts from RSM Federal, an award-winning firm that works with companies to accelerate their understanding of the government market and learn how to position for and successfully win government contracts - with exceptional results.
Session 1 - Who Buys What You Sell: A Step-by-Step Process
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Identifying who buys, how much, and how often is called “Propensity” – and it helps you identify which military commands and federal agencies buy what you sell. Unlike most sessions, this is much more than a general or abstract discussion. This session, designed for “Business Readiness,” will accelerate your ability to validate who buys what you sell (down to the state, city, and contracting office level); to help transform how and where you engage the market; and to help validate the competitiveness of your pricing… for any specific opportunity.
Session 2 - Explosive Value: Leveraging and Communicating Past Performance
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
If you’re looking for tactics and strategies on how to position and communicate your company’s past performance, this seminar will change how you market, communicate and differentiate your products and services. In an educational, fast-paced, and high-energy seminar, we look at how most companies market their “experience” and past performance, with moderate success and little to no differentiation.
Surety bonding is often seen as a technical hurdle, but for many small businesses, it can be the key to unlocking significant procurement opportunities. This presentation will help you discover how surety bonds can be a game-changer for your business growth. Mr. Gibbs will share proven strategies to improve your bonding capacity, break through common barriers, and gain a competitive edge in both public and private sector contracting. With bonding often being the missing link between readiness and revenue, this session will empower participants to turn a perceived barrier into a business growth tool.
The presentation will cover:
- Why bonds are important
- SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program
- How to obtain a surety bond
- Underwriting an account
- Reasons Why Small Business get denied bonding
- Benefits of working with an SBA surety expert
- Top 10 tips for contractors/small businesses
What You’ll Learn:
- How surety bonds guaranteed by SBA work and why they’re essential for businesses seeking contracts in industries such as construction, government contracting, and more.
- Guidance on how to access SBA surety bonds with less hassle.
- Tips for overcoming common barriers small businesses face when securing surety bonds.
- Strategies to increase your eligibility and win more business by leveraging SBA support.
- Leave with actionable insights to assess your current bonding status, identify areas for improvement, and build stronger relationships with bonding partners and procurement stakeholders.
Governor’s Office of Business Initiatives and Development (GO-BID)
State Government Procurement Certification Workshop
When Small Businesses 'GO-BID' Tennessee Wins
Join us for an interactive workshop designed to help local businesses navigate the state government procurement process and become officially registered and certified to compete for contracting opportunities.
This session will walk participants through:
- The vendor registration process with the state’s procurement system
- Steps to obtain Business certifications
- How to identify and bid on upcoming state and local contract opportunities
- Key tips to strengthen your profile and grow through public-sector partnerships
Whether you’re new to government contracting or ready to expand your reach, this workshop offers hands-on guidance from state procurement professionals and resources to help your business succeed.
Who Should Attend? Small business owners, entrepreneurs, and vendors interested in doing business with state agencies.
Take the first step toward becoming a certified state supplier — and open the door to new opportunities!
A key aspect of SBA’s All Small Mentor Protégé Program (ASMPP) is the opportunity for mentors and protégés to form joint ventures to bid together on federal contracts and qualify as a small business. As the number of MPP relationships has grown, so too has the use of the ASMPP joint ventures (JV) to pursue opportunities previously out of reach for both parties.
Please join Todd Overman, chair of the Government Contracts Practice at Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, for an overview of best practices in JV formation, structuring, and growing the MPP relationship.
A light lunch will be provided to attendees. Space is limited.
Governor’s Office of Business Initiatives and Development (GO-BID)
State Government Procurement Certification Workshop
When Small Businesses 'GO-BID' Tennessee Wins
Join us for an interactive workshop designed to help local businesses navigate the state government procurement process and become officially registered and certified to compete for contracting opportunities.
This session will walk participants through:
- The vendor registration process with the state’s procurement system
- Steps to obtain Business certifications
- How to identify and bid on upcoming state and local contract opportunities
- Key tips to strengthen your profile and grow through public-sector partnerships
Whether you’re new to government contracting or ready to expand your reach, this workshop offers hands-on guidance from state procurement professionals and resources to help your business succeed.
Who Should Attend? Small business owners, entrepreneurs, and vendors interested in doing business with state agencies.
Take the first step toward becoming a certified state supplier — and open the door to new opportunities!