CONTRACT CONNECTIONS (MATCHMAKING): WHAT TO EXPECT
The 2025 National Small Business Conference offers two days of Contract Connections (matchmaking), February 12-13, 2025. Attendees have the opportunity to be pre-matched to meet one-on-one with federal agencies and large primes. When registering, be sure to opt-in as a buyer (agency/prime) or supplier (small business) to receive updates. Opting in for Contract Connections (matchmaking), does not guarantee a meeting. All Contract Connections (matchmaking) meetings are pre-assigned appointments and facilitated by the National 8(a) Association.
Registering for Contract Connections (Matchmaking)
When completing your conference registration, you will be asked, “Are you interested in participating in Contract Connections (matchmaking)?” To indicate you’re interested in participating, select “Yes” and complete the additional prompted questions for Contract Connections (matchmaking). Select “Buyer” if you are a federal agency or large prime and “Supplier” if you are a small business.
Suppliers: if you opted in to participate in Contract Connections (matchmaking) you will receive an email from the National 8(a) Association with the next steps for completing your profile to be considered for a meeting
If you previously submitted your registration and would like to change your Contract Connections (matchmaking) interest status or any of your Contract Connections (matchmaking) information, please email matchmaking@national8aassociation.org.
Suppliers registering for the conference after January 17, 2025 can email matchmaking@national8aassociation.org prior to the conference or visit the Contract Connections (matchmaking) information desk while at the conference to check if there are any available appointments.
Your Meetings
Buyers & suppliers will be pre matched and assigned meetings based on the information provided for your Contract Connections (matchmaking) profile. If your company’s capabilities align with any of the buyers and there is an available appointment, a copy of your company’s meeting schedule will be emailed prior to the conference.
Buyers, additional meetings may be added to your schedule throughout the conference to accommodate suppliers who signed up for Contract Connections (matchmaking) on or after January 17, 2025.
Please add matchmaking@national8aassociation.org to your contact list to ensure you receive our emails.
At the Conference
BUYERS
Plan to arrive to the Contract Connections (matchmaking) room about 30 minutes prior to your meeting’s scheduled start time.
Each buyer will be assigned a table number and will be provided their Contract Connections (matchmaking) schedule with supplier information.
Contract Connections (matchmaking) coordinators will make announcements in front of the Contract Connections (matchmaking) room at each meeting start time to allow suppliers with appointments to proceed to their buyer’s table.
At the Conference
SUPPLIERS
Be sure to bring a copy of your Contract Connections (matchmaking) meeting appointments. If needed, schedules can be emailed at the Contract Connections (matchmaking) information desk.
There is no need to check in for your meetings at the Contract Connections (matchmaking) information desk, unless you have any schedule changes/cancellations.
Plan to arrive to the Contract Connections (matchmaking) room about 10 minutes prior to your meeting’s scheduled start time to line up in the “appointments” queue.
Take this time to identify the table number the buyer you are meeting with is seated at (a table listing will be provided).
Contract Connections (matchmaking) coordinators will make announcements in front of the Contract Connections (matchmaking) room at each meeting start time to allow suppliers with appointments to proceed to their buyer’s table.
If you have back-to-back meetings, you will still need to exit the Contract Connections (matchmaking) room and line up in the “Appointments” queue again
