MATCHMAKING: WHAT TO EXPECT

The 2025 National Small Business Conference offers two days of 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 Matchmaking does not guarantee a meeting. All Matchmaking meetings are pre-assigned appointments and facilitated by the National 8(a) Association.

Registering for Matchmaking

When completing your conference registration, you will be asked, “Are you interested in participating in Matchmaking?” To indicate you’re interested in participating in Matchmaking, select “Yes” and complete the additional prompted questions for 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 Matchmaking you will receive an email from the National 8(a) Association in December 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 Matchmaking interest status or any of your Matchmaking information, please email matchmaking@national8aassociation.org.

  • Suppliers registering for the conference after January 24, 2025 can email matchmaking@national8aassociation.org prior to the conference or visit the 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 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 matchmaking on or after January 24, 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 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 Matchmaking schedule with supplier information. 

  • Matchmaking coordinators will make announcements in front of the 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 Matchmaking meeting appointments. If needed, schedules can be emailed at the Matchmaking information desk.

  • There is no need to check in for your meetings at the Matchmaking information desk, unless you have any schedule changes/cancellations.

  • Plan to arrive to the 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).

  • Matchmaking coordinators will make announcements in front of the 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 matchmaking room and line up in the “Appointments” queue again