On December 17, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development hosted its first Native Edge Institute (NEI) in Washington, DC. With the support of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the NEI brought in subject-matter experts in federal and small business contracting and procurement who were there to help established and aspiring entrepreneurs get a leg up in business. The event was hosted at the American Petroleum Institute, which gave a presentation on the many opportunities for tribes and Native-owned entities to partner with the oil and gas industry.

From accounting, to labor and employment requirements, to the latest rules and regulations governing federal contracting, attendees at the Washington, DC NEI were given a full overview of the contracting landscape and how they can make the most of the many opportunities afforded to them. We were joined by small business and acquisitions expert from the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Office of Environmental Management at the Department of Energy. And Live Oak Bank made a presentation on funding and financing opportunities for federal contractors. The day ended with intimate roundtable discussions that gave attendees a chance for an in-depth discussion with NEI presenters.

Though it’s our last NEI of 2019, we have robust 2020 NEI schedule starting with Denver on January 30. For a full list of scheduled NEIs, please click here. We hope to see you in 2020!