Webinar: Southern California Defense Contracting Virtual Summit by Defense Leadership Forum

WEBINAR ENDED

About this Webinar

Southern California hosts some of the highest concentrations of military bases and commands in the country, including Edwards Air Force Base, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Station San Diego, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, Fort Irwin Army Base, NAVFAC Southwest, NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center, DLA Distribution Center, and much more. All need contractor support.

For future exciting Virtual Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities please contact Brooke Rosicka at brooke.rosicka@usdlf.org.

Agenda

Military Base Mission & Operations - and Contracting Priorities
Innovation Tools/Training Tools/Enhanced Test Capabilities
Enhanced Human Relations Tools/Administrative Tools/Education and Training
Enhanced Base Services and Housing
Installation/Facility Services and BOS (Base Operations Support) Contracts
Enhanced Test & Training Requirements
Enhanced IT Network/Connectivity Needs
Small Business Contracting Opportunities & Resources
Teaming Arrangements Between Prime Contractors & Subcontractors

Presenters

Cynthia (Cindy) J. Randall

Air Force Test Center (AFTC) Director of Small Business

The Small Business Office manages all small business requests and opportunities associated with developmental test and evaluation of air, space, and cyberspace systems.

Kathrin (Katy) P. Day-Davis

Air Force Test Center (AFTC) Contracting Directorate Division Chief

Katy Day-Davis provides strategic leadership, guidance, and contracting expertise to the Division and contracting support to the Rocket Propulsion Support Division, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Edwards AFB.

Maj. Rheesa Paluay

Commander, 30th Contracting Squadron Vandenberg AFB

Major Paluay is responsible for contracting operations on the third largest U.S. Air Force base, leading a team of 70 personnel and overseeing $110M new contracts annually, re-acquisitions and source selections worth $750M and a standing $4.5B contract portfolio.

Derrick Hu

Deputy Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division

As Deputy Director, Small Business Programs for the Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (NAWCWD), Derrick’s purview covers Navy shore facilities at China Lake, CA and Point Mugu, CA, and includes many of DoD’s special laboratories for R&D and evaluation of aircraft weapons systems and guided missiles, as well as a highly instrumented complex of air, land, and sea ranges and test facilities. A native of Honolulu, HI, Derrick is a veteran of the US Air Force with wide experience in the Logistics career field. He has worked as a Small Business Specialist with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) since 2010.

Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Minority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, California's 23rd District

Congressman Kevin McCarthy serves as the Minority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represents California's 23rd District, which includes Edwards Air Force Base, the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, the Air Force Research Laboratory's Rocket Lab, Mojave Air & Space Port, and the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.

After twin earthquakes hit China Lake, Congressman McCarthy was instrumental in securing vital Congressional funds for the rebuilding of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. And Congressman McCarthy has been a strong advocate for American leadership in space, including support for Space Force and support for commercial spaceflight.

Brig Gen Matthew Higer

Commander, 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Brig Gen Matthew W. Higer leads a wing of nearly 8,000 personnel in the developmental test and evaluation of the KC-46, KC-135, C-17, C-130, F-35, F-22, F-16, B-21, B-1, B-2, B-52, T-7A, RQ-4 and emerging technologies. Additionally, Col Higer is the Installation Commander responsible for base operations support for more than 11,000 active duty, reserve, civil service and defense contractors at Edwards, the second largest base in the U.S. Air Force.

Brig Gen Higer earned his commission in 1993 from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Southern California. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Army War College, the United States Naval Postgraduate School, the United States Air Force Squadron Officer School, and the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He holds a Level 3 Acquisition Professional Development Program certification in Program Management and Test and Evaluation. He was previously the Commandant of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Vice Commander of the 96th Test Wing and commanded two squadrons.

Brig Gen Higer is a command pilot with more than 2,900 military flight hours in 39 aircraft types as an experimental test pilot, instructor pilot, and evaluator pilot. His military flight experience includes combat missions during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH.

Charles Sills

Program Director, Defense Leadership Forum

Mr. Sills is the Program Director for the Defense Leadership Forum and has served in National Security positions in the Pentagon, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Middle East Force Command, and the Supreme Allied Command, NATO/Atlantic.

Howard Snow

National Moderator

Mr. Snow is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations, Facilities and Energy and National Moderator for defense conferences hosted by Defense Leadership Forum. Mr. Snow has over 35 years of Military, Business, Energy, and Government experience.