FREDERICKSBURG, Va. –
Excitement and energy were in the air at the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center May 3 as industry partners gathered for the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Small Business Outreach and Engagement Event. Approximately 350 attendees represented more than 300 businesses.
The event informs industry partners of the strategic direction and environmental factors influencing the future of NSWCDD. The gathering also encourages an atmosphere of networking and discussion with industry partners to further the mission of NSWCDD and the Navy as a whole.
With NSWCDD’s expansive research and diverse portfolio, all of the briefings for the day focused on five main strategic thrusts: intelligent automation, software engineering revolution, digital engineering, hypersonic weapons advancement, and information superiority.
The event kicked off with NSWCDD’s Deputy for Small Business, Allison Strong, who welcomed visitors and stressed the importance of building sustainable partnerships.
“Our goal in the Small Business Office is to develop small businesses and to maximize opportunities to participate in contract procurement,” Strong said. “We want to equip our organization with a broad base of capable partners to support the division’s mission and strengthen our nation’s economic development.”
NSWCDD’s Commanding Officer Capt. Philip Mlynarski delivered the Command welcome and provided industry partners with an overview of NSWCDD’s portfolio.
“Many of you have worked with us before, but some of you here are new,” Mlynarski said. “So I am excited to see what you are going to bring to the table and how we can partner together.”
NSWCDD is the largest federal research and development employer in the state, with 4,915 government employees and more than 3,000 contractors. Of the government employees, 83% are part of the technical workforce.
“The biggest thing for me, as a warfighter, is to make sure those on the front lines are confident with the systems that we have,” Mlynarski said. “It really is incumbent on all of you to help us get out there and win. I look forward to all of the greatness that will come from your companies.”
NSWCDD Technical Director Dale Sisson Jr., SES, followed Mlynarski and discussed several topics including threats and strategic priorities.
“How we look at our threats is really pacing everything that we do,” Sisson said. “I am excited where product delivery is going, not just here within the Dahlgren Division, but across the naval research and development establishment.”
“The demand is incredibly strong, the strongest we have seen it, and we can’t do it ourselves,” Sisson added. “We need your help. We will identify the technical areas where we have the expertise and don’t have the expertise, and we need you to help augment those areas.”
After Sisson’s presentation, the floor was open for questions before departmental overviews. Each department delivered a brief overview of the department’s scope of work, goals, needs and projections.
After a lunch recess, attendees were encouraged to visit networking table stations with department representatives for additional discussion.