Last week, WashingtonExec’s Federal Acquisition Council for Business Development Professionals held a kick off lunch with over 35 business development executives at The Tower Club to discuss the group’s mission and outcome-oriented agenda for 2014.
The Council’s Co-Chairman, James Scampavia, Vice President of Business Development at AMERICAN SYSTEMS, keynoted the invite-only event.
In a letter to potential members, Scampavia said, “Our Council is all about business development executives responsible for the entire bid lifecycle from account management to proposal development, who are interested in advancing the profession and willing to share insights, explore new concepts, and learn together. We will build a very unique network. And we will bring a fresh new perspective to federal acquisition.”
The mission of the Council is to form a true practitioners group in order to exchange knowledge, experience, and strategic thinking among corporate acquisition professionals so that these executives are better equipped to compete in ever-changing federal contracting marketplace. Tactical program topics as well as speakers from the public sector, specifically in the acquisition and procurement industries, are currently under consideration.
“I think the days of executives spending $1,500 for a dinner at a fancy restaurant are over,” commented JD Kathuria, CEO of WashingtonExec. This group will be one-of-a-kind forum to assist executives in establishing meaningful and trusted relationships.
Next steps for the group include identify individuals for the Council’s steering committee as well as developing a specific event-by-event 2014 agenda. Each Council member will have a senior-level business development member and one pre-selected critical talent professional (similar to our WashingtonExec Strategic Human Capital Council model). There was representation from the George Washington University Master of Science in Government Contracting (MSGC) and the Council plans to distinguish itself by working closely with the University and its business programs.
