Training & Events
The North Dakota APEX offers many webinars and workshops designed to help you understand and navigate the government procurement process.
Training is critical to keep businesses informed of the latest procurement practices and opportunities.
Upcoming Tri-State Procurement Webinars
The following series of webinars are hosted in partnership with Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota APEX Accelerators and SBA District Offices.
Webinars typically take place on the first Tuesday of every month from 9 -10 a.m. Central Time.
February 3
What to Expect as Contracting Moves to the GSA
On March 20, 2025, a landmark Executive Order led to a significant shift in federal
contracting, with the General Services Administration (GSA) taking over much of the
government’s procurement of common goods and services. To prepare for these changes,
begin now to position yourself for work that will be contracted through GSA contract
vehicles.
Learn what to expect as contracting moves to GSA from Andy Grocott, a 10-year military
veteran who has dealt with various multi-million-dollar negotiations for military
contracts and has done business on three continents with experience in numerous industry
sectors, and a first-hand understanding of how many different industries strive and
execute continuous improvement as well as lean strategies.
March 3
Legal Insights on Prevailing Wage Compliance for Construction & Service Contracts
Navigating the complexities of prevailing wage laws is critical for contractors and subcontractors engaged in government-funded projects. This workshop offers a comprehensive legal perspective on prevailing wage requirements under federal and state regulations, with a focus on both construction and service contracts.
2026 Midwest Matchmaker
February 11-12
Connecting Small Businesses with Government Buyers
Are you a small business looking to expand your reach and connect with government
buyers? The 2026 Midwest Matchmaker is your chance to meet federal, state, and local
government procurement officials. This unique opportunity will bring together businesses
and buyers in one of the largest online procurement events in the region.
Women's Business Conference
March 10
The conference will take place in Jamestown, North Dakota. Elevate your skills, expand your network, and ignite your ambition – step into a community that champions your success.
DCAA Webinars - NAPEX National Training
The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and North Dakota APEX Accelerator are
excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Introductory Series, including Intro to DCAA
and Audit Process Overview and Breaking into GovCon from a DCAA Perspective.
DCAA Cost Reimbursement Series - Part 2
February 11
Your local APEX Accelerator and the National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series. Part 2 of the Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series includes Incurred Cost Submissions and Contract Briefs.
At the end of a defined accounting period, federal government contractors must submit actual costs incurred to DCAA. The intention of this process is for DCAA to review costs claimed to ensure they are allowable, allocable, and reasonable per FAR 31, as well as within the terms of their respective contracts. DCAA will discuss requirements for the annual submission and what DCAA considers to be elements of an adequate submission. This training provides an overview of the DCAA Incurred Cost Electronic (ICE) model, which provides contractors with a standard user-friendly package to compile their financial data. DCAA will also discuss its adequacy review process and means of how they select submissions for audit.
Why is briefing your contracts so important? Contract briefs are your “One Stop Shop” for all pertinent information, including contract provisions, clauses, requirements, allowability, funding, and so much more! DCAA will discuss the use of contract briefs in audits, reviewing vouchers, and the usefulness of contract brief information while monitoring your contract expenditures.
Upcoming DoW Small Business Webinars
The following series of webinars are hosted by the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) and APEX Accelerators. These sessions are designed to inform and empower small business owners, acquisition professionals, and government contracting stakeholders.
Introduction to APEX Accelerators
February 12
DoW Mentor-Protege Program
March 5
Project Spectrum
April 23
Project Spectrum is a DoD OSBP initiative that helps small and medium-sized businesses strengthen cybersecurity to meet federal contracting requirements. This program offers training, tools, and resources to increase awareness of cyber threats, protect Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and understand regulations like Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).
In this webinar, Kareem Sykes, Project Spectrum Industry & Engagement Director (CTR), explains how businesses can improve their cyber readiness, meet compliance requirements, and access support tools.
Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI)
May 14
Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) happens when a foreign entity has the power to direct or influence the management or operations of a company. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information and potentially compromise national security. FOCI can involve legal means like joint ventures and acquisitions or illegal methods like cyber espionage.
In this webinar, Dr. Bryson Reynolds will teach you how to identify FOCI, why it's important, and the steps you can take to protect your business.
DoD Mentor-Protégé Program
July 14
The DoD Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) strengthens and modernizes the defense industrial base by connecting businesses new to government contracting with more experienced government contractors to provide broader and deeper capabilities to the military supply chain. Through this collaboration, protégés gain critical knowledge, technical expertise, and business development acumen which increases their capabilities to perform as subcontractors and suppliers under DoD contracts, other federal government and commercial contracts. Mentors gain valuable and qualified subcontracting partners to provide technological capabilities to rebuild our military and advance other government priorities.
In this webinar, Jerry Smith, Program Analyst (CTR), DoD Mentor-Protégé Program, will explain how the MPP works, the benefits to mentors and proteges, and how to participate.
U.S. Air Force Office of Small Business Programs Upcoming Events
Stay informed about the latest opportunities to engage with the U.S. Air Force Office of Small Business Programs. Our Upcoming Events page highlights conferences, workshops, webinars, and networking sessions designed to help small businesses succeed in the government contracting space. Join us to connect, learn, and explore ways to collaborate with the U.S. Air Force.
U.S. Army Office of Small Business Programs Learning & Events
Discover valuable resources, training opportunities, and upcoming events hosted by the U.S. Army Office of Small Business Programs. Designed to empower small business owners, this platform provides educational materials, networking events, and guidance to help businesses successfully navigate government contracting. Explore webinars, workshops, and conferences tailored to support your journey in partnering with the U.S. Army.
Defense Logistics Agency Events and Webinars
Find upcoming opportunities to work with DLA through DLA's Small Business Outreach Calendar. Discover matchmaking events, attend classes or connect with other small businesses in similar industries. View the calendar to see details for each DLA event.
U.S. Navy Office of Small Business Programs Upcoming Events
The mission of OSBP is to promote acquisition opportunities where small business can best support the needs of our Sailors and Marines. We owe it to these men and women to provide them with the systems, innovation, products and tools necessary to enable them to accomplish their mission and return home safely. We also owe it to the taxpayer to acquire these products and services at affordable and responsible prices. It is our hope that through this website you will gain information that will assist you in competing for those opportunities. You will find links to all of the DON's major buying activities and it is there that you will get to know the business of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Upcoming Govology Webinars
As one of our clients, you have the opportunity to access and attend several additional webinars available through Govology at no cost. Review the list of dates, times, and topics, read the event flyer for more details and then contact us to get the access code and get registered today. If you need assistance with registering, please contact Cadi Zerr at 701-777-6574.
Leveraging Market Research For Government Market Opportunities (2026 Update)
Are you a new government contractor eager to break into the lucrative government marketplace? Mastering market research is a crucial skill that can give you a significant edge over the competition. In this comprehensive introductory course, you’ll gain the essential knowledge and tools needed to excel at market research and secure a competitive advantage.
By the end of this training, you’ll have a solid foundation in market research that will set you up for success in the government marketplace. This training will also prepare you for advanced market research courses on Govology.com, where you can learn tactical skills for analyzing competitive intelligence and uncovering opportunities through advanced prospecting and forecasting techniques.
How to Register and Maintain Your SAM.gov and SBA’s SBS Profiles (2026 Update)
Whether you’re registering in SAM.gov for the first time or you’ve been active for years, small missteps — or outdated information — can slow you down, derail eligibility, or cause you to miss an opportunity entirely. In this step-by-step training, you’ll learn how to register correctly, keep your SAM.gov and SBA Small Business Search (SBS) profiles current, and avoid common compliance pitfalls. We’ll also highlight an important 2026 change contractors need to plan for, so you’re not caught off guard when it’s time to submit proposals.
What You Will Learn
- How to prepare for SAM registration, including what documents and information you need before you begin
- How the SAM.gov IRS validation process works, including how your legal business name and EIN are verified during registration
- How to complete and maintain your SAM registration, including UEI and CAGE Code considerations
- A major 2026 change that contractors must watch (and account for), which could impact proposal submission compliance
- How the current SBS platform and search interface are used by government buyers and prime contractors to find small businesses
- How to update and strengthen your SBS profile so it remains accurate, searchable, and competitive
We’ll walk you through the entire process, from preparing your documents to keeping your profiles current, so you don’t miss out on opportunities due to incomplete or outdated information.
Gen-AI in Government Procurement
Generative AI can be incredibly useful—until it isn’t. Join David Timm (Co-Chair of Burr & Forman’s AI Committee and Chair of the Federal Bar Association’s Bid Protest Committee) for a candid reality check on how large language models (LLMs) behave in legal and government contracting contexts—and how to use them without getting burned.
You’ll learn:
- The three core LLM risks: hallucinations, sycophancy, and privacy/privilege exposure
- What current performance data shows about leading chatbots’ failure rates, and how often they repeat false information.
- GovCon examples where over-reliance on AI has led to legal sanctions, dismissed protests, and loss of professional credibility
- Clear dos and don’ts for using AI for brainstorming and issue-spotting without compromising confidential data or falling for plausible-looking hallucinations
You’ll leave with a clear understanding of how LLMs work, where they tend to fail, and how to use them responsibly in GovCon and legal workflows. Walk away with practical guardrails you can apply immediately to protect sensitive information and avoid costly missteps.
Vendor Activation, Visibility, and Engagement Best Practices
Before you can gain visibility, win contracts, and get paid by government agencies or prime contractors, you need to be properly set up as a vendor. Yet vendor registration and supplier onboarding are often misunderstood, over-applied, or treated as a box-checking exercise rather than a strategic business decision.
This course explains the core principles of vendor activation and supplier onboarding—why registration exists, when it’s required, when it isn’t, and how to determine what applies to your specific contracting path. Rather than focusing on a single system or form, you’ll learn how vendor and supplier registrations function across federal, state, and local environments, as well as within prime contractor vendor databases. You’ll also see how these registrations support not only eligibility but also payment, vendor visibility and marketing, sourcing, and small-business utilization efforts.
In this course, you will learn:
- Why vendor registration and supplier onboarding exist in the first place
- When registration is required—and when it may not be necessary
- How to determine which registrations apply to your business and target buyers
- The benefits of registration
- Why maintaining and updating registrations is critical to remaining active and visible
- How federal, state, and local vendor registration processes differ
- Where to find trusted training, resources, and support for registration and onboarding
- Why small business certifications and status matter in vendor and supplier systems
This course does not provide step-by-step instructions for completing specific registration systems. Instead, it equips you with the knowledge to make informed decisions, avoid unnecessary effort, and take the right next step—whether that means formal registration, subcontractor onboarding, certification alignment, or targeted guidance through additional training or local support resources.
By the end of this course, you’ll understand how vendor activation, visibility, and engagement work together to position your business for opportunity, recognition, and payment—without wasting time on registrations that don’t fit your strategy.
How to Write Customer-Focused Proposals (2026 Update)
Join Mr. Cuskey in this informative course as he takes you on a deep dive into the world of government contracts. Whether you’re new to the government marketplace or looking to gain a competitive edge, this course is packed with strategies and insights to help you land your first contract or improve your win rate.
In this course, you’ll discover the secrets to finding attractive opportunities for your company and writing customer-focused proposals that will impress government buyers. Mr. Cuskey will share his expert strategies for differentiating your company and crafting a proposal that demonstrates the best value based on the specific evaluation criteria expected by the government.
New to the government marketplace? Don’t worry! Applying the tips and strategies discussed in this course will give you the confidence to pursue and win your first government contract.
If you’ve already won your first contract but want to take your success to the next level, this course will give you an exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ look at the review process. Gain a deeper understanding of the mindset of government buyers and learn how to stand out from the competition.
Here is a summary of what you’ll learn:
- How to find attractive opportunities for your company to pursue and win
- Solicitation analysis techniques and navigating the Uniform Contract Format (UCF)
- How to build and use go/no-go evaluation considerations
- How the government will evaluate your proposal
- Tips for writing a customer-focused proposal while avoiding fluff and puff
Join us for the live session and take advantage of the opportunity to ask your most pressing proposal-writing questions. Mr. Cuskey, a highly experienced and award-winning contracting professional, has been on both sides of the proposal-writing and proposal-evaluating process. Don’t miss this chance to learn from the best!
How to Build a Strong Government Sales Strategy – 8 Core Activities (2026 Update)
In this fast-paced, high-energy session, Mr. Frank will show you how to build a sales strategy that actually wins in government contracting. You’ll learn how to identify who buys what you sell, gather the right intelligence, and position your solution to outmaneuver competitors—connecting the dots from targeting to capture to close.
You will learn:
- How to research who buys what you sell
- Why communicating quantifiable value is critical to prime and subcontracting efforts
- How to position your company in the market
- How to engage the market
- Why you should consider teaming
- How to build and manage your pipeline
- How to manage your Bid – No Bid process
- Pros and cons of different bid-matching and other contract management tools
This training provides award-winning tactics and strategies that have helped companies win over $14.6 billion in definitive contracts and more than $30 billion in multiple-award contracts.
Evolving DoD Contractor Cybersecurity Requirements (Q1-2026 Update)
The United States’ adversaries are actively working to steal the nation’s military and industrial competitive advantage. Today’s ubiquitous, highly interconnected information systems make that theft easier than ever. The U.S. federal government recognizes the risk to sensitive information housed in contractors’ systems—such as Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). As a result, all federal contractors must implement basic cybersecurity requirements in the internal IT systems that process federal contract-related data.
In addition, contractors that handle information related to Department of Defense contracts must comply with DFARS clauses 252.204-7012 / 7019 / 7020 / 7021, which require more advanced cybersecurity safeguards. These safeguards can be challenging for organizations of any size to implement.
In this course, Adam Austin, Co-Founder, Cybersecurity Lead, and CTO of Totem Technologies, will explain these requirements in layperson’s terms, outline common implementation challenges, and share resources to help you navigate the cybersecurity landscape.
MySBA Certification Training Events
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Training Events
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR and STTR enable small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated, and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.Click the links below to access the on-demand training, which is available at no cost to ND APEX Accelerator clients, access customized resources to meet your specific needs, and sign up for the SBA SBIR/STTR Newsletter to stay updated on the latest in government contracting.
SBA SBIR/STTR Newsletter signup
FLC Upcoming Events
The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) is the formally chartered, nationwide network of over 300 federal laboratories and research centers, that fosters commercialization, best practice strategies and opportunities for accelerating federal technologies out of the labs and into the marketplace.Through American taxpayers’ investment in our federal laboratories’ research and development (R&D) efforts, scientific and technological breakthroughs can take place and return dividends to our economy. New industries, businesses, and jobs that can be created, when a new technology is brought to market, are just a few of the successes that take effect through technology transfer (T2), and the FLC is here to promote, facilitate, and educate labs and industry about that process.
DoD Office of Small Business Programs - Cybersecurity Resources
Cybersecurity is vital for small businesses to protect against cyberattacks that can lead to identity theft, business interruptions, reputational damage, and costly legal fees. To work with federal agencies like the DoD, businesses must meet cybersecurity standards such as NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC 2.0.
Project Spectrum Events
Check out the full calendar of upcoming events and opportunities.
Registration
To directly register for ND APEX sponsored events visit our calendar.