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.
Local/Regional
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 the first Tuesday of every month from 9 -10 a.m. Central Time.
MORE INFO about procurement webinars
December 3
SBIR and STTR Programs
The Department of Defense (DoD) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small
Business
Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are Congressionally authorized small business
set-asides established to support scientific excellence and technological innovation
through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to
build a strong national economy. SBIR is a competitive three-phased process to solicit
proposals for Research/Research and Development (R/R&D), production, services, or
any combination to meet stated agency needs or missions; and to award funding agreements
to qualifying Small Business Concerns (SBCs). STTR is a parallel program to SBIR with
the added requirement that SBCs partner with colleges/universities, Federally Funded
Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) or qualified non-profit research institutions
on cooperative R/R&D. Learn how to participate in the DoD SBIR/STTR Programs and find
funding opportunities
Construction Quality Management Certification Course For Contractors
November 7 @ 8 am - 3pm
This course offers prospective QC Managers and Administrators the opportunity to satisfy the CQM-C training requirements specified in most USACE and NAVFAC construction contracts. This course must be taken and the final test must be passed by any person aspiring to be the QC Manager or Alternate. The certificate is valid for a five year period from the date of the class.
DOE SBIR/STTR Deep Dive
November 18 @ 1 pm - 4:30 pm
The Department of Energy (DOE) will release its FY 2024 SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement on November 12, 2024, with the required Letter of Intent due by January 7, 2025. Those interested in submitting a proposal are encouraged to attend an upcoming workshop that will cover essential aspects of a successful DOE proposal. Led by an expert, the workshop will provide strategies for developing a competitive R&D scope, budget, and commercialization plan. Topics covered include an overview of the DOE SBIR/STTR Program structure, eligibility, review criteria, and selection process. Additionally, participants will learn how to select the right topic, prepare the Letter of Intent, plan their project, and gather required documents. The workshop will also offer guidance on creating a strong Proposal Narrative and Budget and navigating the Grants.gov Workspace submission portal.
DoD
DCAA Trainings - Sponsored by NAPEX
Join your APEX Accelerator and the National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) in a wide variety of monthly training series.
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. Veiw 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.
Govology Webinars
Upcoming Govology Webinars
As one of our clients, you have the opportunity to access and attend several additional webinar's available through Govology. 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 assisstance with registering, please contact Cadi Zerr at 701-777-6574.
November 12
DCAA: Elements of an Adequate Proposal
This webinar, led by Katelyn Rigle from the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), provides an overview of the proposal requirements outlined in FAR Part 15 and DFARS 252.215-7009 for government contractors. The session covers key cost elements such as direct labor, materials, subcontracts, other direct costs (ODCs), and indirect rates. Attendees will learn about DCAA’s process for evaluating proposal adequacy, common areas of noncompliance, and best practices for budgeting using historical data. Designed for small business contractors, the webinar offers actionable insights and regulatory resources to improve proposal development.
November 19
The Ins and Outs of Personnal Security Clearances
This training session provides an introductory overview of the requirements and processes for obtaining a personnel security clearance (PCL), a crucial qualification for contractors seeking to expand their bidding opportunities in the federal marketplace. It covers the three main types of PCLs for contractor employees, eligibility factors, and the SF-86 questionnaire, along with a preview of the upcoming Personnel Vetting Questionnaire. The session also delves into the PCL review process, including background checks, polygraphs, and credit or medical evaluations, and explains the differences between interim and final PCLs, as well as appeal options. Additionally, it highlights how to maintain a PCL amid the government’s shift toward continuous vetting. The target audience includes companies pursuing federal contracts.
This webinar is free when you contact ndapex@und.edu for a special access code.
SBA/Other Federal
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.
FLC Upcoming Events
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity For Small Businesses
Join us at the Air Force/Space Force CISO’s Blue Cyber Initiative.
Always free and public, the DAF CISO’s Blue Cyber education series is an early partnership with the Defense Industrial Base, which enables small businesses to bake in cybersecurity and move forward at the speed of innovation. The Blue Cyber Initiative Small Business Cybersecurity boot camp. As small businesses drive innovation and support defense missions with cutting-edge technologies, it is vital we work together to protect DoD sensitive data and networks.
Blue Cyber will pair small businesses with the most modern cyber protection methods in the industry, better positions DIB small businesses to protect sensitive information and networks even before they have a contract to innovate for defense; this defense sensitive information includes YOUR Intellectual Property.
Learn More about Cyber Security for Small Businesses
Iviry's Future-Proofing Your Business: Cybersecurity Strategies for 2025 and Beyond
November 6 @ 9am-10am
In this 1-hour webinar, the Iviry team will outline key steps businesses must take to protect against the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape. You’ll gain actionable strategies to defend against threats like phishing, ransomware, and insider attacks, while ensuring compliance with the latest security standards. Learn how to build disaster recovery plans, foster a cybersecurity-first culture to reduce human error, and develop an incident response plan that ensures business continuity and meets DoD cybersecurity requirements for defense contracts.
Air Force and Space Force Chief Information Security Officer Ask-Me-Anything
The Air Force and Space Force Chief Information Security Officer has created the Blue Cyber Education Series for Small Businesses and Academic/Research Institutions. This program provides the Small Business Cybersecurity Materials and an Every-Tuesday Cybersecurity Ask-Me-Anything.
Registration
To directly register for ND APEX sponsored events visit our calendar.