From Small Business Center at SCC

LaNell Grissom, Business Development Specialist, with the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) will be on-site at Sampson Community College in the Small Business Center and working as a partner to locate businesses desiring to do business with the federal government. In this capacity, she helps existing businesses to identify, bid on and compete for federal contracts at no cost to the small business owner.

Prior to joining the NCMBC, Grissom was a government procurement counselor with the North Carolina Procurement Center at Fayetteville State University.

In 2010, she retired from the federal government with 36 years of civilian service, including 27 years’ experience in purchasing and contracting with the Department of the Army. Her last 3 years in the federal government were spent as the Administrative Contracting Officer & Team Lead, Contract Administration Branch, and the Interim Chief of the Pre-Award Branch, Installation Division of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command Center at Fort Bragg.

LaNell is a Sampson County native and currently resides in Stedman. She is thrilled to be serving the business community of Sampson County.

What is the NC Military Business Center?

The North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) is a business development organization and a collaborative effort between North Carolina businesses and the North Carolina Community College System.

The mission of the NCMBC is to leverage military and other federal business opportunities to expand the economy, grow jobs and improve quality of life in North Carolina. Goals include:

• Contracts – to increase federal revenues for businesses in North Carolina

• Employment – to support the integration of transitioning military, family members and veterans into the workforce

• Recruitment – to support recruitment of defense business

The Department of Defense and other agencies purchase products and services across numerous industries, mainly construction and engineering, non-personal services (training, IT, landscaping, etc.) and manufactured goods (parachutes, food, furniture, medical, etc.). Future growth areas for federal procurement include:

• Aerospace & Unmanned Systems

• Biomedical, Biotechnologies, Biodefense

• Advanced Manufacturing & Materials

• Installation Energy, Environmental & Construction

• Ground Vehicles & Robotics

• Cyber, Software Advanced IT Systems

• Operational Energy Solutions

• Human/Social Sciences & Cultural Behavioral Dynamics

Grissom and Amanda Bradshaw, director of the Small Business Center at Sampson Community College, will work to identify businesses that have potential to meet federal contracting needs and assist these business owners in the processes necessary to procure such contracting opportunities. Grissom will be on site at Sampson Community College in the Small Business Center each Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting July 16.

If interested in better understanding the potential for contracting with the federal government, please contact Amanda Bradshaw at 910-592-8081 ext. 2032 or at [email protected] for the next available appointment.