Recently, Supply Chimp had the privilege of attending two significant events in Washington, D.C.—the AUSA (Association of the United States Army) Conference and the NIB/NAEPB (National Industries for the Blind and National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind) Annual Conference. Our leadership team—including our President, Joe McKenna; VP of Operations, Jeff Burwell; Director of Vendor Partnerships, Michael Weinstein; and VP of Business Development, Patrick Voller—attended to connect with partners and explore emerging trends in the government contracting space.

AUSA Conference: Advancing Defense and Readiness

Supply Chimp Insights

Supply Chimp recently attended the

We are thrilled to announce the addition of two accomplished professionals to our executive team here at Supply Chimp. These strategic hires mark an exciting chapter in our journey to further elevate our capabilities and expand our footprint in the government contracting arena.

In October 2023, Supply Chimp's leadership, including myself, Kris Colt (VP Revenue), and Mike Weinstein (Director of Vendor Partnerships), actively participated in the National Institute of the Blind's annual conference in Washington DC. Kris was invited to speak on a panel about supply chain integrity and performance, during which the GSA team emphasized the critical importance of contract delivery performance. Erv Koehler, Assistant Comissioner declared: Right now it's all about delivery, delivery, delivery." This challenge set the tone for Supply Chimp's New Year's Resolution in 2024: to achieve best-in-class contract performance. 

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program is aligned to DoD’s information security requirements for DIB partners. It is designed to enforce protection of sensitive unclassified information that is shared by the Department with its contractors and subcontractors. The program provides the Department increased assurance that contractors and subcontractors are meeting the cybersecurity requirements that apply to acquisition programs and systems that process controlled unclassified information.

At Mississippi Industries for the Blind (MIB), people who have experienced vision loss have the opportunity to work for an organization that produces a variety of government supplies while employing workers who are blind or visually impaired through the AbilityOne™ Program. Nationwide, seven out of 10 working age Americans who are blind are unemployed. NIB associated nonprofit agencies like Mississippi Industries for the Blind work to change this by providing opportunities for employment in jobs that pay competitive wages and provide benefits. 

Outlook Nebraska has been providing employment opportunities for those in the Omaha, Nebraska region since 2000. They started out small, with just four people who were blind creating paper products, but they didn’t stay small long. Today, Outlook is the largest employer of those who are blind within not just Nebraska, but a seven state region surrounding Nebraska.

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc . formed in 1918, began serving the Seattle area during the aftermath of World War I. The gas attacks and combat of the war left many American service members without vision once the war was over. As they returned home, the need for employment opportunities reached a critical level and spurred the creation of a Seattle organization, which was established in 1916.

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) held its annual NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo November 13-16th in Washington, D.C. The event had an excellent turnout of more than 800 attendees who enjoyed several days of education and networking within the AbilityOne community. The theme of this year’s NIB Conference was Commitment to Serve, with an emphasis on the support NIB, its associated agencies, and business partners provide the U.S. military and our nation’s veterans through the AbilityOne Program.

Austin Lighthouse for the Blind has been creating employment opportunities for those who are blind or visually impaired since 1934. The nonprofit organization started out loom weaving mats and canning peaches that they then sold door-to-door within the neighborhoods of Austin, Texas.