Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs to host webinar training series
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
July 10, 2025
Fast Facts:
- Webinar training series to provide information on Department of Defense programs, government contracting
- Trainings scheduled for July 14, July 31 and Aug. 18
- Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs funds Arkansas APEX Accelerator program
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LITTLE ROCK — The Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs, which funds the Arkansas APEX Accelerator program, will host a summer webinar series about DoD programs designed to help small businesses navigate government contracting, with the first webinar on July 14.
Melanie Berman, program director of the Arkansas APEX Accelerator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said attending these webinars is “a great way for business to learn about the programs the DoD oversees.
“Each webinar will help small business owners, acquisition professionals and other stakeholders engaged in government contracting deepen their understanding of essential DoD programs and initiatives,” Berman said. “These programs are designed to support business growth, and we encourage Arkansas small business owners to take advantage of these opportunities.”
The scheduled webinars include:
- Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé Program: July 14 at 10 a.m. CDT. Register at ly/mppjuly14
- APEX Accelerators: July 31 at 10 a.m. CDT. Register at ly/apexjuly31
- Project Spectrum: Aug. 18 at 10:30 a.m. CDT. Register at ly/psaug18
Registration is required for each webinar. For more details and to view the full series, visit business.defense.gov/Resources/Training-Materials/.
Programming with purpose
The first webinar will focus on the Mentor-Protégé Program, or MPP, which Berman said is one of the Department of Defense’s “oldest continually operating mentor-protégé programs.”
“Originally established in the midst of the first Gulf War, the MPP helps eligible small businesses expand their footprint in the defense industrial base,” she said. “Under the MPP, small businesses are partnered with larger companies. In the past five years, the MPP has successfully helped more than 190 small businesses fill unique niches and become part of the military’s supply chain.
“Many mentors have made the MPP an integral part of their sourcing plans,” Berman said. “Protégés have used their involvement in MPP to develop technical capabilities. Successful mentor-protégé agreements provide a winning relationship for the protégé, the mentor and the DoD.”
For more information about the Mentor-Protégé program, visit business.defense.gov/Programs/Mentor-Protege-Program/.
The July 31 webinar will inform attendees about the APEX Accelerators Program, which provides training and technical assistance to help businesses contract with the government. Arkansas APEX Accelerator is a part of the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach and education arm of the Division of Agriculture.
Project Spectrum, the subject of the Aug. 18 webinar, is funded by the Department of Defense to help businesses selling to the federal government stay cybersecure, Berman said.
“Project Spectrum helps small and medium-sized businesses, as well as universities, enhance their cyber-awareness of and readiness for cyberattacks targeting American innovation and intellectual property,” she said.
Visit projectspectrum.io/#/ to learn more.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
@RKHall_
501-671-2061