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RGB Spectrum was honored to represent concerns of small businesses on a panel convened during the recent Air, Space & Cyber conference in National Harbor, MD. A distinguished panel of Air Force personnel included RGB Spectrum to discuss issues facing small businesses working with the Air Force and the federal acquisition process.

Moderated by Brigadier General Cameron Holt, deputy assistant secretary for contracting, the panel included Lt Gen John F. Thompson, Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Lt Gen Arnold W. Bunch Jr., Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Lt Gen Charles R. Davis, USAF (Ret.), Senior Vice President Reconnaissance Systems, L3 Technologies, Valerie Muck, Director, Air Force Small Business Programs, and John Lee, Sales Manager, Aerospace and Defense, RGB Spectrum.

The panel noted that the Air Force’s success is closely intertwined with small business capabilities. In 2017 and 2018, nearly 20% of the eligible Air Force budget, approximately $11 billion, went to small businesses.

Mr. Lee articulated the military procurement challenges facing small companies like RGB Spectrum. Identifying the proper military contact personnel is a fundamental difficulty, due to the layers of bureaucracy that exist in the Armed Forces. The Air Force is addressing these challenges head on.

The Air Force Small Business Program, under the direction of Valerie Muck, has a team of 158 professionals to help small businesses establish a relationship with the proper command and base. Additionally, they help the Air Force gain an understanding of the differing incentives and pain points for small businesses.

Equipment viability over the extended project length in military programs is a concern. To allay this concern, RGB Spectrum advocates for multiple design reviews. Typically design reviews come early in the procurement process to ensure all program requirements are met. However, with an extended period from initial design requirements to installation, an additional design review allows newer technology introduced during the timeline to be included in the program fulfillment.

RGB Spectrum’s expertise is being able to modify products to meet specific mission requirements. We build modularity into all our products to allow for a longer lifespan. Our support and maintenance programs offer on-site options as well as telephone support when needed.

RGB Spectrum has been the key supplier for many military programs throughout its over 30-year history. Our products are deployed in mission-critical applications for all branches of the military, including vessel and vehicle consoles, command and control, simulation, training, missile testing, and C4ISR. Installations include F35 Joint Strike Fighter FMS and P-8 Poseidon trainers, simulators for the Global Hawk/Triton UAV, F-16 and F-22 aircraft, Apache, Kiowa, Chinook, and Blackhawk helicopters, and deployments on the U.S. Navy AEGIS destroyer fleet, the Canada Navy frigate fleet, and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency THAAD and MEADS missile defense programs.

To hear the audio recording of the panel, visit afa.org.

For more information on RGB Spectrum’s commitment to the Defense and Aerospace market, visit rgb.com/defense.