Matchmaking: June 10, 2025

Matchmaking will take place on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 from 1:15pm-4:45pm. Buyers (Government Agencies and Large Primes) will host 10-minutes one-on-one meetings with Suppliers (Small Businesses). All matchmaking meetings are pre-assigned appointments. Matchmaking will be facilitated by the National 8(a) Association.

All matchmaking communications will be sent from matchmaking@national8aassociation.org so please add to your contact list to avoid emails going to junk folder.  

Any questions related to matchmaking can be sent to matchmaking@national8aassociation.org. For inquiries on-site, please visit the Matchmaking Information Desk. 

• When completing your conference registration you will be asked, "Will you be participating in Business-to-Business Matchmaking?" To indicate you're interested in participating in matchmaking, select "Yes" and complete the additional prompted questions for matchmaking. Select "Buyer" if you are a federal agency or large prime and "Supplier" if you are a small business. 

• If you previously submitted your registration and would like to change your matchmaking interest status or any of your matchmaking information, please email matchmaking@national8aassociation.org. 

• Suppliers registering for the conference after May 23, 2025 can email matchmaking@national8aassociation.org prior to the conference or visit the Matchmaking Info Desk while at the conference to check if there are any available appointments. 

• Buyers & Suppliers will be pre-matched and assigned meetings based on the information provided for your matchmaking profile. 

• If your company's capabilities align with any of the Buyers and there is an available appointment, a copy of your company's meeting schedule will be emailed the week prior to the conference. 

• Please add matchmaking@national8aassociation.org to your contact list to ensure you receive our emails. 

• Buyers, additional meetings may be added to your schedule throughout the conference to accommodate Suppliers who signed up for Matchmaking on or after May 24, 2025. 

BUYERS

• Plan to arrive to the matchmaking room about 15 minutes prior to your meeting's scheduled start time. 

• Each Buyer will be assigned a table number and will be provided their matchmaking schedule with Supplier information. 

• Matchmaking Coordinators will make announcements in front of the matchmaking room at each meeting start time to allow Suppliers with appointments to proceed to their Buyer's table. 

• Each meeting is only 10 minutes and will have 5-minute breaks between each appointment. 

• 8 minutes into the meeting a 2-minute end of meeting warning will be announced. 

• At the 10 minute mark an end of meeting announcement will be made. 

SUPPLIERS

• Be sure to bring a copy of your matchmaking meeting appointments. 

• There is no need to check in for your meetings at the Matchmaking Info Desk unless you have any schedule changes/cancellations.

• Plan to arrive to the matchmaking room about 5 minutes prior to your meeting's scheduled start time to line up in the "appointments" queue. 

• Take this time to identify the table number the Buyer you are meeting with is seated at (a table listing will be provided). 

• Matchmaking coordinators will make announcements in front of the matchmaking room at each meeting start time to allow Suppliers with appointments to proceed to their Buyer's table. 

• Each meeting is 10 minutes, please plan accordingly. 

  • 8 minutes into the meeting a 2-minutes end of meeting warning will be announced. 

  • At the 10 minutes mark an end of meeting announcement will be made and you will be asked to exit the room. 

• If you have back-to-back meetings, you will still need to exit the matchmaking room and line up in the "appointments" queue again.