R499--Small Business Event | Grainger Private Sector Office Virtual One-on-One Session | Cisco Webex Mar 31

The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is hosting a virtual networking event to connect small businesses with Grainger Federal Sales regarding potential federal contracting opportunities. This pre-solicitation notice is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or offers. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. EST via Cisco Webex, and interested participants must register by March 30, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time through the VA's VetBiz portal at https://www.vetbiz.va.gov/events. The primary focus is on industrial machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesaling, with opportunities aligned to three NAICS codes: 423710 (Hardware Merchant Wholesalers), 423830 (Industrial Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers), and 423840 (Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers). The event prioritizes Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), though all other small businesses are welcome to participate. Participants will receive an outline of business opportunities and related details through scheduled one-on-one meetings with Grainger Federal Sales representatives. For inquiries or registration assistance, interested parties should contact the Direct Access Program at directaccess@va.gov or 202-461-4694 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. EST).

This is a no set-aside event open to all qualifying small businesses, with no specific incumbent contractors or award values disclosed in the pre-solicitation materials. The notice does not provide a contract value or budget range, as this is a preliminary networking opportunity designed to identify potential partners rather than a formal solicitation with specific deliverables or timelines. No additional amendments or evaluation criteria are detailed at this stage, though the government indicates that amendments may be issued in the future to target other related NAICS codes. The virtual format by confirmed appointment only suggests that this is an initial outreach effort to facilitate relationship-building between Grainger Federal Sales and small business contractors interested in serving the Department of Veterans Affairs. While specific contract terms and opportunities will be outlined during the March 31 event, interested businesses should act quickly to secure registration before the March 30 deadline to ensure participation in the scheduled one-on-one meetings.