Manufacturers in Webster Parish and across northwest Louisiana are invited to a free workshop in Shreveport designed to help businesses prepare to compete for government and large commercial contracts as major industrial investments create new opportunities across the state.
QMS2GO, the Northwest Louisiana APEX Accelerator, and the Manufacturing Managers Council of Northwest Louisiana will host “Bid-Ready Shreveport” from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Thursday, October 8, at Superior’s Steakhouse, 855 Pierremont Road, Suite 120, in Shreveport. The workshop and lunch are free, but registration is required.
The event comes as Louisiana prepares for SpaceX’s planned $100 billion Starbase Louisiana development in Vermilion Parish. Louisiana Economic Development announced in August that the project is expected to create 3,000 direct jobs over the next 10 years and approximately 8,100 indirect jobs, representing more than 11,100 job opportunities. SpaceX has also joined Source Louisiana, a state system intended to give Louisiana suppliers, contractors, and service providers opportunities to compete for work associated with the project.
Organizers say opportunities connected to aerospace, defense, government contracting, and other large-scale industries often require suppliers to demonstrate documented quality-management processes.
“A shop can make excellent parts and still lose the bid because it can’t produce evidence on the day a buyer asks for it,” said QMS2GO co-founder and CEO Onega Ulanova, an IRCA-certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor.
The workshop will focus in part on ISO 9001:2026, the latest edition of the international quality-management standard. The International Organization for Standardization published the revised standard September 16. Organizations currently certified under ISO 9001:2015 have until September 30, 2029, to complete their transition to the new edition.
During the Shreveport session, participants will work through a supplier-quality questionnaire similar to those used by large buyers when evaluating prospective vendors. The program will also address changes in ISO 9001:2026 and steps manufacturers can take to prepare for contracting opportunities.
Representatives of the Northwest Louisiana APEX Accelerator will outline no-cost services available to businesses seeking government contracts, including assistance with bid matching, registration, and proposals. The Manufacturing Managers Council will also provide information about connecting with the regional manufacturing community.
The program is intended for manufacturing owners, plant managers, quality leads, machine shops, fabricators, industrial service companies, and other suppliers throughout northwest Louisiana.
Doors open at 11:20 AM. Seating is limited. Register for Bid-Ready Shreveport.