Strengthening Partnerships: NAVWAR Engages Small Businesses at the 2025 Gold Coast Conference

NAVWAR Champions Small Business Collaboration at 2025 Gold Coast Conference

San Diego, CA — The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) played a pivotal role at the recent National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Department of the Navy (DON) Gold Coast conference, held from August 18-21 at the San Diego Convention Center. This premier procurement event brought together small business representatives and Navy leadership for crucial discussions on enhancing support for the warfighter mission.

With a strong presence from across the NAVWAR enterprise—including the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific and various Program Executive Offices (PEOs)—the conference featured panels on acquisition and contracts, as well as industry matchmaking sessions. These initiatives provided government personnel with direct opportunities to engage with small business representatives, fostering collaboration and innovation.

In conjunction with the Gold Coast conference, NAVWAR hosted the 1NAVWAR Small Business Industry Fair and the NAVWAR Contracts Industry Council’s Fiscal Year Q4 2025 Quarterly Business Opportunities Brief (QBOB) on August 18. The QBOB, which featured insights from NAVWAR and PEO C4I leaders, focused on process improvements and enhancing acquisition productivity under the theme “NAVWAR Next – What to Expect from NAVWAR.”

John Pope, NAVWAR’s executive director, opened the QBOB by outlining NAVWAR Next, a strategic plan aimed at modernizing the command to align with Navy goals and improve fleet readiness. He emphasized the importance of industry engagement in achieving mission success, stating, “Partnering with small business is key to leverage their commercial systems to better deliver innovative solutions to the Fleet.”

Brent Dessing, acting head of contracts at NAVWAR, discussed the command’s evolving contracting approach to create more opportunities for small business collaboration. He highlighted new avenues like Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), which allow program offices to access commercial capabilities more swiftly. “Although total contract actions have decreased, the amount of dollars has increased, indicating better efficiency,” Dessing noted.

Cyber readiness was a central theme at the conference, culminating in a cybersecurity panel moderated by Mark Compton, NAVWAR’s command information security officer. The panel featured experts from various sectors, including Rachel Bondi, technical director of the Navy’s cybersecurity program office, who stressed the need for collaboration among government, industry, and academia to accelerate innovation.

“Our most impactful breakthroughs come from outside our walls,” Mansfield remarked, emphasizing the agility and speed that small businesses bring to the table. Bondi echoed this sentiment, urging the need to overcome acquisition delays to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.

The 1NAVWAR Small Business Industry Fair that followed the QBOB showcased NAVWAR’s commitment to engaging with small business partners. Leaders from all 11 of PEO C4I’s program offices participated, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in advancing Navy technology.

Throughout the three-day conference, NAVWAR representatives engaged with numerous industry professionals, discussing how to address technical gaps and enhance mission fulfillment. Nick Giacalone, deputy director of the NIWC Pacific Office of Small Business Programs, expressed the value of connecting with innovative small businesses, stating, “Engaging with these organizations supports our mission and fosters collaboration that advances technology for the Navy.”

Kimberly Reidy, director of the NAVWAR Office of Small Business Programs, also highlighted the importance of understanding NAVWAR’s areas of interest and how small businesses can navigate contracting opportunities more effectively.

As the conference concluded, it was clear that NAVWAR’s commitment to small business collaboration remains a top priority, vital for fulfilling its mission and ensuring the Navy’s technological edge in an ever-evolving landscape.

About NAVWAR:
NAVWAR identifies, develops, delivers, and sustains information warfighting capabilities and services that enable naval, joint, coalition, and other national missions operating in warfighting domains from seabed to space and through cyberspace. With over 11,000 professionals worldwide, NAVWAR is dedicated to enhancing national security and maritime superiority.