Government Procurement of Textile Innovation: Industry Perspective at Federal and Defense Textile and Tactical Equipment (FEDTEX) Summit

FEDTEX Website: https://fedtex.ncmbc.us

Session Focus: Government Procurement of Textile Innovation: Industry Perspective

The Federal and Defense Textile and Tactical Equipment (FEDTEX) Summit hosted by the Office of US Senator Thom Tillis, Office of Senator Ted Budd, the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) and the North Carolina Defense Technology Transition Office (DEFTECH) connects the US Department of Defense (DoD) and federal agency clothing and individual equipment buyers with US textile manufacturers, textile supply chain suppliers, cut and sew contractors, research and development (R&D) facilities, testing labs and academic resources.

Who should attend– All prime textile manufacturers and textile supply chain manufacturers currently producing clothing, footwear, parachutes and textile-based tactical equipment for DoD, and producers of medical, PPE and related soldier systems. Any textile manufacturers that have interest in learning, understanding or possibly entering the DoD/federal marketplace should attend this Summit.  The event is open to all United States and Puerto Rico based textile firms.

FEDTEX 24 objectives:

  • Engage with existing contractors and attract new capable businesses into the federal and defense clothing, textiles, and tactical equipment marketplace.
  • Engage existing textile supply chain suppliers and attract new capable businesses into the federal marketplace, and to connect these component suppliers with federal prime contractors.
  • Inform the industrial and academic R&D ecosystem about desired future military technology requirements, and likewise inform DoD agencies about emerging and future textile innovations.
  • Establish a productive and DIRECT dialogue between businesses, government, and academia around critical warfighter issues in the defense textile marketplace – including workforce, supply chain, inflation challenges, and barriers to entry.

WHEN.  May 14-15, 2024

WHERE.
North Carolina State University – McKimmon Conference Center
1101 Gorman Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606

Session: Government Procurement of Textile Innovation: Industry Perspective

Your company has created a new textile or application…so now what? Learn what the government looks for in textile innovations and how they are driven by established requirements. What company certifications are government agencies looking for, and which tests are mandatory before they will even consider an innovation. Discover methods/strategies you can use to bring your innovation to the right agencies and potentially drive a new requirement. This session will look at these questions from both the government’s point of view, as well as hear from textile businesses who have successfully introduced new textiles or applications to the government.

  • Laurra C. Winters, Director, Navy Clothing & Textile Research Facility (NCTRF)
  • Jonathan Long, President, Silver Oak Leaf
  • Denny Lewis, Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiatives, NC Military Business Center
  • Mark Trexler, Owner / Manager, Survival Innovations, LLC