Networking Roundtables

APPOINTMENT REQUESTS ARE CLOSED AS OF WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 at 7:15 PM Central Time. Appointments may be available on a space available basis. Please come to the Networking Roundtable Concierge Desk outside of Ballroom A One and Two if interested in learning what appointments may be available.

Public agencies and large businesses will host tables at which they will be available to discuss real business opportunities and lay the foundation to develop new client-consultant relationships with small businesses. All appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis.

PLEASE REVIEW this page so you understand the processes and procedures! Table Hosts (Large Businesses and Public Agencies) and Small Businesses will control their own appointments in real-time through the Attendee Service Center (for Small Businesses) and Exhibitor Service Center (for Table Hosts).

Beginning November 12, Networking Roundtable appointment requests will open to businesses of all sizes.

Networking Roundtables are a valuable piece of SBC allowing business owners the opportunity to ask questions and learn about federal contracting requirements.

A government agency representative meets one-on-one with a small business owner to discuss federal procurement opportunities.

Networking Roundtable Sessions will be held:

Thursday, November 21, 2019: 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
Friday, November 22, 2019: 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Location: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center-Ballroom A One & Two

What you need to know:

Please Note: Small Businesses are limited to booking 3 appointments overall prior to the conference.
This is NOT about pitching your small business to the table host. It is to LEARN from the Table Host about their upcoming opportunities, how you can better work with the Host, understanding contracting requirements, etc.
Appointments are 20 minutes long with a 10-minute break between appointments.
Table Hosts can accommodate up to 3 individual Small Business Representatives per appointment
Seats at the table are by INDIVIDUAL – multiple representatives from a business cannot participate in an appointment.
If appointments are available once the conference begins, individuals may book additional appointments beyond the initial 3.
Please honor all appointments in your schedule whether you are a host or a Small Business. Note that space is limited, so if you don’t show up to an appointment, you have taken the opportunity away from someone else!

SAME is not responsible for making appointments, approving appointments, accepting or denying appointments, checking appointment schedules, providing appointment reminders, insuring accuracy of Table Host availability, and does not guarantee that appointment requests will be accepted by Table Hosts.

Small Businesses

Here's How You Will Request Appointments

Once the system is open, login to the Attendee Service Center and look for the Attendee Networking menu item to update your profile, search for hosts, and request appointments. Table Hosts must, in turn, accept your appointment request – not all requests are guaranteed. Notifications are sent from the system to alert both parties of the appointment. You can log into the Attendee Service center at any time to see your personal appointment requests, approved appointments, and appointment schedule.

Each appointment is for ONE PERSON. Your appointment does not allow for you to bring other individuals from your company along. Each individual from your company should book individual appointments!

To view our step by step guide on how to request appointments and manage your schedule, click here!

Large Businesses and Government Agencies

Here's How to Manage Your Appointments Once the System is Open

Table Hosts should login to the Exhibitor Service Center and look for the Exhibitor Networking menu item to manage their schedule – the Table Host controls what times they are available for attendees to request appointments. A default schedule has been uploaded to the “Time Blocks” tab that shows the Host is available at every appointment time frame – it is imperative that the Host delete the time frames the Host does not intend to be available. Please block necessary breaks and lunch as you see fit.

Small Businesses will request appointments with you through the system. You must either accept or decline the appointment requests. Notifications are sent from the system to alert both parties of the appointment. You can log into the Exhibitor Service Center at any time to see your company’s appointment requests, approved appointments, and appointment schedule. There is no deadline for small businesses to request appointments for time slots that are open so it is important to check your schedule and appointment requests through the conference. It is imperative that Table Hosts honor all appointments that they approved.

To view our step by step guide on how to set up your availability and manage your appointments, click here!

On-Site

SAME will provide a Networking Roundtable concierge desk outside of the exhibit hall on Wednesday, November 20th and Thursday, Nov 21st to help answer any questions regarding scheduling or approving appointments. Networking Roundtables will take place in Ballroom A of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. All appointment holders and Table Hosts will report to Ballroom A to check-in prior to appointments. Table Hosts will receive their assigned company table numbers prior to the Conference. Attendees will also see the assigned table number for each of their scheduled appointments on their Networking Roundtable schedule, which can be printed through the Attendee Service Center. Please be sure to leave enough time to check-in prior to the start of your appointment time.