Held each year in May by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), National Small Business Week kicks off with a three-day networking and educational event that focuses on the considerable accomplishments of America’s small businesses and their owners. This year’s event begins on Sunday, May 20 and continues through Tuesday, May 22 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, D.C.

Attendees at the conference will enjoy a rigorous schedule of activities that will enable them to connect, collaborate, share and network with one another. Moreover, SBA will host a business matchmaking event that will foster the ability of small business owners to learn about and secure specific major-corporation and federal-agency contracting and sub-contracting opportunities. These sessions are open to small businesses that register for National Small Business Week, have a DUNS number (which can be obtained by going to the official DUNS website) and are registered in Central Contractor Registration (by going to https://www.ccr.gov/).

Finally, SBA will honor America’s top small businesses and their owners from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, one of whom will be named National Small Business Person of the Year before the festivities are over. (Click here for more information.)

If you are a home-based or other small business, business opportunity or franchise owner who is interested in attending this year’s National Small Business Week, it’s not too late to register. Just click here now!

For information on the events schedule, click here. Or, if you would like to know more about SBA’s small business matchmaking opportunities, click here.

For individuals who are unable to attend the event but who would like to be part of the action, you can see all of the events as they unfold via SBA’s free, live webcast.  Just go to Live Webcast! now for more information.