FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, March 30, 2026

(Saipan, MP) The CNMI Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network at the Northern Marianas College successfully concluded its Federal Contracting training series this past Monday, March 23 on Tinian and Wednesday, March 25 on Saipan, better equipping local businesses with practical knowledge and resources to enter the federal marketplace. 

The training, led by subject matter experts through a partnership with the United States Pacific Air Forces’ 356th Expeditionary Theater Support Group (ETSG) out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, covered the SAM.gov Registration process and demonstrated best practices when navigating the government procurement website known to present challenges when locating upcoming economic opportunities within the region. 

Director of Acquisitions for the 356th ETSG, MSgt. Sheleena M. Cruz, was joined by SSgt. Miriam Martinez, a Contracting Officer of the 35th Contracting Squadron out of Misawa Air Base, Japan where additional discussions took place covering the Development of a Capabilities Statement and gaining familiarity with the bidding process when submitting proposals to the Department of Defense for consideration – essential components for businesses seeking federal contracts. Also present during the training to offer contracting support were TSgt. Rachel Kinsella from the Guam Air Guard and Airman Anayeli Ramirez-Ramirez, Operations Manager of the 356th ETSG Prime BEEF Squadron.

Raquel Santos with Galaad Healthcare Solutions, a company that provides revenue cycle management and consulting services to help medical providers improve cash flow, manage credentialing, and enhance coding accuracy shares her training experience, “I learned about this training through word of mouth, and I’m glad I attended. One of my biggest takeaways was learning how to navigate SAM.gov and access contracting opportunities for small businesses. This knowledge is important to help sustain and grow my business while continuing to serve our community. I would absolutely recommend SBDC’s trainings and services – they are very informative and incredibly helpful.”

Kylie Hasegawa, owner of Marianas Oceanic Solutions, also shares what she learned from attending the session, “One of my biggest takeaways from the Federal Contracting training is realizing how much support is available through SBDC and partner organizations for small business owners—especially for those of us who are just starting out. I truly appreciate that these services are offered at no cost, which makes a huge difference as I navigate building my business. Since first learning about SBDC through the mentor-protégé program, I’ve participated in trainings and one-on-one advising, and I have additional sessions scheduled to work through SAM.gov and company-specific needs. I’m incredibly grateful for the SBDC team—their support creates a positive community that motivates me to keep growing and striving for success.”

The training series captured over 60 registered participants on Saipan and Tinian, and over 20 clients who took advantage of the 1:1 advising with contracting officers to discuss specific challenges, providing more focused guidance with SAM.gov registration, developing Capabilities Statements and offering guided solutions related to the bidding process. These personalized sessions provided deeper support on proposal development, compliance requirements, and procurement strategies, arming local businesses for success in the federal contracting space.

This initiative is part of the CNMI SBDC Network’s larger effort to prepare businesses for CNMI Industry Day events also hosted by the CNMI SBDC Network, the Northern Marianas College and its partners from the U.S. Pacific Air Forces and NavFac Marianas. For the past two years, the CNMI Industry Day events have been hosted successfully across the CNMI SBDC Network’s area of coverage offering networking opportunities for its clients on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. CNMI Industry Day is a premier matchmaking event that connects local businesses with federal agencies, military contractors, and prime vendors where the goal of the events are to create opportunities for CNMI businesses to learn about contracting needs, procurement requirements, and upcoming projects in industries such as construction, logistics, professional services and disaster recovery.

“We are committed to ensuring CNMI businesses are not only aware of federal contracting opportunities but are also ready to compete and win contracts,” said Nadine Deleon Guerrero Kintol, Network Director of the CNMI SBDC Network. “This training series demonstrates a broader commitment by the U.S. Pacific Air Forces and the Northern Marianas College to ensure small businesses in the CNMI are not left behind when economic opportunities rise as a result of the military build up – not just within the CNMI, but within the region.”

The CNMI SBDC Network and the Northern Marianas College extends its gratitude to its partners from the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, the 356th Expeditionary Theater Support Group, and Master Sergeant Sheleena M. Cruz for their commitment and support to delivering much-needed training services to assist our small businesses in accessing economic opportunities. Their partnership has been instrumental in ensuring our business communities in the Commonwealth have equal access in the federal contracting space.

For more information visit www.cnmisbdc.com or contact the CNMI SBDC Network at (670) 237-9206 or follow us on our social media handles on Facebook at CNMI Small Business Development Center Network or on Instagram @cnmisbdc.

Media File – Please click here to access photos. Captions for photos are included in the attached press release.

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