Small businesses play a vital role in fueling the US economy and strengthening national security. In both the commercial and government sectors, there is significant value in how a business activates its strategies—how they are implemented, how stakeholders own them, and how those affected experience them.

An effective strategy activation approach can drive innovation and deliver critical services across any government agency. For decades, the Department of Defense (DoD) has relied on competitive solutions from commercial partners to effectively implement the National Defense Strategy. Small businesses that provide exceptional learning and development solutions for the world’s largest commercial organizations are well-positioned to fuel innovation for the DoD and will play an increasingly important role in developing effective training and education solutions that accelerate the capabilities of military personnel.

Maintaining deep relationships with partners in life sciences, pharma, medical devices, and healthcare can catalyze any organization’s ability to quickly and effectively solve complex problems in critical environments, including operating rooms, emergency rooms, and battlefields. Small organizations, however, have a unique agility to align multidisciplinary teams of experts in program and project management, instructional design, e-learning development, visual design, learning management system (LMS) support, and communication to elevate DoD learning experiences—along with a real commitment to accommodations aligned with 508.

One way that small organizations can fuel learning innovation in the federal sector is through securing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. The DoD’s SBIR program funds small businesses’ early-stage research and development projects that serve a DoD need and have commercial applications, empowering small businesses to explore technological innovation while providing the incentive to profit from its commercialization.

At TiER1 Performance, a 300-plus employee-owned consulting firm with more than 20 years of experience helping government organizations address diverse challenges—from applied research in human performance, learning, and evaluation to military medicine—we’ve learned firsthand the impact of SBIR awards. Our 2017 SBIR award for the Missile Defense Agency allowed us to explore a game-based learning environment aimed at bridging the gap between missile defense schoolhouse training and high-fidelity simulated exercises. The gamified learning solution addressed learning effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for training warfighters by enabling learners to apply skills in simulated scenarios with a scoring algorithm that mapped their actions and decisions to contributing competencies and by reducing man-hours spent coordinating and delivering in-person training.

Another way organizations—small and large—can fuel learning innovation in the federal sector is through cultivating long-term relationships with DoD subject matter experts and instructors and collaborating on development of interactive educational experiences and courseware. At TiER1, we have deep relationships and collaborate often with the DoD’s Humanitarian Demining Training Center and its Defense Security Cooperation University.

When developing training and education solutions, it’s imperative to intentionally design how learners will experience them. To enhance learner engagement and knowledge retention, focus on creating realistic simulations that immerse DoD learners in practical, role-relevant scenarios. Assessment and evaluation are integral to all educational programs, especially those with no-fail missions. To ensure courses remain effective and are aligned with DoD competencies and objectives, architect comprehensive feedback mechanisms, including end-of-course surveys and in-depth evaluations. The courses we design in collaboration with DoD faculty undergo rigorous evaluation and are accredited by the American Council on Education. To ensure uninterrupted access to course materials for DoD staff and students, we provide mission-critical LMS support through Blackboard and Cornerstone OnDemand.

As the backbone of the US economy, small businesses will continue to strengthen our national security. Organizations that can apply commercial innovation and success to the government sector will continue to be well-positioned for government collaborations and essential to our military’s success. TiER1’s commitment to leveraging commercial expertise to enhance defense education exemplifies the vital role small businesses play in driving forward national security initiatives.