Local business part of September air show Published May 18, 2012 By 2nd Lt. Jessica Brown 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- In about 20 weeks, the skies over Wichita, Kan., will come alive as the Air Force Thunderbirds and Army Golden Knights perform aerial demonstrations during the 2012 Wings over McConnell Open House and Air Show. The Sept. 29 and 30, 2012, event will be free and open to the public. This two-day event is also an opportunity for the community to experience firsthand the capabilities of the military, as well as form a closer relationship with Team McConnell. In support of this event, several businesses from the Wichita and Derby area have already offered goods and services to help ensure a successful weekend. On any given day, there are contractors from the community on base, supplying the Air Force's needs. While not often noticeable to the community, a lot of what keeps McConnell operating is support from the community. For local businesses who are interested in signing a contract with the base, the 22nd Contracting Squadron is there to help. "Organizations who would like to do business with McConnell should visit bpn.gov to register to work with McConnell," said 2nd Lt. Jason Hatcher, 22nd CONS simplified acquisitions team lead. This webpage is designed to consolidate vendor data and registration forms. Once a vendor is registered, the company will be visible to base contractors. The online registration requires basic information about a company to help contractors understand what products or services are being offered. "The next step is finding out if there is a need for their product or business," said Hatcher. "Once a need is established, then we can look at working together." Standard contracts for the air show include portable restrooms, snow fencing, golf carts and concessionaires. Local businesses can also provide goods or services for the air show by becoming a sponsor. In exchange for their support or kind gifts, businesses receive recognition and promotional benefits. "Many businesses participate in the Commercial Sponsorship program to successfully reach the military market," said Cheryl Kellogg, 22nd Force Support Squadron commercial sponsorship coordinator. Commercial sponsorship programs are designed to work with local businesses to help fund events on base. Sponsor benefits may include logos on posters and banners, announcements at the event or booth space to promote the business with product samples or promotional materials, said Kellogg. At the air show, one event to be supported by sponsorships is the kid zone, which is an area for kids to burn off some energy while enjoying the day at McConnell. "The kid's zone offers activities and games along with bounce-houses," said Kellogg. "It adds to the family atmosphere of the air show." This year's kid zone is still available for sponsorship, and could potentially be sponsored by any organization. However, it is more likely that monetary donations from several donors will help fray the costs of inflatables. The last air show held a McConnell in 2010 was attended by approximately 95 thousand military members, family members and civilians. This year, McConnell is expecting a larger turn out. For more information regarding Wings over McConnell, visit the official website www.mcconnellairshow.com. More information regarding sponsorship can be obtained from Kellogg at cheryl.kellogg@us.af.mil or at www.mcconnell.af.mil.