ALEXANDRIA, Va. (USTCNS) --- The growing use of electronic commerce is a new challenge for business owners, according to a top official of the Small Business Administration.

Small business owners seeking to do business with the federal government need to upgrade their technology skills and abilities needed to transact electronic purchases, said Linda Williams, who specializes in government contracting and minority enterprise development.

"We are moving toward faceless procurement where we deal with each other 'facelessly' on Web sites," said Williams.

To succeed, she said, American small business firms seeking contracts with the federal government or military must focus on their computer and Web resources and abilities.

"It is one of the most difficult challenges for the small and disadvantaged business communities," said Williams.

The Small Business Administration, she said, currently has certified over 8,000 firms as "small and disadvantaged."

Williams was the keynote speaker Aug. 29 at a small business conference and exposition sponsored by the Military Traffic Management Command at Fort Belvoir, Va.

The annual conference is sponsored by MTMC to increase communication and to maintain ties to small business suppliers.

"Industry partners make possible what we want to do," said Col. Sheila Toner, MTMC's principal assistant responsible for contracting.

"As a world-class organization," said Toner, "we need world-class suppliers."

The need for a strong customer focus was emphasized by Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, commander.

"I am very customer oriented," said Privratsky, of his worldwide organization which spends a billion dollars on goods and services annually.

"Everything we do in our command should be focused on customers - none of it on ourselves."

Just weeks since approving a major reorganization and streamlining of MTMC, Privratsky said more changes are ahead.

"We must seek new paths to cracking old problems," said Privratsky.

New approaches are needed, he said, in MTMC's management of shipping containers, military railroad cars and misdirected freight.

Conference participants included Pamela Monroe, the new associate director for MTMC's small business program.

"We must make sure we achieve our small business goals," said Monroe, a 12-year veteran of Air Force acquisition work.

"We will work closely with the Small Business Administration." (FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).