The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday, December 2, 2022, in a bid to strengthen and expand small business development nationally. The most obvious immediate change is that the more than 90 Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) will be renamed APEX Accelerators, and the DOD and SBA are hopeful that this rebranding will bring new life to the program, which provides free procurement assistance to small businesses that work with all levels of the government, whether federal, state, or local.
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PTAC Spotlight: Iowa PTAP Helps Contractors Prosper
The Iowa State University Procurement Technical Assistance Program provides its clients a wide range of resources thanks to its existence as a part of ISU’s Center for Industrial Research and Service. “We engage with our clients at multiple levels to help them develop successful businesses,” says Pam Russenberger, the statewide PTAP director.
The Iowa PTAP works extensively with small businesses new to the government market, assisting contractors in developing marketing initiatives and preparing their first successful proposals. “Helping a new government contractor receive its first contract, even if it is for only $5,000, is an incredibly rewarding experience,” Russenberger says.
PTAC Spotlight: Washington PTAC Offers Broad Experience
Small businesses in Washington State are in luck: a highly experienced PTAC team is available to assist contractors with the ins and outs of federal contracting.
The Washington PTAC currently consists of 14 team members, several of whom were government contracting officers before joining PTAC. This depth and breadth of knowledge allows the Washington PTAC to provide small businesses with practical advice stemming from real-world experience.
PTAC Spotlight: Kansas PTAC Helped Small Businesses Land 400+ Contracts Since 2013
Since its inception at Wichita State University on February 1, 2013, the Kansas PTAC has helped Kansas small businesses obtain 433 contract awards worth over $32 million. These successes should come as no surprise, because the Kansas PTAC is staffed by highly-experienced procurement professionals, who have played key leadership roles in APTAC, the national PTAC organization.