 |
Fall
2008
Vol 4, Issue 4 |
 |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The NC PTAC has finished the first half of the year in strong fashion. Though the contract award survey results are not complete nor sent to Department of Defense, I do have the preliminary numbers and they are impressive. I want to thank all of you who responded to the survey and special thanks to the PTAC counselors for their great effort. We have the best group of counselors I have ever seen in the NC PTAC, so if you are not actively working with one, my suggestion is contact them and get started. We just completed the Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO) / Supplier Diversity Workshop training and as usual, it was very thorough and well regarded. I want to thank our partners in this effort, Corning Cable Systems, Curtis-Wright Controls, and General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. Without them, we would not be able to offer this training. We are considering two new training programs. We plan to try to get the Veteran Owned Business program rescheduled and with the help of DSC-Columbus and others, we are looking at a program focused on machine shops. At the current time, we are looking at the feasibility of putting these together, trying to select the best training site and adjusting the curriculum to fit the needs of the specific groups. In early October the NC PTAC will travel to Washington for four days of intense training and updates on federal procurement policies and procedures. This can and will benefit you, our client. Tom Elam |
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO) and Diversity Manager Workshop
Small Business Liaison Officers (SBLO) and Diversity Managers from across the United States traveled to the Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina to attend the one-day supplier diversity workshop. Attendees came from Colorado, Kentucky, New York, Virginia, Illinois, South Carolina and North Carolina.
During the 8-hour workshop the participants learned about small business requirements for subcontracting plans, federal reporting requirements, Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé Program, and the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) basics. The attendees also had the opportunity to engage prime contractor SBLO’s from General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Michelin, RTI International and Mr. Jay Howell from Deep Reflections Products & Services, Inc. The last speaker of the day was President & CEO of Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council (MSDC), Ms. Robyn Hamilton. Robyn talked to the group about minority purchasing power, business case for supplier diversity, and the MSDC as a whole.
The workshop committee plans to make this an annual event for procurement specialists, diversity managers, and SBLO’s. For additional information about this workshop please visit the SBLO website.
SBA Small Disadvantaged Business Certification (SDB) - Questions & Answers
U.S. Small Business Administration released news regarding recent changes in their Small Disadvantaged Business Certification (SDB). Questions answered in the article are:
- Why did the SBA suspend the receipt of applications for the SDB programs?
- How will this affect small businesses certified in the SDB program?
- How will the suspension of the SDB program affect the 8(a) program?
- Will small businesses be able to keep their small disadvantaged status and how will they be certified?
- Will there continue to be an SDB federal contracting goal?
- What is the SBA doing to alert the public and the small business community of the changes?
Click here to read the answers to these questions.
Attention Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses - Training Opportunity at U.S. Department of Agriculture Invitation and Registration
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a Training Conference for Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) on Wednesday, November 19, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Jefferson Auditorium, 1400 Independence Avenue, Washington, D.C.
During the training session, you will have an opportunity to meet senior management and procurement executives and learn about contract and subcontracting opportunities at USDA. The event will utilize an interactive panel format to facilitate discussions and information exchange. Panelists will include: Procurement Officials, Chief Information Officers, SDVOSBs, and USDA large Prime Contractors.
Registration is free and does not include lunch. If you would like to attend, please complete and submit the registration form to Linda Epstein, Program Manager, SDVOSB, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization by no later than November 14, 2008. (Linda.Epstein@USDA.gov; Fax: (202) 720-3001; Phone: (202) 720-2212).
Success Story: Markee Distributors, LLC
Markee Distributors, LLC has been supplying the public and private sector with batteries since 2003. With its humble beginnings as a specialty medical battery supplier based in South Florida, Markee quickly expanded into several other niche battery categories such as UPS replacement (sealed lead acid batteries), Land Mobile Radio (LMR) batteries, and single cell rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries.
It wasn’t long before this little known company was making a big name for itself with the local, state and federal agencies. Two of the first individuals to recognize their efforts were Wayne Simpson with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (VA OSDBU) and Richard Ramirez formerly with Center for Veterans Enterprises (CVE). With counseling from these gentlemen and local PTAC officials, Markee had its products on GSA Schedule 56, and was one of the first Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) in this category.
In July of 2006 Markee Distributors relocated to the Charlotte, NC metro area. During this time Markee has continued moving forward, winning several contracts along the way. The most recent was award of a $140,000 (estimated) two year contract with the VA’s Denver Acquisitions and Logistics Center (DALC). This contract is to supply DALC with many of their alkaline battery needs. Again, Joe Marchesani, owner of Markee Distributors reached out to his local PTAC office for assistance and guidance on proposal development and pricing. It should be noted that this contract is also available to the DoD, Bureau of Prisons, Indian Health Services and Health & Human Services.
As a SDVOSB, Mr. Marchesani understands the value of networking and the challenges small business face day in and day out. With this insight he and a small group of dedicated veterans founded the not-for-profit organization, North Carolina Veterans Business Association d.b.a. NC VetBiz, based in Charlotte. Its mission is to promote, empower and educate North Carolina veteran business owners and professionals in order to advance veteran interests in the public and private sectors.
Markee Distributors was recently recognized by Scott Denniston, Director of VA OSDBU, during an annual report to a congressional sub-committee. He noted that their persistence and dedication to providing the VA with quality products and service are key elements to their success. He watched as Markee overcame the “no small business can do my project” attitude within his agency to become the battery supplier of choice to many VA medical centers. Says owner Joe Marchesani: “We have worked hard to build our credibility and commitment to our customers and this recognition (from the OSDBU team) and support from PTAC encourages us to serve those who serve others.”
PTAC Counselors Attend APTAC Training in Arlington, VA
The Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC) held their fall conference in Arlington, VA, October 5th – 8th. The SBTDC's PTAC staff was instrumental in the success of the program. Kathryn Lobdell (Raleigh) and Katie Harshberger (Greenville) volunteered to assist guest speakers as they arrived as well as introducing the speakers to the audience at numerous sessions. The North Carolina PTAC also supported APTAC by providing laptops and LCD projectors for the entire 4-day conference, with Lynne Crawley (Fayetteville), Katie Harshberger and Mark Mills (Hickory) troubleshooting as needed during presentations. Katie Harshberger received her APTAC Level II certification while at the conference. Congratulations Katie!
The PTAC staff attended some of the following seminars as well as a meeting with Congressional staffers on the Hill.
- Unlocking GSA Schedules
- Missile Defense Agency Small Business Program
- Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation
- Teaming and Joint Venturing for Small Business
- Government Contract Law
Tom Elam (State PTAC director) and Mark Mills (APTAC Region 4 director) attended the APTAC board meeting on Sunday where they discussed issues affecting the organization nationwide.
Mark Mills is the APTAC Spring Conference Chair and will begin developing the agenda for the Spring Conference in March 2009 with assistance from the APTAC education committee (Kathryn Lobdell and Katie Harshberger are both on the APTAC education committee).
Success Story: Maintenance & Inspection Services
Maintenance & Inspection Services (MIS), Inc.'s headquarters is located in Morganton, North Carolina with operating facilities in Mayport, Florida / Norfolk, Virginia / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / San Diego, California / Bremerton, Washington / and Aeia, Hawaii (www.misnc.com). This Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business is owned and operated by Mr. David Mugrage. MIS, as the business is known to its clients, provides Technical Services that include non-destructive testing, heat exchanger cleaning and maintenance, machining, fabrication, welding and pipe fitting, as well as Engineering Services, Quality Assurance, Planning Services and Training.
In June of 2005 David contacted Appalachian State University’s (ASU) Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) requesting assistance on a request for quote and proposal. A procurement counselor for the North Carolina Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) provided the required assistance resulting in a 5-year, multi-million dollar contract for MIS.
In 2007 MIS was accepted in the Department of Defense’s Mentor-Protégé Program through the United States Navy with QED Systems Inc. of Virginia (www.qedsysinc.com) performing as the Mentor. Once again David called upon the SBTDC for assistance in developing specific plans to position the company to expand its role into becoming a prime contractor. In the first year of a three year program, the SBTDC’s general business counselors, Kevin McConnaghy and John Manderewicz provided strategic planning, market and trade research and marketing plan development services. As a result of the mentoring by QED and the assistance provided by the SBTDC, MIS has been awarded a prime contract under the NAVSEA Seaport-e Solicitation. In year two of the Mentor-Protégé Program, MIS will focus on the execution of plans developed during the first year and again utilize the SBTDC as its non-technical service provider.
NC PTAC has five counselors located across the state that provide free one on one counseling to companies that want to do business with the government (federal/state/local) or have questions about proposals and/or awarded contracts. For more information on PTAC counseling services or the Department of Defense’s Mentor-Protégé Program, contact your local PTAC counselor. For more information on the SBTDC, its services and regional locations visit www.sbtdc.org.
 | ||
 | ||
|
| ||
 |