Gladiator, Inc. is a woman-owned small business located in Kenly with 85 employees, and is one of the last remaining domestic producers of textile goods in the country. Their specialty is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), but they also produce Battle Vests, Ballistic Vests, M-16 Parachute Cases, and Bomb Blankets. Gladiator was incorporated in February 2007 and purchased assets from Federal Covers & Textiles, Inc. in March 2007.
The owners, Kathryn and Joseph Tomlinson, contacted the local PTAC counselor for assistance with preparation of their first proposals. The contract required specific information for which they felt they needed assistance to ensure the application was completed correctly. While they had received contracts in the past, this would be their first real “proposal” that they had to prepare.
The local PTAC counselor contacted the Tomlinsons and met with them at their office. They went over the proposals and the PTAC counselor stated “that it is very important to read the entire solicitation” and highlighted areas that were vital for their proposals. Kathryn and Joseph requested the PTAC counselor review one of the proposals prior to it being submitted. The PTAC counselor reviewed the proposal and provided recommendations which they incorporated as they felt necessary and subsequently submitted the proposals.
Joseph contacted the PTAC counselor a couple months later to let her know that, thanks to her assistance, they had received a 3-year contract with the Army for Low Cost Aerial Delivery System (LCADS). This is a large ultra-durable cargo net that safely delivers vital supplies via parachute from aerial transport to the troops on the ground. The contract is for a maximum of $1,800,000 per year ($5,400,000 over 3 years). This will allow them to preserve 15 jobs to sustain the business for an additional 3 years.