PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE Resources and Programs for VETERAN BUSINESS OWNERS

1. PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE Resources and Programs for VETERAN BUSINESS OWNERS

2. SELLING TO THE GOVERNMENT: Initial Business Assessment Questions • Are you interested in selling to the federal government? • Have you taken the time to formulate a plan that clearly maps a way to accomplish this goal? • Do you know what federal agencies will purchase what you have to sell? • Do you know if federal agencies are interested in purchasing what you have to sell? If yes, what is uniquely different about your product or service that would interest a buying agent? • Have you made contract with these agencies? If yes, has that contact lead to a contract award? • Do you know what resources are available to assist you in developing an effective strategy for winning federal contracts?

3. Key Steps in Developing an Acquisition Plan To sell to the government, you must develop a plan or strategy that entails: • Determining what you have to sell • Determining what federal agencies will purchase your product (s) or service (s) • Developing a strategy to effectively market and promote your small business to federal buying agents who may be interested in purchasing your product (s) or service (s) • Knowing what resources can assist you in accomplishing this goal

4. Procurement Technical Assistance Centers • Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) are affiliate resources of the Department of Defense • Dual Mission: • To aid businesses interested in selling to defense agencies • To aid businesses interested in selling to non-defense agencies

5. Procurement Technical Assistance Centers History • The Procurement Technical Assistance Centers were established in 1985 under the Procurement Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (PTAP) under Title 10 (Armed Services), Subtitle A, Part IV, Chapter 142 of the United States Code • Prior to 1998, funding for PTA Program was not included in the agency’s budget and had to be added by the Committees to both the Defense Authorization Bill and the Defense Appropriations bill each year • Since 1998, DoD has requested funding for the PTAP as part of the overall budget request for Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) program • Since 1988, the PTA Program has had a history of established funding

6. Procurement Technical Assistance Centers Locations • Procurement Technical Assistance Centers are located in: • All 50 States • District of Columbia and Puerto Rico • Web address: http://www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm • http://www.sellingtothegovernment.net/ptac_map.asp

7. PTAC Programs and Services • PTA Centers provide an array of business assistance programs to help small business owners obtain federal, state and local government contracts • Programs include: • Training seminars • One-on-One Counseling Sessions • Electronic Bid Match Program • Workshops and Seminars • Monthly Newsletters • Reference Libraries 

8. PTAC SERVICES • Services provided by the PTA Centers include but are not limited to: • PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE • Central Contractor Registration (www.ccr.gov) • CONTRACTING ASSISTANCE • Contracting Fundamentals • Bid Match Program – Finding bid opportunities • Proposal Preparation Assistance

9. PTAC SERVICES • Marketing Assistance • Identifying your government customer • Point of Contact • GSA Proposals • Proposals and Bid Preparation • Pre-and Post-Award Contract Compliance • Identification of Subcontracting Opportunities • Federal and State Procurement Regulations • SBIR/STTR Proposal Assistance

10. PTAC SERVICES • CERTIFICATION ASSISTANCE • Disadvantaged Business Certifications: • 8(a) Or Small Disadvantaged Business • Woman-Owned Business Certification • Hub Zone Certification • To locate the PTAC nearest you, visit: • http://www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm • http://www.sellingtothegovernment.net/ptac_map.asp

11. Office of Federal Contract Assistance for Veteran Business Owners Presentation BY Janet Moorman Veterans Affairs Specialist

12. OTHER AVENUES TO CONSIDER • Government Wide Agency Contracts (GWACs) for which a requirement is competed • Four federal government agencies are authorized to issue GWACs • Department of Defense – DISA • Department of Commerce (DOC) • General Services Administration (GSA) • National Institute of Health (NIH)

13. OTHER AVENUES TO CONSIDER • Simplified Acquisitions (under $100,000) • Approximately 80 percent of government purchases are through small acquisitions • Contact agency Contract Officers or Contract Specialists to

14. POINTS OF CONTACT • Office of Veterans Business Development: • Janet E. Moorman • Telephone: 202-205-7419 • Email:janet.moorman@sba.gov • OVBD website: www.sba.gov • Office of Federal Contract Assistance for Veteran Business Owners • Teresa Lewis • Telephone: 202-619-1624 • Email:tresa.lewis@sba.gov • OFCAVBO:www.sba.gov/GC/indexprograms-vets.html.