Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

Proceedings of recent disaster recovery contracting conference now on-line

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Over 300 business people attended the Emergency Response Contracting Conference on June 21st, co-hosted by the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Whether or not you were able to attend, the good news is this: Complete proceedings from this conference are now posted on GTPAC’s website!

By visiting http://gtpac.org/training/training-video, you now can view:

• a photo slide show,
• a video of all presentations,
• a set of all PowerPoint presentations,
• points-of-contact with participating agencies, and
• a list of all conference participants.

The conference focused on the products and services purchased by federal and state agencies in response to emergency situations in the southeast region. The agencies include FEMA, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) though the Georgia Dept. of Administrative Services (GA DOAS), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the General Services Administration (GSA). Information about doing business with several federal contractors also was included.

For those businesses interested in participating in this category of government contracting, the new resources posted on GTPAC’s website should prove to be informative and helpful.

Georgia businesses needing follow-up assistance should contact the nearest GTPAC Counselor.  All contact information may be found at http://gtpac.org/team-directory.

Class on marketing to state, local gov’ts offered in Kennesaw

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Thanks to a new partnership with The Edge Connection, arrangements have been made to host the first GTPAC class in Kennesaw, GA.

The Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) will be presenting its popular class entitled “Marketing to State & Local Governments” on Thursday, July 22, from noon until 3:00 p.m.   The class is being offered free of charge.

The class will address how to do business with State of Georgia agencies as well as cities, counties, school boards, and public authorities.  By attending, you will learn how to register as a vendor, who to contact, where to find contract opportunities, what the requirements are for bidding, and how to get paid.  Specific information will be given on State contracting and on opportunities offered by local governments in the Kennesaw area.

Registration for this class must be accomplished in advance by phone.  Please call 770-499-3228 to register. 

The class will be held at the KSU Center, North Entrance, 3333 Busbee Drive, Suite 415, Kennesaw, GA 30144.  You may visit http://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/ConferenceDetail.action?ID=6800 for a map and to obtain directions.

The Edge Connection offers assistance to micro-entrepreneurs and small business owners in their efforts to launch, sustain, and expand businesses.  The program operates in partnership with Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business.

Interior Dept. hosts small business webinar July 7th

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The U.S. Department of the Interior is hosting an on-line webinar for small businesses on Wednesday, July 7, 2010, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm EST.

Topics to be covered include:

– Pursuing contracting opportunities
– Building positive relationships
– Learning about contracting opportunities with the U.S. Department of the Interior

Advance registration is required to participate in this webinar.  Registration is limited to 100.  Webinar registration may be accomplished at http://www.doi.gov/osdbu.   

Army Corps of Engineers hosts small business event in Atlanta

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Businesses interested in contract opportunities with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Jacksonville, Mobile, Savannah, Charleston and Wilmington will be interested in attending an event scheduled in Atlanta on June 29 and 30. 

This outreach event will provide a venue for USACE’s South Atlantic Division to discuss its mission, goals and contracting opportunities. Those companies interested in participating in this outreach event must have the capability to provide such servces as design, construction, construction management, environmental services, and civil engineering, including dredging.

To help you identify specific types of contracting opportunities for the South Atlantic Division, use these links:

Interested firms desiring to participate in the outreach event must have a valid e-mail address. Registration will close on June 24, 2010, however registration will be discontinued after the maximum number of participants has been reached and no on-site registration will be permitted. To register for this conference, visit http://www.sad.usace.army.mil, click on Small Business, then click on the link for the 2010 Small Business Conference, complete the online registration form and submit it to sadregional.conference@usace.army.mil.   Each company is requested to register a maximum of two representatives.  Once registration forms are received and processed, confirmations will be sent to the e-mail address provided on the registration form.

Large businesses desiring to meet with small business to discuss the opportunity of subcontracting, joint venturing, partnering, etc., are requested to complete the registration form and submit it the company name in the space marked Large Business Participants.   Questions concerning this event can be emailed to the following address: sadregional.conference@usace.army.mil.

This event will be held from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. each day at the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth St., SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30303.

Here are a few tips from GTPAC.  If you decide to attend this event, you’ll want to prepare.  To assist you in this process, be sure to read our articles on attending a government trade show, how to prepare an “elevator speech,” and the need for a Capabilities Statement.

Albany Marine Corps hosting vendor event Aug. 12th

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The Marine Corps Logistics Command will be hosting its annual vendor event at the Albany, GA Civic Center on August 12, 2010.

This event is specific to the support of the Warfighter requirements, e.g., Logistics, Industrial Electronics, Communications, Engineering, Repair/Maintenance, Parts Obsolescence, Storage, Warehousing (including supplies), Material Handling, Green Initiatives, and Structure Ventilation/Controlled Environments for Workers.

The luncheon’s Keynote Speaker will be Sean Crean, Director, Office of Small Business Programs for the Navy.  (Mr. Crean is also a Naval Reservist:  RADM Naval Reserve Deputy Commander, NSSC.)   There will be eight breakout sessions covering various procurement-related topics.

The deadline to register is July 2nd. 

GTPAC Counselor Clovia Hamilton will be representing the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center at this event.

Contact Hattie Mosely (hattie.mosely@usmc.mil) or Coleen Fitzpatrick (colleen.fitzpatrick@usmc.mil) if you have any questions.

Here are a few tips from GTPAC.  If you decide to attend this event, you’ll want to prepare.  To assist you in this process, be sure to read our articles on attending a government trade show, how to prepare an “elevator speech,” and the need for a Capabilities Statement.

Three upcoming events offer excellent opportunities for marketing to government

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Major military commands are hosting vendor events in Georgia over the next few months. 

Want to learn how to do business with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the Department of Defense’s largest combat support agency?  Then make plans to be in Savannah on June 15 & 16.

How about business with the Marine Corps Logistics Command?   Albany, GA is the place to be on August 12, 2010.

Interested in contracting with the Army?  Then Columbus, GA is the place to be Sept. 13 through 16.

For complete details — including registration — on each of these marketing opportunities, use these links:

Preparation is key for effective marketing at events like these.  If you need help or suggestions, read our article on this subject and feel free to contact your nearest GTPAC Counselor.

© 2010 Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center – All Rights Reserved.

Video instruction on government contracting basics now available

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A video recording of a very successful recent webinar on “How to Successfully Identify, Compete for, and Win Government Contracts” is now available on-line.

Hosted by Larry Alford, region manager for the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2), and presented by Chuck Schadl, program director of the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC), the archived video provides helpful instruction to anyone seeking knowledge about the fundamentals of doing business with the government.

Over 100 people participated in the live April 28th on-line training session which was sponsored by EI2 as a part of its “Tech Tune-Up” webinar series.  GTPAC counselors Tom Larkin, Jone Debnam, and Jerry Shadinger supported the broadcast by answering questions posted on-line during the webinar presentation.

Business representatives who are interested in accessing the archived webinar simply can go to www.gtpac.org and click on the “Training” tab at the top of the page, and then select “Training Audio & Video.”  A shortcut to the presentation video can be accessed by clicking here.

Because of the positive feedback GTPAC received from participants in the recent webinar, more video instruction — both live and recorded — is planned.  Watch for announcements on the GTPAC website about upcoming on-line presentations.

US DOT Kicks Off 10-Week Bonding Education Program in Atlanta, Chicago, & Dallas

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The U.S. Dept. of Transportation just released details on a new Pilot Bonding Education Program to get small businesses bond-ready.

The program is a collaboration between U.S. DOT’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and the Surety and Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) . Becoming bondable is a major obstacle for many disadvantaged businesses, and this pilot program aims to address the issue and help these businesses grow by qualifying for a bond.

The Pilot Bonding Education Program includes a 10-week course covering an array of topics small businesses need to become bondable. At the end of 10 weeks, businesses are paired with local bond producers to work side by side in the bonding process. The three pilot cities and start dates will be:

  • Chicago – May 27, 2010
  • Dallas – June 10, 2010
  • Atlanta – June 24, 2010

For more information about the program to be conducted in Atlanta, please contact:

Atlanta:
Joseph (Joe) Jackson, Jr.
Executive Director, SBTRC
Greater Atlanta Economic Alliance
230 Peachtree Street, N.W.
Suite 530
Atlanta, GA 30303
Ph: (404) 827-9677
Fax: (404) 681-1035
Email: joe.jackson@alliance4u.org

Gwen Coleman Winston
Project Director, SBTRC
Greater Atlanta Economic Alliance
230 Peachtree Street, N.W.
Suite 530
Atlanta, GA 30303
Ph: (404) 827-9677
Fax: (404) 681-1035
Email: gwen.winston@twd-inc.net

The Bonding Education Program (BEP) is composed of two interrelated components:

  1. The Educational Workshops Component offers a set of ten workshops: 1) an introductory workshop on intake and logistics; 2) eight comprehensive workshops, each of which is designed to provide information to the contractors related to improving their company’s operations and thereby making it easier to be bonded or to increase their bonding capacity; and 3) a closing workshop focused on networking and next steps. 
    • Kick-Off: Program Description and Initial IntakeThis workshop includes an overview of the Bonding Education Program and its implementation; a presentation of current procurement opportunities; and the scheduling of initial intake interviews with a local surety bond professionals.
    • Business Planning and Management for ConstructionThis workshop focuses on such areas as assessing or reassessing the legal form of the company, developing a succession/business continuation plan, managing and controlling growth, and assembling a business team. Subjects covered include legal and corporate structures, certifications, licenses, permits, establishment of goals and objectives for a business plan, and issues related to company management, policies and procedures, and staffing. The team-building portion of the workshop describes: 1) the importance of choosing the right construction lawyer, accountant, banker, insurance agent, and producer; 2) how to identify them; 3) why they are important; 4) what role these individuals will play and how they interrelate, 5) what they will expect from the small business; and 6) how their involvement contributes to the small business’ overall success.
    • Construction Accounting and Financial ManagementThis workshop focuses on basic construction accounting concepts and will provide an overview, from job costing to financial reporting, as well as construction-specific practices that introduce the small businesses to construction accounting fundamentals. These fundamentals include: 1) debits and credits and how they work; 2) accounting for job cost; 3) work-in-progress (WIP) schedules; 4) percentage-of-completion revenue recognition; and 5) development of financial statements.
    • Banking and Financing for Transportation-Related Small BusinessesThis workshop addresses the need for capital equipment financing, how to determine working capital requirements, the use of lines of credit, and the need to establish a banking relationship.
    • Bonding and Insurance for New and Emerging Transportation-Related Small BusinessesThis workshop focuses on: 1) the definition of surety bonds and the various types of surety bonds; 2) how to begin the process of obtaining a bond; 3) the role of the agent/producer and the underwriter; 4) the prequalification process; 5) the 3 “C’s”, capital, capacity and character; 6) the costs of bonding; and 7) how to develop a surety bond relationship. The workshop also covers the various types of insurances required (commercial general liability, Workers Compensation, etc.) and what to look for in an insurance agent relationship. In addition, the workshop covers other bonding assistance programs, such as the SBA Bond Guarantee and Loan Programs, relevant state bond guarantee and loan programs, and any local bonding or financial support programs that might be available for emerging transportation-related small businesses.
    • Marketing, Estimating and BiddingThe marketing portion of this workshop focuses on: 1) identifying core company capabilities and determining company capacity; 2) developing a marketing plan; 3) identifying targets of opportunity; and 4) making sales calls and visits. The estimating and bidding portion of the workshop covers: 1) methods of computing measurements, including off-the-shelf estimating software, metric conversions, and essential mathematical formulas for estimating; 2) planning construction projects; and 3) preparation of bid documents.
    • Project Management and Field OperationsThis workshop focuses on project-specific activities, including hands-on advice at the job site. The project management portion of this workshop covers: 1) plan reading; 2) types of contracts (lump sum, cost plus fee, etc.); 3) common contract forms; 4) project planning methods; 5) job costing and scheduling; 6) management of subcontractors; 7) the proper expedition of change orders; and 8 measuring project performance. The field operations portion of this workshop covers setting up the job site and on-going job site operations.
    • Claims and Dispute ResolutionThis module focuses on: 1) mechanic’s liens; 2) the claims process under Miller Act payment bonds; 3) the various mediation services and approaches available to a contractor in a dispute; 4) the arbitration provision in standard form construction contracts and what it means; and 5) when and under what circumstances is litigation considered.
    • Managing Growth: – Why Some Contractors Succeed and Others FailThis workshop identifies the most common reasons why contractors, especially small contractors, fail. The workshop also provides suggestions and approaches as to how to avoid these situations and various management approaches and techniques that will help to ensure the small business’s success. In conducting this workshop, the instructor will present “real world” examples of contractors who have succeeded, what pitfalls they were able to avoid and how.
    • Conclusion of Workshop Component and Opportunity NetworkingThis workshop is the conclusion of the educational component of the program and focuses on solidifying the bondability of the contractor and exploiting contracting opportunities through contacts and networking.

     

  2. The Bond Readiness Component consists of one-on-one interactions with surety bond producers, underwriters and other professionals. The surety bond professionals will work with the small businesses on a case-by-case basis to assemble the materials necessary for a complete bond application and address any omissions and/or deficiencies that might impede the successful underwriting of a bond. To deliver this component, SFAA will join with the designated Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs) and use the network of local surety associations (LSAs) to identify surety professionals in each local area who will volunteer to assist the small businesses to become bondable or increase their bonding capacity. In addition, the SBTRC is encouraged to assign a full-time staff person with surety experience or contract with a surety consultant to coordinate the program at the local level. Under this component, the local surety association member(s) will work with the SBTRC to establish a bond readiness team ideally comprised of a surety agent, an underwriter, and other professionals as needed. Other professionals may be an accountant, banker, attorney, or technical assistance provider. The team will first develop procedures for the review of the small businesses bonding applications and establish protocols to ensure the confidentiality of their business information. Next, the team or a team member will meet with each small business on an individual basis to assemble a profile of the company, including financials and job performance history. In the event this information is incomplete, the team or the team member will assist the small business to assemble a more thorough package for assessment. The team or the team member will then review the small business’s financials and/or performance history to identify issues that may lead to the denial of bonding. After this step, the team or the team member will identify those factors that would potentially make the small business bondable and develop a strategy to address each of these factors, including referring the small business to specialized project management, accounting, or financing assistance. Lastly, the team or the team member will help the small business to identify and secure bonding for subsequent projects. A similar approach will be taken for those small businesses that need an increase in bonding capacity in order to bid as prime contractors or to take advantage of larger subcontracting opportunities.To recap of the specific steps of this bond readiness component:
    • Initial Intake Interview
    • Assembling the Company Profile and Bonding Package
    • Assessing Company Bondability
    • Prescribing Remedies for Bondability
    • Referrals and Technical Assistance
    • Support in the Bond Application Process

Source: US DOT OSDBU http://www.osdbu.dot.gov/bap/bep_main.cfm published Apr. 27, 2010.

Recovery Act Contracts in S.E. Identified

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Businesses are understandably interested in identifying government contracting opportunities being generated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).   The Act authorized $275 billion in federal contracts and grants and, as of March 31, 2010, about $85 billion has been awarded.  What contracting opportunities still lie ahead?

To assist Georgia’s business community in identifying potential ARRA contracting opportunities, the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) created a special web link to ARRA-funded upcoming contracting opportunities.  Now, you can view all Recovery Act contracts advertised for bid in the southeast United States at http://www.mybidmatch.com/go/?k=323537382C4154303031302C2C30. 

At GTPAC’s special ARRA web link, you’ll see all the federal contracts advertised for bid, each day for the past 30 days.  This list is updated every day.  By clicking on any of the dates displayed, you can view a synopsis of each contract posting, and each posting contains a link to the full contract solicitation document.

Contact the GTPAC Procurement Counselor nearest you for assistance in interpreting or responding to any of these solicitations.  Also, please consider attending our next “Preparing Successful Bids & Proposals” class for detailed instruction on this subject.  All GTPAC classes can be accessed right here.

One other note.  If your firm is not already registered as a GTPAC client, you should consider enrolling.  Just visit ABOUT US for complete details on how to qualify to become a client.  Once you do, you’ll receive — as often as daily — links to upcoming government contracting opportunities tailored to your specific interests and capabilities.

© 2010 Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center – All Rights Reserved.

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