Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

DLA Distribution hosting virtual industry day June 9th

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DATE:  June 9th, 2021

TIME:  8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT

AUDIENCE:  Industry Representatives, Prospective Vendors, Large and Small Business, and Socioeconomic Classified Business with a focus on service and supply related industries such as the following:

• Storage and distribution

• Construction

• Material handling equipment repair

• Janitorial

• Boxes (cartons, crates, containers, packaging, packing supplies, bags, and sacks)

• Communication equipment

• Material handling equipment & conveyors

• Office supplies

• Furniture (cabinets, lockers, bins, and shelving)

MISSION:  DLA is America’s combat logistics support agency.  Our mission is to provide best value integrated logistics solutions to America’s armed forces and other designated customers in peace and in war, around the clock, around the world.  DLA Distribution provides storage and distribution solutions/management, transportation planning/management, logistics planning and contingency operations via a global network of distribution centers.  To support this, DLA Distribution J7 (Acquisition Operations) issues supply and service contracts for storage and distribution, construction, material handling equipment & maintenance, janitorial services, and shipping/packaging supplies.

WHEN:  June 9, 2021

WHERE:  Virtual (registered attendees will receive login information in May 2021)

TOPICS:  Agenda is available on beta.SAM.gov under SP3300-21-SS-5003

DESCRIPTION:  DLA Distribution invites you to attend the DLA Distribution Virtual Industry Day on June 9, 2021.  The purpose of this forum is to provide our industry partners an avenue to learn about the mission of DLA Distribution and to encourage an open dialogue and exchange of information and ideas with our industry partners.  Industry will hear from the organization’s staff and gain insight into DLA Distribution’s strategic and operational objectives.  Industry will learn about DLA Distribution and how to do business with us.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Each organization is limited to two (2) representatives for the Virtual Industry Day.  Requests to substitute registered attendees for the Virtual Industry Day will not be accepted.

If you have any questions regarding the event please send an email to DistributionJ7@dla.mil

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) distribution hosting virtual industry day June 9th

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Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Distribution Virtual Industry Day:  https://beta.sam.gov/opp/4a09d1b9ebf64ca3a3ceb91aebaa6c93/view

AUDIENCE:  Industry Representatives, Prospective Vendors, Large and Small Business, and Socioeconomic Classified Business with a focus on service and supply related industries such as the following:

  • Storage and distribution
  • Construction
  • Material handling equipment repair
  • Janitorial
  • Boxes (cartons, crates, containers, packaging, packing supplies, bags, and sacks)
  • Communication equipment
  • Material handling equipment & conveyors
  • Office supplies
  • Furniture (cabinets, lockers, bins, and shelving)

MISSION:  DLA is America’s combat logistics support agency.  Our mission is to provide best value integrated logistics solutions to America’s armed forces and other designated customers in peace and in war, around the clock, around the world.  DLA Distribution provides storage and distribution solutions/management, transportation planning/management, logistics planning and contingency operations via a global network of distribution centers.  To support this, DLA Distribution J7 (Acquisition Operations) issues supply and service contracts for storage and distribution, construction, material handling equipment & maintenance, janitorial services, and shipping/packaging supplies.

WHEN:  June 9, 2021

WHERE:  Virtual (more information to follow)

TOPICS:  Please see the agenda at beta.sam.gov:  https://beta.sam.gov/opp/4a09d1b9ebf64ca3a3ceb91aebaa6c93/view

REGISTRATION:  Virtual Industry Day registration to begin on March 15, 2021 at 1:00 EST at the following link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dla-distribution-virtual-industry-day-2021-registration-145686396935

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:  May 14, 2021 @ 4:00pm Eastern local time or until capacity has been reached.

DESCRIPTION:  DLA Distribution invites you to attend the DLA Distribution Virtual Industry Day on June 9, 2021.  The purpose of this forum is to provide our industry partners an avenue to learn about the mission of DLA Distribution and to encourage an open dialogue and exchange of information and ideas with our industry partners.  Industry will hear from the organization’s staff and gain insight into DLA Distribution’s strategic and operational objectives.  Industry will learn about DLA Distribution and how to do business with us.

As a precursor, please find the attached DLA Distribution Business Opportunities Forecast:  https://beta.sam.gov/opp/4a09d1b9ebf64ca3a3ceb91aebaa6c93/view

Each organization is limited to two (2) representatives for the Virtual Industry Day.  Requests to substitute registered attendees for the Virtual Industry Day will not be accepted.

If you have any questions regarding the event or this public notice, please send an email to DistributionJ7@dla.mil

DLA hosting event March 10th with special emphasis on Women-Owned Small Businesses

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On March 10th, 2021 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM EST the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is hosting a “doing business with DLA” event with special emphasis on Women-Owned Small Businesses.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Office of Small Business Programs offers monthly webinars to educate small businesses and others about DLA’s mission and opportunities to participate in our various supply chains.

March is Women’s History Month.  As a result, the March program will have a special emphasis on WOSB businesses during the session.  However, the session is open to all not just WOSBs.

To register for this event go to https://tko.dla.mil select “HQ DLA Small Business Programs” fill out the registration form and additional information will be provided to you.

GTPAC participates at National MBE Manufacturers Summit

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On Aug. 12th 2019, GTPAC Program Manager Andrew Smith spoke at the National MBE Manufacturers Summit at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center in Atlanta, GA, and introduced Christopher Hall, Deputy Director of the Office of Small Business Programs for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).  Smith also spoke briefly about the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center and the free services Procurement Technical Assistance Centers provide to businesses interested in exploring the government market.  Thanks to the Defense Logistics Agency, there are PTAC programs like GTPAC in all 50 states.

Deputy Director Hall spoke to the crowd about how to do business with DLA and educated the audience on the various DLA commands and what they typically purchase from small business manufacturers.  As Deputy Director of the DLA Office of Small Business Programs, Hall supports DLA leadership on small business issues and seeks to increase small business participation in DLA acquisitions.  The DLA Office of Small Business Programs promotes small business utilization to strengthen the industrial base, which fulfills DLA’s mission as the Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency.

“I was very pleased with the event, and I’m excited about the dynamic technology and innovation taking place right now in the manufacturing sector,” said Smith, “I believe these innovative manufacturers have a lot to offer the government and DoD… I hope many of them explore working with DLA to support the warfighter and to strengthen our industrial base and DoD supply chain.”

If you would like to learn how to work with DLA, you can visit the DLA Small Business website:  https://www.dla.mil/SmallBusiness/

 

Pentagon requests voluntary refund of millions of dollars from contractor TransDigm

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The Army and Defense Logistics Agency will both seek reimbursement on millions of dollars from contractor TransDigm, following an Inspector General report into the company’s contracts with the Pentagon.

TransDigm, which produces specialized parts for aircraft such as pumps, valves and batteries,, earned “excess profit” 112 of 113 contracts reviewed by the IG’s office, per a report released last Wednesday. The IG found that the company received $16.1 million in excess profit between January 2015 and January 2017, with a cost that could go up due to spare parts in the future.

The 112 contracts, signed with the Army or DLA, had profit margins ranging from 17 to a whopping 4,451 percent; The IG’s office calls profit percentages of 15 percent or below to be “reasonable.”

Keep reading this article at: https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2019/02/27/pentagon-requests-voluntary-refund-of-millions-of-dollars-from-contractor-transdigm/

GTPAC enters 33rd year of continuous service to Georgia businesses

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On Feb. 1, 2019, the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) enters its 33rd year of continuous operation, providing assistance to Georgia’s business community in the pursuit of government contracts.

Specifically, GTPAC helps businesses identify, compete for, and win contracts at all levels of government – federal, state, and local.

GTPAC is one of about a dozen programs – known as Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) – that were established shortly after Congress launched the initiative in 1985.  Today, there are 95 PTACs across the nation that serve all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

GTPAC’s continued operation is made possible through funds provided by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) along with state funding made available through Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2).

On Jan. 24, 2019, GTPAC received a fully executed award document from the DLA ensuring that funding would be made available to Georgia Tech for another year of PTAC operations in the state of Georgia.

“We are grateful for the confidence DLA places in us to carry out this program in Georgia,” says Program Manager Andrew Smith, “and we are very thankful for the support that Georgia Tech provides to the program.”

The Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) regularly hosts events that bring together government buyers with Georgia-based businesses. On Jan. 14th of this year, GTPAC hosted a Defense Innovation Conference attended by 220 businesses, Defense Department officials, and major prime contractors.

GTPAC is widely recognized as a PTAC with one of the strongest track records in the nation.  Over the last decade, GTPAC helped Georgia businesses win between $500 million and $1 billion in government contracts, annually.

While tabulations for calendar year 2018 are not yet complete, preliminary reports show that GTPAC’s clients won at least 3,400 government prime contracts and subcontracts worth more than $1 billion.

GTPAC counseled, instructed, and identified bid opportunities for 2,300 businesses across the State of Georgia last year. GTPAC also conducted 150 training workshops and participated in 31 events statewide where more than 3,000 business people received instruction on how to effectively compete for government contracts.

GTPAC maintains staff in Albany, Atlanta, Gainesville, Carrollton, Savannah, and Warner Robins.  Training is also conducted in Athens and Columbus as well as via on-line webinars.  All businesses in Georgia are eligible to receive GTPAC’s services at no cost. The program provides Georgia businesses with counseling, training, and a complete set of electronic tools to research and identify government contracting opportunities.

For contact information, and to register for any GTPAC workshop statewide, visit the program’s website at www.gtpac.org.

You’d better ‘feed’ SAM regularly — especially before you submit a bid

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Effective October 26, 2018, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requires businesses who are pursuing federal contracts to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to their submission of a bid, proposal, or quote to a federal agency.

Think of this as the need to “feed” information about your company into the SAM database, including updates to that information, on a regular basis.

There are only a few exceptions to this new policy (exceptions may be found at FAR 4.1102).

In the context of federal contracting, SAM is essentially the federal government’s vendor database.  By registering in SAM, businesses indicate their compliance and agreement with the federal government’s standard “representations and certifications” requirements.  Updating your SAM record must be done at least annually for a vendor to maintain “active” status is SAM.

The new rule clarifies what had been ambiguity as to when vendors must be registered in SAM in order to be eligible to receive contract awards.  (See details in our earlier article on this subject here.)  With the FAR change, it’s now clear that registration must be accomplished before a vendor submits a response to an Invitation for Bid (IFB), a Request for Proposal (RFP), or a Request for a Quotation (RFQ).

If you need help with your company’s SAM registration, feel free to contact a Procurement Counselor with the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC).  All of our contact information is listed by location at: https://gtpac.org/team-directory.

If you are located outside of the state of Georgia, you can find the procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) nearest you at: http://www.aptac-us.org/contracting-assistance.

Remember: There is never a fee to register in SAM as a government contractor. PTACs are available to provide you with no-cost help to get you through the process.

 

Effective Oct. 26, you must be registered in SAM before you submit a federal bid, proposal or quote

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It’s official: If you intend to pursue a federal contract, your business must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before you submit a bid, proposal, or quotation.  The new rule that makes this clear goes into effect on October 26, 2018.

Any wiggle room that may have existed in the past has been eliminated.  SAM registration is now imperative if you are interested in federal contracting.

It used to be that SAM registration was required before a contract could be awarded. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at Subpart 4.1102(a) made that clear.  But that requirement was always a bit ambiguous since another provision of the FAR (Subpart 52.204-8(d)) said that bidders and proponents had to complete the representations and certifications in SAM as a condition of making their offer.  As a matter of practical interpretation, most federal contracting officers simply made sure that an offeror’s SAM registration was complete before awarding the offeror a contract.

That latitude goes away on October 26, 2018.  On that date, FAR Subpart 4.1102 is officially amended to require all entities (i.e., vendors, including joint ventures) to be registered in SAM at the time they submit an offer (a bid or proposal) or submit a quotation to a federal agency.  In essence, vendors who are not registered in SAM are ineligible to submit offers or quotes – effective October 26, 2018.

Keep in mind that the SAM registration process can take time to complete.  If you’re planning to compete for a federal contract in the future, you should complete your SAM registration as far in advance as possible.  And, if you are already registered in SAM, remember that your SAM registration must be renewed at least annually – and renewed whenever any part of your registration needs to be updated.

If you need help with your company’s SAM registration, feel free to contact a Procurement Counselor with the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC).  All of our contact information is listed by location at: https://gtpac.org/team-directory.

If you are located outside of the state of Georgia, you can find the procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) nearest you at: http://www.aptac-us.org/contracting-assistance.

Remember: There is never a fee to register in SAM as a government contractor. PTACs are available with no-cost help to get you through the process.

SAM is located at: https://sam.gov.  But before beginning the SAM registration process, you must first take care of the following:

  1. Obtain a DUNS Number by registering your Legal Business Name and Physical Address with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).  If you don’t already have a DUNS Number, you can request a DUNS Number for FREE from D&B at: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
  2. Make sure you have a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) associated with the Legal Business Name registered with D&B.  To obtain information from the IRS on how to obtain a TIN, visit: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxpayer-identification-numbers-tin
  3. Have your bank’s routing number handy, including your bank account number and your bank account type (i.e., checking or savings).  You’ll need this information to set up Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) in SAM.  The federal government makes virtually all contract payments via EFT.
  4. The first time you log in to SAM.gov, you’ll be asked to create a login.gov user account (if you don’t already have one). Going forward, you will use your login.gov username and password every time you log in to SAM.gov. Existing SAM.gov usernames and passwords no longer work.

Defense agencies continue awarding contracts to suspended firms, report finds

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At least nine major contractors, working primarily for defense-related agencies, have benefited from waivers under a 1981 law that allows federal officials to override the firms’ suspensions for such misconduct as fraud, bribery and theft.

That’s according to a new study of 22 contract decisions released this week by Bloomberg Government. Using a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the General Services Administration, the publication also found that some agencies had failed to forward the required documentation on the waivers to GSA.

Such household names as IBM, BP and Boeing have benefited from the law, wrote reporter Sam Skolnik.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.govexec.com/contracting/2018/08/defense-agencies-continue-awarding-contracts-suspended-firms-report-finds/150424

In doubt? Check with GTPAC!

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Your team at the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) stands ready to offer you advice about any aspect of government contracting — especially when you have any doubt about the legitimacy of a contract-related service or solicitation.

We’ve published many articles before about government contracting scams (click here to see previous articles), and once again we want to bring another one to your attention.

Just a few days ago, a GTPAC client contacted one of our Counselors and asked about the legitimacy of a request for a quotation he received, supposedly from the Dept. of Defense (DoD).  Once we examined the email and the attachment that our client sent us, we told him to run — not walk — away from it!

Here Are the Details

The email was purportedly from a DoD official soliciting a quote for some laptops and computer drives.

We examined the email and its attachment, including the following:

  • We called the phone number in the email which was answered by a person who didn’t identify himself.  When we asked questions, he said that he’d have the person identified in the email call us back with details.  No one called back.
  • We checked the identity of the person who supposedly sent the email.  The email’s Quote form identified him as Deputy Director for Procurement at AT&L.   We determined that, in reality, he is DoD’s Deputy Director for Earned Value Management.  AT&L (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics) is a unit within DoD that no longer exists; it’s been reorganized into two groups: research and engineering (R&E) and acquisition and sustainment (A&S).  (See details of that reorganization by clicking here.)
  • We also identified the DoD official’s real email address and his actual phone number; they were not the email address or phone number shown in the email and on the Quote form that was sent to our client.
  • We noted that the federal solicitation number shown on the Quote form was not in the correct format, and the Quote form itself was not a form we have ever seen before.
  • The wording of the email was sloppy and unprofessionally prepared.

Based on the above, we advised our client to not respond because we believe this is a probable scam which will lead to an order to ship the products to a bogus shipping address, for which payment will never be received.  We also alerted the appropriate DoD officials of this probable scam.

What You Should Do

It’s as simple as 1-2-3.

  1. Stay alert to possible scams involving government contracting.  There are many scams in circulation literally every day.
  2. Don’t let the temptation of landing a sale overtake your common sense.  If it looks like easy money, it’s probably bogus.
  3. Whenever you are in doubt, contact GTPAC for advice.  We’ll be happy to check things out for you and provide you with our opinion.  It’s as simple as forwarding anything suspicious to us at: gtpacatl@innovate.gatech.edu.

Remember, the GTPAC team is here to help you succeed in the government marketplace!

P.S.:  If your business is located outside the state of Georgia, you can find a procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) by clicking here.

 

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