Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

GTPAC launches GoToStage on-demand training channel

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The Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (“GTPAC”) today announced the launch of its GoToStage on-demand training channel.  This channel will be the primary repository of recorded GTPAC webinars and training events.

The channel allows GTPAC clients and prospective clients, including the general public, to receive FREE GTPAC training on-demand at no cost. 

“We understand that it is sometimes difficult to attend our webinars live.  During the past six months I have been regularly recording my webinars and sharing them,” said Andrew Smith, GTPAC Program Manager.  “We wanted to have a place where we could put all our recorded webinars and make them available to our clients and prospective clients on-demand for free.”

GTPAC will also be posting recorded webinars to their new GTPAC Community online platform as well.  The goal of these efforts is to make access to training as simple and easy as possible.

“I’m committed to providing training via webinar and on-demand,” said Smith, “With Atlanta’s traffic, it is difficult sometimes to attend training events in-person, and it is often more efficient to receive training via webinar or on-demand.  I want our services and training to be as accessible as possible.”

New training videos will be continuously posted to the new channel as webinars occur and are recorded – providing a rich and growing resource of GTPAC programming and training videos.

Clients, prospective clients, and the general public can access the on-demand training at the following website:

https://www.gotostage.com/channel/gtpac

GTPAC hosts Atlanta Government Contracting Day event

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On Tuesday, May 21, 2019, the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (“GTPAC”) hosted an event called Atlanta Government Contracting Day.  The purpose of the event was to provide general information and education on how to be a successful government contractor in Georgia.  The event also served as a platform to provide attendees with awareness of resources that could provide assistance to small businesses looking to participate in the government market.

Over 60 small businesses attended the event from a wide variety of industries.  GTPAC wants to thank everyone who attended the event, and our resources partners (SBA, SBDC, SCORE, State of Georgia Purchasing Division) who participated.  The event was a huge success and we could not have done it without the help of our resource partners and the great support that was also provided by our friends at The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech.

For those who did not attend, you can download and review the event slideshow presentations below:

How To Win Government Contracts – Andrew Smith

GTPAC Community Launch Presentation – Khai Edouard

Overview of the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) – Bart Njoku-Obi

Overview of SCORE Atlanta – Nancy Cleveland 

Doing Business with the State of Georgia – Julian Bailey

SBA and Atlanta MBDA to host 8(a) training event May 13th

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The SBA Georgia District Office and Atlanta MBDA Business and Advanced Manufacturing Centers will be jointly hosting a half-day event related to the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program.  The purpose of the event is to foster new 8(a) applicants and to provide instruction to current 8(a) participants on how to maximize the impact of their 8(a) program experience.  The event will also provide training on how 8(a) participants can prepare for transitioning out of the program successfully at the end of their program term.

Topics Include:

  • The Federal Contracting Market and the 8(a) Program
  • 8(a) Program Best Practices
  • 8(a) Program Eligibility and Application Process
  • Effective Marketing to Federal Agencies
  • Capacity Building Tools / Resources for Current 8(a) Participants

There is no fee to attend.  But seats are limited, so registration is required.

Date:  Monday, May 13, 2019

Time:  9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET

Location:  Georgia Tech Research Institute Conference Center, 250 14th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Register here:  https://www.sba.gov/event/1640787

GTPAC to host Atlanta government contracting day on May 21st

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Are you interested in doing business with the government?  Are you already doing business with the government?  If so, please join us as we celebrate government contracting on May 21, 2019, at the Global Learning Center, 84 5th Street NW, Atlanta GA.  GTPAC Counselors will introduce themselves and will provide special presentations on emerging government contracting issues.  GTPAC Counselors will also take questions from the audience related to government contracting.  GTPAC and its resource partners will also provide information about their services and programs.  Contractors will also have an opportunity to network and meet with other vendors and attendees!

Date:  5/21/2019

Time:  9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT)

Location:  Global Learning Center, 84 5th Street NW, Atlanta GA

Presenters:  To be determined.

Admission is free, but pre-registration is required as seating is limited.

Registration:  Go to https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events/8687 and click “Sign Up”

If you have any questions, reach out to Andrew Smith at andrew.smith@innovate.gatech.edu 

Attend Augusta Government Contracting Day on April 22nd

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Are you interested in doing business with the government?  Would you like to learn about federal contracting assistance programs, such as the Women-Owned Small Business program, the Service-disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program, the 8(a) Business Development program, the All Small Mentor-Protégé program, and the HUBZone program?  Are you interested in learning about how to find, bid on and win government contracting opportunities at the federal, state and local level?  If so, please join us at the Augusta Government Contracting Day, on April 22nd at the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library, 823 Telfair Street in Augusta, GA.  GTPAC Counselors will provide a general overview of how the government buys goods and services and will take questions from the audience on all aspects of government contracting.  We will also provide information on free resources that are available to help your business win government contracts.

Date:  4/22/2019

Time:  9:00 AM to 1:00 PM (EDT)

Location:  Augusta-Richmond County Public Library, 823 Telfair Street, Augusta GA 30901

Presenters:  To be determined.

Admission is free, but pre-registration is required as seating is limited.

Registration:  Go to https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events/8684 and click “Sign Up”

If you have any questions, reach out to Andrew Smith at andrew.smith@innovate.gatech.edu 

GTPAC to host Cost/Price Proposal Workshop on April 24th

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One of the most important skills government contractors must learn is how to prepare a quality cost/price proposal, and how to analyze their cost/price competitiveness through market research.  In order to help Georgia businesses learn this skill, the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (“GTPAC”), with support from The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech will be hosting a day-long workshop to provide instruction to businesses on cost/price proposal preparation and cost/price analysis.  Attendees will receive training and materials on topics such as: cost estimating, direct and indirect costs, cost realism and how to do price related market research, among others.

Date:  4/24/2019

Time:  9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (EDT)

Location:  The Global Learning Center, 84 5th Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30308

Presenters:  Alexis Kirksey, Nancy Cleveland, Andrew Smith

Admission is free, but pre-registration is required as seating is limited. 

Registration:  Go to https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events/8683 and click “Sign Up”

If you have any questions, call Alexis Kirksey at (404) 894-6109

Two new free webinars to be presented on Oct. 24th

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The Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) has just added two new webinars to our free training roster.  Both webinars will be presented on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. 

Details, times, and registration details appear below.

“Capabilities Statement — What It Is and Why You Should Have One”  

  • Time: 10:00 to 11:30 am
  • Description: In order to effectively market yourself in the government sector, you should have a corporate résumé. Government agencies call this a Capabilities Statement.  A Capabilities Statement should contain information to tell buyers why you’re an expert and why they should feel confident about awarding you a contract. This workshop provides instruction on how to write a good Capabilities Statement, including all the right ingredients. If you are looking for help with how to present your company to government decision-makers, then attending this workshop is a must.
  • Register at: https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events/8558

“How to Create a Great Elevator Speech”

  • Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
  • Description: Ever wondered how to introduce your business to a government buyer? Like everything else, there’s a right way and a wrong way. Government officials are often pressed for time, so you usually have a limited amount of time to “sell yourself.” This workshop will teach you how to introduce yourself like a pro … and convince decision-makers that you are an expert at what you do!
  • Register at: https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events/8559

 

Be sure to read this reminder about upcoming events

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The Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) wants to remind you of a series of events coming up in the next few months.

Each event is designed to provide businesses with instruction and information on how to do business with particular elements of the government.  Check them out below:

  • August 30 – Coffee Break with Small Business Specialists – Columbus, GA.  Click here for details.
  • September 6 – Coffee Break with Small Business Specialists – Albany, GA.  Click here for details.
  • September 26 – National PTAC Day, including a free instructional webinar.  Click here for details.
  • October 18 – NIST Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) webinar.  Click here for details.
  • November 1 – Warner Robins Air Force Base Civil Engineering Industry Day. Warner Robins, GA.  Click here for details.
  • November 30 – University System of Georgia’s annual procurement expo, Georgia State Univerity-Clarkston Campus  Click here for details.

And, finally, GTPAC also wants to remind of all of our own seminars and webinars.  They are free, and the complete list is available here: https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events.

 

How ‘useful links’ can help you navigate the government contracting process

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Clients of the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) will tell you how helpful GTPAC’s “Introduction to Government Contracting” seminar is.  Hundreds and hundreds of Georgia businesses have used the “Intro” seminar as their first stepping stone into the government contracting arena.

What these businesses may forget is that GTPAC has a web page containing all of the resources featured in the seminar.

GTPAC’s “Intro” class outlines of seven steps that are essential to achieving success in the government marketplace.  The seven steps are:

  1. Registration in Government Databases
  2. Creating a Marketing Plan
  3. Knowing the Right People
  4. Developing a Reference Library
  5. Searching for Opportunities
  6. Bidding and Performing
  7. Marketing to State and Local Governments

Internet resources supporting the seven steps are valuable to businesses who have attended GTPAC’s “Intro” seminar as well as those who have not.

By reviewing the seven steps on-line — available here — businesses can familiarize themselves with all of the things they should do to prepare themselves before pursuing government contracts.  The resources listed on GTPAC’s “useful links” webpage inform newcomers to government contracting — and remind experienced government contractors — of each essential step that must be taken to achieve success in the government contracting marketplace.

Why not visit GTPAC’s Useful Links today to see what steps you may have neglected to take?  There are more than 160 government contracting resources posted there!

To register to attend GTPAC’s next “Introduction to Government Contracting” seminar — either in-classroom or via a webinar — check GTPAC’s training calendar at https://gtpac.ecenterdirect.com/events.  All of GTPAC’s training seminars are free of charge.

 

DoD’s R&D fund sponsors free online training

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The Department of Defense’s SBIR/STTR Program Office has put together an on-line training program catalogue for small businesses for the year.

Small businesses — who are pursuing projects with potential for commercialization and which match-up with specific U.S. Government research and development (R&D) needs — should look into the SBIR/STTR program.

Upcoming SBIR/STTR webinar topics are listed below, along with dates and training registration links.  All are offered free of charge.

  1. How to Use the DOD SBIR/STTR Submission Site / Important Proposal Considerations / Using SITIS – May 24, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  2. Managing Intellectual Property – Important Business Considerations for Commercialization – June 5, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  3. Understanding the Evaluation Process / What to Do with a Debrief – June 26, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site 
  4. Working with Prime Contractors – July 17, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site 
  5. The DOD Acquisition Process / Contracting – August 1, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  6. Commercialization Assistance Programs and Beyond Phase II Considerations – September 4, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  7. Manufacturing / Working with MIBP – September 18, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  8. Testing and Evaluation – October 9, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site 
  9. Phase III Process – How to Identify Non-SBIR – October 30, 2018 – http://bit.ly/PIIIprocess 

For more information about the SBIR/STTR programs, visit https://www.sbir.gov/about/about-sttr.

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