Procurement Technical
Assistance Center
PTAC: A friend of Small Business
It’s not particularly a secret, but it’s not the best known department at JALC either. However, the positive impact it makes on the small business community in the area is profound.
The purpose of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is to provide specific marketing and technical assistance that will help encourage an increased share of the contract dollars that are procured each year by the government to the southern Illinois business community. The ultimate mission is to provide for a sound industrial and service base comprised of government contractors that will serve to facilitate job creation and retention.
Broken down into good old Southern Illinois jargon, PTAC can be a best friend to small businesses that want to get a boost through government contracts that could eventuate into a giant leap for their company. For the area, it could mean more and better jobs. The beautiful part of this scenario is that the government agencies, for the most part, want to distribute their contracts in such a manner. It’s just a matter of them getting together with area clients.
Enter PTAC!
Lyndsay Hughes, director of the organization, explains that the PTAC was initiated to compliment the state’s overall economic development efforts by helping established Illinois firms compete for government contracts. “To say that opportunities are definitely available for small companies is an understatement,” Hughes said. “Federal, state, and local governments spend more than $400 billion annually on various products, and services, much of which is with small business. The problem for many small firms is finding these opportunities. Our main objective is to eliminate the frustrations and intimidations sometimes associated with doing business with the government. It’s a very competitive arena.”
The JALC unit is one of 12 PTACs in Illinois, most of which are hosted by community colleges. They are associated with and supported by such agencies as the Department of Defense, the Small Business Administration, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Have they impacted the community? You be the judge. Since 1985, PTAC has assisted clients in bringing in over $900 million! This is important to Southern Illinois because such business success equates in job creation.
Assistance in the procurement process by the PTAC is free of charge and may include facets such as contract preparation, acquisition, or administration. Whether this assistance entails the provision of a federal acquisition regulation (FAR), a military/federal specification, the past pricing history on a contract, or help with an essential form such as the Material and Inspection Receiving Report, any one step in this process can be the deciding factor in determining whether a firm is prepared to submit a qualified bid to the government. All efforts are directed towards ensuring information flows both ways between the government and business.
PTAC Insight: General Dynamics, the Marion–based munitions contractor, is the Center’s largest client. Mark Caliva, former Senior Buyer, attests to the role of the Center for southern Illinois. “The value and support of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center is a vital tool in the community. From bid solicitations, to exploring potential suppliers, this all bodes well for economic development.” Calva added, “General Dynamics embraces the opportunity to work with the PTAC, helping us convert some of our federal contracts into subcontracting opportunities with area small businesses. Any situation where there is a win–win for business and education will always be supported by General Dynamics and our management.”
Ginger Miller, Director of Government Sales at Bell City Battery, said, “The PTAC has been an invaluable resource for our company. I feel this Center has the ability to help all facets of business increase their participation in government procurement.”
James Satterfield, Director of Government Sales for Marion Electrical Supply states that “The PTAC office has been the main support for finding and relaying government job opportunities. Using this beneficial service has increased our sales volume and we are now selling all around the country.”
Additionally, the PTAC is a member of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network which includes Entrepreneurship Centers, Small Business Development Centers, International Trade Centers, NAFTA Opportunity Centers, Illinois Manufacturing Extension Centers, and Illinois Technology Centers. Any prospective or existing Illinois business owner may take advantage of the services available through this network.