In an effort to promote and broaden small company development across the country, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday, December 2, 2022. The program offers free procurement assistance to small businesses that work with all levels of the government. All Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) will be renamed to APEX Accelera
tors.
The goal of the MOU is to increase the number of small businesses that are active in the marketplace and to improve customer service for business owners who want to pursue contracting opportunities. In order to do this, APEX Accelerators will receive $2.8 million in federal funds to create six regional Resource Centers staffed by five veteran consultants each with experience helping small businesses succeed in government contracting. The centers will provide business development technical assistance focused on diversifying companies' customer base from primarily private sector entities into both federal and state governments as well as local organizations like hospitals, school districts or municipalities.
Companies who are just getting started in the federal contracting industry, those trying to grow their market share, or those seeking free business development counsel can all benefit greatly from APEX Accelerators. They can also direct you to a variety of other available resources.
More than 1,000 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and APEX Accelerators sites offer assistance to small business contractors. Generally speaking, the help offered is free and provides a variety of assistance to government contractors. APEX Accelerators provide support to all government contractors, whereas SBDCs only provide aid to small firms. Small enterprises are explicitly helped in their pursuit of contracts with the federal, state, and local governments. This includes assistance with the System for Award Management (SAM) registration process, finding contracting opportunities, reading specifications, creating bids, and helping in the early phases of beginning a business.
The SBA maintains more than 1,000 Small Business Development Centers, while the DOD runs over 90 APEX Accelerators across the nation. Small firms that are specifically interested in working with the federal government will be successful in getting contracts, thanks to the MOU, which will ensure that there is stronger coordination between those resources.
The SBA Small Business Development Centers will continue to operate under the previous moniker until the full transition to APEX Accelerators is complete, which is projected by the end of 2023.
To learn more about this program and how it can benefit your business, please visit the APEX Accelerators website at www.apexaccelerators.us