Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) around the country celebrate
the success of their small business clients

For 33 years, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) have helped expand the number of small businesses that successfully compete for and win federal, state and local government contracts. This September, PTACs from around the country are coming together launch National PTAC Day. The day is intended to celebrate the success of the tens of thousands of small businesses who have benefited from training and technical assistance delivered by their local PTACs.

As part of this celebration, Lakeland Community College’s Northeast Ohio PTAC will host a special event at the Holden University Center on Sept. 26, from 8-10 a.m. Businesses will have the opportunity to learn some basics about diversifying their market footprint through local, state and federal contracting with the help of PTAC services, as well as meet some local small businesses who have been successful in their contracting efforts. Registration is free when businesses sign up online at lakelandcc.edu/ptac.

In addition, participants will have the opportunity to learn how to:

• Find qualified employees utilizing Lakeland’s Career Services department.
• Tie into degree and certificate programs through Lakeland’s Recruitment Center.
• Finance business expansion through the Lakeland Small Business Capital Corporation of Ohio’s 504 loan program.
• Get additional services to help their business provided by the Cleveland district’s office of the Small Business Administration.

Lakeland’s Northeast Ohio PTAC program had a very successful fiscal year 2017. Between Feb. 1, 2017 and Jan. 31, 2018, PTAC met with 365 businesses in northeast Ohio. Their clients reported 1,116 federal government contract awards totaling over $67,333,432. Lakeland’s PTAC office serves the business community in Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga, Cuyahoga, Lorain, Erie and Huron counties.

Ninety-five Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) – with over 300 local offices – form a nationwide network of more than 600 dedicated procurement professionals who work to help local businesses successfully sell their products and services to government agencies. In 2017, the PTAC network served over 48,000 clients and helped them win over $20 billion in government contracts and subcontracts. The more successful our nation’s small businesses are in the government marketplace, the stronger our regional and national economies grow.

More information about Lakeland PTAC office is available at lakelandcc.edu/ptac.

About the PTAC Program: The Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP) was authorized by Congress in 1985 in an effort to expand the number of businesses capable of participating in the government marketplace. Administered by the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the program provides matching funds through cooperative agreements with state and local governments and nonprofit organizations to operate Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) for the purpose of providing procurement assistance to all businesses – particularly small businesses – interested in participating in the government marketplace. Learn more at http://www.aptac-us.org.

By: Jessica Novak