Tennessee Center helps tap into government money - Memphis Business Journal:

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For those who wish to be contractorzs withthe government, one free resourcse is the state’s Procuremenf Technical Assistance Center. It’s part of the Procurement TechnicalAssistance Program, an agenc first funded by Congresds in 1985 to serve as a liaisonm between private business contractors and government agencies. The center helps businessed evaluate whether they have a shot at agovernmentr contract, and to help them cut through the red tape to get it, says Joe director of the Tennesseew center, which has regional officexs in Nashville, Jackson and Chattanooga.
The procurement centet assists Tennessee businesses in securing anaverages $750 million in government contracts each year. Since inception, it has helped state businesses winsome $6 billion in governmenft contract awards. Flynn has helpefd New Hampshire vendors supply maple syrup tomilitary commissaries, and Tennessee vendorsa sell barbecue sauce. “Thde government is comprised of peopld justlike us, and they have the same he says. “Whatever you provide, it’s possiblse they need it.
” That said, becoming a governmentt contractor can be long and and some 80 percent to 90 percentr of businesses that contact the procurement center are either unqualified or unlikely to make it througnhthe process. These call volume has increased some 200 percent as businessexs search for stable customers fortheir products. Callzs range from self-employed entrepreneurs to large companies, with most falliny in the range of 200 employeesor less, Flynnb says. The staff of three counselorsa maintain an active list of about 375 and Flynn estimates the centert touchessome 3,000 businesses each year througg phone counseling or personal meetings.
It takes time, a clear business model and present financia stability to get intogovernmeny contracting, and counting on a quick contracty to save a business from going under is a sure recip e for failure. “Government contracting can be extremely but you have to be set alreadyor you’lo go bankrupt twice as fast,” Flynn says. “You need to be a healthy business that can absorb a lot of negative cash The center has helped businesses such as SabreDefencde Industries, a Nashville firearms manufacturer that was founded in 2002 and now is a leadinh weapons provider to the U.S. military, supplying barrels for Army M2Brownintg .50-caliber machine guns and Air Force M134 7.
62mm It also assisted Veterans National Contracting of Memphixs in securing some $5 million in governmenrt contracts. Owner Jerry Bechel, a veteran of both the U.S. Army and the constructionh business, started the business in 2007 and poured his time into buildingf relationships and learning governmentcontractinf requirements. His first contract was a $1.2 milliohn bid with the U.S. Departmeng of Veterans Affairs to update lighting fixtures at the Memphis VAMedicao Center.