Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)

The Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), part of the South Carolina Small Business Development Center, helps businesses find and compete for government and military contracts. PTAC counselors are trained to assist clients in becoming prime contractors or subcontractors for the federal government, branches of the military, the state of South Carolina, as well as counties, cities, special districts, colleges and universities.

The federal government is the world’s largest purchaser of goods and services (with 2010 contract award work in SC exceeding $7.7 billion). This ultimate consumer contracts for everything from screws and catering to airplanes and highways. South Carolina small businesses can get their share of these contracts, but often business owners are either unaware of opportunities or are unsure of how to proceed.

Doing business with the government doesn’t have to be daunting. PTAC counselors are available to help. Counselors trained in the nuances of governmental contracting are available, free of charge, for one-on-one confidential counseling. They offer assistance with the steps necessary to do business with the government including:

• Registrations (CCR, ORCA, GLS, MMO)
• Certifications (HubZone, 8a, SDVOB, WOSB, DBE)
• Looking for work (FedBizOpps, SCBO, subcontracting, bid-matching, simplified acquisitions under $25,000)
• Marketing to the government (corporate profiles, small business specialists, site visits, networking strategies, procurement conferences)
• Other procurement training (FAR, DIBBS, FPDS, IFBs, RFPs, GSA Schedules, RFID, SBIR, teaming agreements, NAICS, PSC, specs and standards, WAWF)

Selling in both public and private sectors can help offset market fluctuations and reduce overall business risk. PTAC counselors are at the ready to help develop a company’s market base in the public sector. For additional information on expanding into the government market contact a PTAC counselor or visit http://www.aptac-us.org.

NOTE: SC PTAC services are made possible by funding provided by the U.S. Department of Defense (Defense Logistics Agency) and the state of South Carolina. Our funding agreement requires the SC PTAC to report our impact. For this reason it is important that clients receiving assistance respond to our quarterly surveys regarding government contract activity. Your cooperation will allow the SC PTAC to continue to provide no-fee counseling services.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO FEDERAL AND SC STATE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING

1. Know where to GET SUPPORT. The SBDC (www.scsbdc.com) and APTAC (www.scsbdc.com/ptac.php) organizations are good resources to help you grow your business, including guidance on selling to the government.
2. Identify your PRODUCT & SERVICE CODES
   • North American Industry Classification System (NAICS, www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html)
   • Federal Supply Class (PSC and FSC, www.outreachsystems.com/resources/tables/pscs/)
3. Obtain a DUNS NUMBER (Data Universal Numbering System)
   • From Dun & Bradstreet (note that this is free as part of a CCR registration, a link can be found on the CCR site, see below)
4. Register for FEDERAL CONTRACTING in the Central Contractor Registration site (CCR, www.ccr.gov)
   • When your CCR “Registration Complete” page appears, be sure to click on the SBA logo that leads you to the Small Business Administration’s Business Partner Network (BPN) site where you can finish registering as a small business
5. Register as a STATE VENDOR (http://procurement.sc.gov/PS/PS-index.phtm)
6. Register in the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA, http://orca.bpn.gov)
7. Certify with PROCUREMENT PREFERENCE PROGRAMS (if eligible)
   • SBA managed certification programs (applications found in the SBA’s General Login System site, https://eweb.sba.gov/gls/):
   • 8(a) Business Development Program
   • HUBzone Program
   • Woman Owned Small Business Program
   • SC Governor’s Office of Minority Business Assistance, OSMBA (www.govoepp.state.sc.us/osmba)
   • SC Department of Transportation (www.dot.state.sc.us)
   • Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Councils (fee based, http://msdc.adaptone.com/carolinasmsdc/)
   • Center for Veterans Enterprise (www.vetbiz.gov)
8. Look for CURRENT CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES
   • Federal Government Central Bid Posting Site, FedBizOpps (for awards anticipated to cost more than $25,000, www.fedbizopps.gov)
   • Agency Internet Sites (www.firstgov.gov)
   • DLA Internet Bid Board System (https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/)
   • cFolders (http://www.defensecastingtoolkit.com/tutorials/cFolders.pdf)
   • Defense Supply Centers Procurement Gateway (http://www.fedaccess.com/dla-01.htm)
   • SC Business Opportunities (http://www.mmo.sc.gov/PS/general/scbo/PS-scbo-online.phtm) or, simply
   • use the SC SBDC Electronic Bid Matching Service (annual fee)
9. Familiarize yourself with PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS AND CODES (https://www.acquisition.gov/far/, http://farsite.hill.af.mil)
10. See What the GOVERNMENT BUYS
    • Federal Procurement Data System (https://www.fpds.gov/fpdsng_cms)
11. Investigate GSA MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE CONTRACTS
    • Search the GSA e-Library (www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov)
    • Size up the market at GSA Schedule Sales Query (https://ssq.gsa.gov/)
    • GSA eBuy (https://www.ebuy.gsa.gov/advantage/ebuy/start_page.do)
12. Explore SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES
    • Identify Prime Contractors (www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/doing_business/index.htm)
    • See Opportunities on SUBnet (http://web.sba.gov/subnet/)
    • Techniques also available through FedBizOpps and FPDS, see your PTAC
13. Obtain and Review Appropriate TECH SPECS and STANDARDS
    • Also note packaging, labeling and RFID (http://dodssp.daps.dla.mil/)
14. Prepare your government MARKETING STRATEGY (to include preparing a capabilities statement)
15. Contact AGENCY SMALL BUSINESS SPECIALISTS
    • Small Business Specialists and Selling to the Military (www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/doing_business/index.htm). Ask your PTAC for a current SC listing
16. For RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS (http://www.sbir.gov/)

You are now ready to market your products and services to government agencies and prime contractors. BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT GOVERNMENT CREDIT CARDS for SMALL PURCHASES.

Contact a PTAC counselor

Central and Upstate contact:

Scott Bellows
PTAC Program Manager
Columbia SC SBDC
1225 Laurel Street.
Columbia, SC 29201
803-777-7877
shbellows@sc.edu

Lowcountry contact:

Linda Blanton
PTAC Consultant
Charleston SC SBDC
5900 Core Drive, Suite 104
North Charleston, SC 29406
843-740-5447
blanton@mailbox.sc.edu

Steven Taylor
PTAC Consultant
2430 Mall Drive, Suite 155
North Charleston, SC 29406
843-740-6160
staylor@mailbox.sc.edu