PTAC matches businesses with government contracts

Fort Drum offers a wealth of government contracts for businesses in the north country to take advantage of, but the process can seem like a giant hurdle. For example, business owners may think that applying will take too much time, or that contracts aren’t lucrative.

While government language can be hard to decipher, staff at the North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center, 1241 Coffeen St., conducts one-on-one meetings with business owners to break everything down, doing most of the work for them, said Stephen M. Barr, program manager. The center, which is at the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce, was launched in 2008 to help businesses expand by doing more work with the government.

“The services at PTAC provide an English translation of government contracts, and we’re here to help you through the maze,” Mr. Barr said.

Since its inception, the center, which offers a range of free services, has partnered with an increasing number of businesses in the tri-county area, he said.

Mr. Barr and assistant Katrina L. Kapustay help clients understand how to apply for and bid on government projects, develop marketing plans and develop business plans that match each company’s niche with the right projects.

The number of businesses seeking help at the center has ballooned from 52 in 2008 to 178 last year, Mr. Barr said. Businesses have been awarded more than 1,000 contracts since 2009. Most of those contracts were awarded by Fort Drum, but the list also includes an array of government projects, such as highway infrastructure and expansion projects at state universities.

“Traditionally, we were with companies that have been in business for a long time and want to expand by working with the government,” Mr. Barr said. “We’ve had a lot of construction projects recently, especially with the growth and expansion of Fort Drum.”

When Mr. Barr meets with a client for the first time, he identifies the projects the client might seek. A roofing company, for example, might be a subcontractor for a project.

Using an online database, he searches for government contracts across the region in which the company might be interested. When a potential match is found, the center contacts business owners by email.

“Smaller companies may be looking for regional projects, while others are looking for national projects,” Mr. Barr said. “The system we use pulls contracts from hundreds of websites to find the right matches.”

Business owners who may not think projects are readily available still should visit the center, he said, so they can develop a profile for their company and understand how the process works. By doing so, they’ll be ready to hit the ground running when a contract meeting their criteria becomes available.

“You want to be ready when the contract comes out, because if you don’t have it ready, you might not have time to put together a successful bid,” Mr. Barr said. “Government contracts are cyclical, so clients will be able to know when they’re expected to come out ahead of time.”

Clients are able to view a history of contracts in the area, such as at Fort Drum, to get an idea of how much money contracts are awarded for and at what time they typically become available during the year, Mr. Barr said. It usually takes about two months for government agencies to award contracts after announcing them.

Right Price Cos., a commercial furniture dealer in Syracuse, is an example of a company that has taken advantage of the PTAC program to expand. CEO David L. Price said the company began working with staff in Watertown in 2008 to learn how to apply for government contracts at Fort Drum. Since then, the company has won seven contracts and is installing modular offices at a 1,400-square-foot office building at Fort Drum that will be used to provide counseling services for soldiers.

After attending a government matchmaking event at Jefferson Community College, Right Price made several valuable connections with government agencies that led to securing contracts, Mr. Price said.

“Networking with the PTAC gave us the tools to go out and (find) government businesses,” he said. As a business owner, “you’re only as strong as your network, and if you’re looking to do business with the government, the center gives you tools and resources that you need to be familiar with.”

Mr. Price said that the partnership with PTAC has enabled Right Price to expand its market into the north country and that he hopes an ongoing partnership with the center will lead to more projects.

North Country PTAC, along with the state Small Business Development Center at JCC, will host its “Selling to the Government Matchmaking Event” from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 27 at JCC. Business owners will have a chance to make appointments with agencies, prime contractors and local, regional and national firms.

To register, call the Small Business Development Center at 782-9262.

For more information about the North Country PTAC program, call Mr. Barr at 788-4400 or visit ptac.watertownny.com/ptac/.