December 2018 - In This Issue:
ABOUT US

The SBTDC/PTAC Program's purpose is to generate employment and improve the general economic condition of the state by assisting  North Carolina companies including those eligible for business development programs for local, state and federal government contracts. We provide procurement technical assistance by offering no-fee and confidential counseling on selling your products and/or services to the appropriate local, state or federal government agency.

THE TEAM
MARK MILLS
PTAC Program Director
919.600.6096


SCOTT BARKER
PTAC Counselor 
Elizabeth City / Greenville / Wilmington / Raleigh / 
Durham / Chapel Hill
252.737.1369


PAM RACER
PTAC Counselor 
Asheville / Hickory / Boone / Cullowhee
828.251.6025


ROBIN LIVINGSTON
PTAC Counselor 
Fayetteville / Pembroke
910.672.1359


SHARONETTA MCINTYRE

PTAC Counselor 
Greensboro / Winston-Salem
336.256.9301

UPCOMING EVENTS
Jan 8, 2019
Webinar
Jan 22, 2019
Webinar
ADDITIONAL SBTDC RESOURCES
ACCELERATE: A BLOG FOR CEOs OF MID-SIZED FIRMS
SBTDC's Strategy and Growth Services blog, Accelerate, helps CEOs of mid-sized companies make business and leadership improvements through helpful insight, resources, and tools.
Learn more »


TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION SERVICES
The SBTDC's Technology Commercialization Services team provides business counseling to small to mid-sized business owners, university researchers, and entrepreneurs looking to advance their innovations to the marketplace.
Learn more »


INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The SBTDC's International Business Development Specialists assists small and mid-sized businesses with export planning and exporting.
Learn more »
Director's Corner: 
New PTAC Counselor In the Triad
By Mark G. Mills, PTAC Program Director at North Carolina State University
Sharonetta McIntyre joined the PTAC team and will be serving clients in the Triad region.   The Triad Region includes Randolph, Davidson, Guilford, Forsyth, Davie, Yadkin Caswell, Rockingham, Stokes and Surry counties. Sharonetta has corporate and small business experience in project and contract management, process improvement and training & education. Her functional experience includes Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance & Accounting, Health Care, and Human Resources. She earned her undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Spelman College and an MBA from Elon University. She previously worked for Procter & Gamble for 20+ years in Information Technology services where she provided software development and integration, managed project teams, and deployed global collaboration tools. She has enjoyed helping small businesses achieve their goals and looks forward to assisting companies in the government contracting arena.   

House Committee Proposes Ending SDVOSB Self-Certification
By Pamela Racer, PTAC Counselor at Western Carolina University
The Small Business Administration (SBA) certifies small businesses for federal contracting set-aside/preference programs. This process helps to ensure that only qualified entities are able to take advantage from the $105 billion in government contract awards reserved for small businesses.
 
However, there is one exception to this rule. Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), verified by the Department of Veterans to qualify for VA contracts, are allowed to self-certify for other federal government agency awards.   There are two SDVOSB designations currently being used. The VA's Center for Verification and Evaluation requires the business to go through a verification process, and a certification program through the SBA where the businesses can self-certify.
One can only imagine the confusion this would cause among SDVOSBs. Additionally, the long term result has been years of fraud, waste, and abuse caused by inadequate controls being applied against companies not owned or operated by Service Disabled Veterans.
 


PTAC Client Success Story 
Survival Innovations, LLC
By Pamela Racer, PTAC Counselor at Western Carolina University
 
Survival Innovations, LLC began working with the SBTDC in 2004. I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Mark Trexler at Survival Innovations (SI) and listening to his story on how the business (and its team) has grown over the past year. Mark and his team have experienced success allowing them to become the "ever-evolving" business they have always strived to be.

According to Mark, it truly takes a team for a small business to succeed during a period of rapid growth while dealing with all the new challenges that emerge from an expanding customer base. Survival Innovations LLC has leaned very heavily on SBTDC/PTAC, Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, and the NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) Military Regional Manager as key members of the team. Over the past year, SI has grown from 15 to 34 employees, expanded their customer and product base, and moved into a new manufacturing facility.




SELLING TO THE GOVERNMENT

5 West Hargett St., Suite 600
Raleigh, NC 27601
919.600.5998