March 2019 - 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
252.737.1369


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


JOEL GUGE
PTAC Counselor 
Raleigh / Chapel Hill / Durham
919.513.0623


ROBIN LIVINGSTON
PTAC Counselor 
Fayetteville / Pembroke
910.672.1359


SHARONETTA MCINTYRE

PTAC Counselor 
Greensboro / Winston-Salem
336.256.9301

MARK ROBINSON
PTAC Supply Chain Counselor
Raleigh
919.600.5397


BROOKLYN DELLINGER

PTAC Counselor/Events Coordinator
Statewide
828.322.5379

UPCOMING EVENTS
Mar 6, 2019
Asheville, NC
Federal Proposal Writing Workshop
Learn more »
Mar 7, 2019
Winston-Salem, NC
Minority Vendor Winston-Salem State University EXPO 2019
Learn more »
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 to focus on Supply Chain
By Mark G. Mills, PTAC Program Director at North Carolina State University
Mark H. Robinson joined the PTAC team and will focus on working with local, state and federal prime contractors. Mark has a bachelor's degree in Economics and History from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MBA from Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.
 
Mark is a retired Naval Reserve Officer (Captain) and has 30 years of military logistics experience. He served as a Senior Logistics Manager and Plans and Policy Director for Logistics at the Pentagon. Mark also has 15 years of manufacturing and 5 years business experience at corporate headquarters.
 
FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Logistics;
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE: Military / Manufacturing (Aircraft) / Warehousing / Program Management;
ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE: Quality (Kaizen, Process mapping, Root cause analysis); and small business experience as an Entrepreneur
 
Mark is a dedicated business professional with strategic management experience and capability to achieve organizational objectives and meet operational requirements in an environment of constrained resources. He is a quality practitioner with practical experience in leading improvement events to identify inefficiencies and reduce waste in business processes and a manufacturing environment. His greatest satisfaction is knowing that he helped others develop professionally and personally.
 
Mark can be reached at (919) 600-5397.

Federal Proposal Writing Workshop
By Mark G. Mills, PTAC Program Director at North Carolina State University
The North Carolina Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is offering training on proposal writing this month in Asheville, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Charlotte. As an attendee you will learn how to:
  • Identify contract opportunities that are realistic for you
  • Understand how the government describes what it needs
  • Prepare responsive and effective proposals
  • Improve your chances at winning government contracts
 
ASHEVILLE March 6, 2019 | 9am - 12pm
Goodwill Business Center - Room 197 1616 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC 28806 
Contact: Pamela Racer
(828) 251-6025 ext. 27 | pracer@sbtdc.org
 
GREENSBORO March 13, 2019 | 9am - 12pm
Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship 1451 S. Elm-Eugene St, Greensboro, NC 27406 
Contact: Sharonetta McIntyre
(336) 256-9301 | smcintyre@sbtdc.org
 
WINSTON-SALEM March 19, 2019 | 9am - 12pm
Small Business Center at Forsyth Tech Innovation Quarter 525 Vine Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 
Contact: Sharonetta McIntyre
(336) 256-9301 | smcintyre@sbtdc.org
 
CHARLOTTE March 27, 2019 | 9am - 12pm
UNC Charlotte - Portal Building - Suite 252 9319 Robert D. Snyder Road, Charlotte, NC 28223 
Contact: Pamela Racer
(828) 251-6025 ext. 27 | pracer@sbtdc.org
 
Workshop is free with pre-registration.
To register, and for more information, visit: www.sbtdc.org/fpww

OTAs (Other Transactional Authority) Agreements
 
By Pamela Racer, PTAC Counselor at Western Carolina University
The use of OTAs (other transaction authority) agreements were first used in the 1950s by NASA; however, industry blogs are predicting the contracting vehicle to grow significantly in 2019 and the future. Other Transaction Authority (OTA) is the term defined as authority of the Department of Defense (DoD) to carry out certain prototype, research and production projects (10 U.S.C. 2371b). Other Transaction (OT) authorities were created to give DoD the flexibility necessary to adopt and incorporate business practices that reflect commercial industry standards and best practices into its award instruments. As of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Section 845, the DoD currently has permanent authority to award OT under (10 U.S.C. 2371) for (1) Research, (2) Prototype, and (3) Production Purposes.
 
OTA contracting terms are specifically tailored for research and development. R&D projects sometime have unknown outcomes for what the contract performance may provide. These contracts are often used to prototype and test new solutions to problems. Accordingly, it benefits both the contractor and the contracting agency to work together to determine which requirements and outcomes will be most beneficial for the execution of the contract. It helps for the government to learn the "possible solution offered", especially from nontraditionally utilized technology businesses. OTAs allow this collaboration; rather than forcing agencies and contractors to abide by the requirements of contract vehicles like the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Even so, we are beginning to see agencies with other transaction authority use OTAs for contracts that are not traditional R&D contracts.
 
PTAC Client Success Story
Mind Your Business, Inc.
By Pamela Racer, PTAC Counselor at Western Carolina University

Mind Your Business, Inc. (MYB) is a leading provider of background investigations, EEO investigations and drug screening services. Mind Your Business, Inc.is one of over 158 companies in North Carolina that are 8(a) certified U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Mind Your Business's background screening process integrates with industry-leading Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) allowing clients to transition applicants into the on-boarding process more efficiently. MYB offers unique notification, reporting and storage capabilities, integrating with ATS allowing users to manage the entire hiring and background screening process from start to finish.  
 
Step back a little over twenty years ago; in 1996 owner Karen Caruso began working in her basement, seeking to find a nanny for her own children, and having difficulty locating a company that would screen applicants on behalf of private individuals. Karen knew there had to be a resource to help families; she launched Mind Your Business.   Early on, Mind Your Business targeted the government as a strong potential market, but lacked the background knowledge and experience to successfully sell to government agencies.
 
The company has worked with North Carolina PTAC since 2005, and PTAC assistance has covered virtually every topic in the government contracting arena. PTAC counselors have helped the client navigate registrations and business development program certifications, explained requirements of specific solicitations, reviewed bid and proposal documents, strategic planning, 8(a) Program application support, and advice and planning on marketing to the government. Mind Your Business has accomplished impressive results in government sales, including award of a GSA schedule contract for background screening and EEO services, certification as an 8(a) firm by the Small Business Administration (SBA), and countless contract awards across a broad range of Federal, state and local agencies. The company's soaring growth in the federal marketplace has been critical to its success.
 
In 2018, INC. ranked Mind your Business as #3385 in the top 5000 for the nation's fastest growing private companies. MYB has experienced a 114% growth in the past three years. Additionally, 51% of EEO offices in the country are clients. Located in Hendersonville NC, MYB has accomplished this success with 31 employees. MYB owner, Karen Caruso is an advocate for the community. She partnered with the State of North Carolina to secure a workforce development grant to develop a program for recruiting and training qualifying individuals to become EEO investigators. MYB is "Living Wage Certified" by justeconomics, is a member of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council; and is a business affiliate for American Camp Association.
 
Mind Your Business stands as testament to what a big vision, diligent, careful processes, and the passionate pursuit of reliable pre-screening can accomplish. For minding your business, and ours. For more information on Mind Your Business, go to https://www.mybinc.com .


SELLING TO THE GOVERNMENT

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