Find ANY word Find ALL words  Find EXACT phrase 
  Help Site Search by PicoSearch

SBA ASSISTING SMALL BUSINESSES

DEPUTY SECRETARY CITES PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIVATE SECTOR

VETERAN BUSINESS NEWS GAZETTE

Week of 24 August 2009

U.S. Small Business Administration Working to
Assist American Small Businesses

WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that minority-owned and small businesses, including women- and veteran-owned businesses, have greater access to federal government contracting opportunities.
SBA and Commerce Team up

WASHINGTON – With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding an additional $50 million for loans and $24 million for technical assistance, the U.S. Small Business Administration is expanding its Micro loan program and increasing access to capital for small businesses across the country. Additional $50M for Micro loan Program

WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration today reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that minority-owned and small businesses, including women- and veteran-owned businesses, have greater access to federal government contracting opportunities.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills announced a government-wide plan that includes federal agency procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"Small and minority-owned businesses must play a significant role in our efforts to restore economic growth. Small businesses employ half of the nation’s private sector workforce; create a large share of the Nation’s new jobs; and introduce many groundbreaking ideas into the marketplace," President Barack Obama said. "It is essential that we provide our Nation’s small businesses with maximum practicable opportunity to participate in Federal Government contracting."

"In order for the Federal Government to better meet or exceed the goal of 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses, Vice President Biden and I have tasked Small Business Administrator Karen Mills and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke with leading a federal government-wide initiative to increase outreach," Obama continued. “Over the course of the next 90 days agency officials will take an important step forward by holding or participating in more than 200 events focused on sharing information on government contracting opportunities."

“In these tough economic times, the Recovery Act is providing billions of dollars in opportunity and incentives to help businesses grow – and the President and I are committed to ensuring that small and minority-owned businesses are part of our economic recovery every step of the way," said Vice President Joe Biden. “By taking advantage of the expertise of an array of companies, we are going to be able to build a stronger, more secure foundation for long-term economic growth."

“It has been a priority from day one of this administration to ensure that small and minority-owned businesses are aware of and have access to federal contracts and funding opportunities," Locke said. “Over the past 40 years, minority-owned businesses have grown from 300,000 to nearly 4 million today. Their success and the success of small American businesses are vital to our economic recovery."

“Government contracts can play a key role in helping small businesses turn the corner in terms of expansion and job creation," Mills said. “But make no mistake, the benefits the government receives are equally as impressive – working with small businesses allows the federal government to work with some of the most innovative companies in America – with direct line to CEO"

As part of the Commerce-SBA initiative, over the next 90 days:

• Federal agency procurement officials will hold or participate in more than 200 events to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
• SBA and Commerce will expand their outreach to fellow contracting officials across the federal government, passing along best practices for outreach and education to every agency to ensure they have the tools they need to meet their annual contracting goals.
• Locke and Mills will promote small business contracting opportunities in remarks, events and discussions with small business groups across the country, including minority, women and veteran groups.

Beyond the next 90 days, Commerce and SBA will support, monitor and track the impact of these efforts going forward to help ensure the Administration is maximizing opportunities for small businesses.

Small business owners can find out about federal contracting opportunities by visiting www.fedbizopps.gov. Local Commerce and SBA officials are also available in local offices across the country to assist small businesses interested in contracting opportunities. Contact information for local offices can be found commerce.gov and sba.gov.

TOP

~ ~ ~

Deputy Secretary Gould Cites Partnership
With Private Sector

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is strengthening its working relationship with the private-sector to improve service for Veterans, cut costs for taxpayers and enhance the operation of federal employees, VA’s Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould said recently.

"VA is committed to our partnership with industry over the long term," Gould told a VA-sponsored forum with suppliers Aug. 13. "We are committed to acquisition reform. And we are committed to the Veterans we serve. We can do none of this without a strong, healthy partnership with the private sector."

Last year, VA purchased more than $19 billion in services, material and supplies. About $1.6 billion was with businesses owned by service-disabled Veterans. Another $400 million in VA contracts went to other Veteran-owned businesses.

Gould addressed a VA conference with suppliers in northern Virginia to obtain the private sector’s input on measures needed to transform VA’s procurement process to meet the needs of Veterans in the 21st century.

"We will synchronize acquisitions with our IT, human resources and financial management functions to advance a high-performance culture where suppliers are not viewed as adversaries, where open communications are the rule, and clearly-articulated requirements are not the exception," he added.

Gould, who serves as VA’s chief operating officer, noted the Department is hiring over 350 contracting and procurement specialists. VA’s Acquisitions Academy, the first of its kind among federal civilian agencies, received the 2009 Acquisitions Excellence Award from the Office of Management and Budget.

TOP

Veteran Business News

The Vet Gazette is a quarterly publication published by the Office of Veterans Business Development at the SBA. To learn more about the Office of Veterans Business Development, go to sba.gov/vets

To download copies of the Vet Gazette;

Vet Gazette May 09
Vet Gazette Aug 09

FYI Archives

01 March 2010
Hiring to Expand Veterans' Services

Be Wary of Advance Fee Loan Scams

State Rolls Out Quarterly Bid List

White House: Stimulus Funds Targeted Upgrades At Saginaw VA Hospital.

25 January 2010
Worst yet to come in Michigan? Small Business bankruptcies soar in 2009

Detroit Companies Graduate From SBA’s ‘Mini-MBA’ Program

Taking the Myths Out of Four Funding Fantasies

GAO Report Details Fraud in Procurement

23 November 2009
GAO Report Cites Fraud in SDVOB Contracting

Detroit Companies Graduate From SBA’s ‘Mini-MBA’ Program

Goldman Sachs Small Biz Program Sparks Interest

Healthy Business Credit Is Demystified

09 November 2009
SBA Lending Down Sharply in Michigan

Funding Cuts at Vets Homes Sparks Rebuke

Building Your Biz Credit

Sagging Economy Prompts Entrepreneurial Spirit

Getting That Elusive Biz Loan

09 October 2009
Six Ways to Land Venture Funding

24 August 2009
SBA ASSISTING SMALL BUSINESSES

DEPUTY SECRETARY CITES PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIVATE SECTOR

VETERAN BUSINESS NEWS GAZETTE

05 August 2009
DINGELL CONCERNED ABOUT PARKING SITUATION AT VA HOSPITAL IN DETROIT

PANEL AGREES ON NEED TO REFORM VETERANS’ DISABILITY SYSTEM

PHAMPHLETS AND FACT SHEETS

GI BILL INFORMATION

BENEFIT PHAMPHLETS

20 July 2009
Getting Small Business Contracts to Small Businesses

Volunteers Attend To Landscaping At Arlington Cemetary

Operation Comfort Warriors: Our Pride and Purpose

22 June 2009
A Different Kind of Boot Camp

GAO ruling assailed; Vets Urged to Act Quickly to Overturn

ARC money will go fast, from the Tampa Bay Business Journal... Small Business Administration Bridge Loans Likely to go Quickly

05 June 2009
House Bill calls for placing SDVOB program under 8a

Senators prepare for battle over Alaska native contracting

Lending up; much left to accomplish, says SBA Chief

25 May 2009
SBA Launches New 100% Guarantee ARC Loan Program on June 15

Lutz VAMC Will Not Allow Medical Marijuana In Hospital.

VA Hires 530 New Claims Processors To Handle GI Bill Applications

Michigan's Disabled American Veterans' Offices Set For Closure Given Four-Week Reprieve.

USAVETBIZ to Urge Congress for Government-Wide Preference Contracting and Set-Aside Programs for all Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

Heroes in Helmets Family Fun Walk

27 April 2009
VA Announces Recovery Spending Includes $250 Payment to Eligible Veterans

VA Officials Barred From Testifying Before Subcommittee

New VA Clinic To Be Dedicated In Early May

23 March 2009
American Legion Commander Praises Obama’s Change in Plan

Open Letter from VA Secretary

Congress to Agencies: Don’t Shortchange Vets on Contracting

16 March 2009
Is Stimulus harmful To SDVOSB’s?

Vets object to billing private insurance for service injuries

Agencies to direct stimulus funds to veteran-owned small businesses

09 March 2009
Lessons Learned on the Farm Still Apply to Small Businesses

Senator Lieberman Addresses Rumored Tricare Cuts

02 March 2009
Powerball is Stimulus Ticket?

Bid4Michigan—The New Name to Remember!

How Small Business Will Benefit From Obama's Stimulus

Point, Counterpoint On Stimulus Impact On Small Businesses

23 February 2009
Camp Lejeune Water Study Underway

Some Non-profits Shortchange Troops,
Watchdog Group Says

16 February 2009
Military Veterans Land More than
$250 Million in SBA Loans

SBA’s Bill Elmore on Patriot Express Reaching $250 Million

Landrieu and Snowe Highlight Key Small Business Provisions of
Economic Recovery Package
Renew call for elevating SBA Administrator to Cabinet-level status

09 February 2009
Ever Dream of Starting a Business?

Veterans Inaugural Ball Scam Investigated

02 Februrry 2009
Stimulus Bill Aims to Boost SBA Lending

D.C. Restaurant Apologizes to Marines

USEFUL FILES

VetBiz Application Form ][ VetBiz Start-Up Quiz

Please send VetBizCentral "Application" & "Quiz" to:
E-Mail: info@vetbizcentral.org or
FAX: (810) 767-8662 or
Mail: VetBizCentral
711 N. Saginaw St.
Suite 206
Flint, MI 48503

SDVOB Application Form ][ Lost DD-214 Dept. of Veteran Affairs Locator