Once a year, the governors of the six New England states and premiers of the five eastern provinces of Canada come together for a day to look at the common issues and challenges they face … and ways to solve them.

This year, for the first time in about 20 years, they met in New Hampshire, at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel (where, by the way, delegates from 44 Allied nations met 70 years ago this month to stabilize Europe and the world following World War II). By the end of the day at the 38th annual conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, the leaders adopted resolutions relating to energy, economic development and transportation.

“The economies of the New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces are linked, and further collaboration on economic development and energy will help create jobs, protect our natural resources and improve the economies of all our states and provinces,” said Gov. Maggie Hassan, who co-hosted the event with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tom Marshall.

Christopher Wrenn, NHADEC ~ Commissioner Jeffery Rose

Discussing the regional economy was a priority of Hassan’s and she assembled a panel from both sides of the border for the session, Strengthening Partnerships for Regional Economic Development, which was moderated by Commissioner Jeffrey Rose of the Department of Resources and Economic Development.

Aerospace was one of the topics and was a great platform for discussion of New Hampshire’s efforts in helping one of its fastest growing industries take off. Christopher Wrenn, chairman of the New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense Export Consortium, talked about the organization’s evolution over the past 18 months, including the signing of an MOU last December with AeroMontreal, concluding that the consortium “is poised to do great things.”

Martin LaFleur, a senior director with AeroMontreal, called it a “promising partnership,” in line with his organization’s goal of establishing an aerospace corridor in the northeast.

“Our competition isn’t between ourselves,” he said, “but emerging countries.”

At the conclusion of the session, the governors and premiers agreed on an economic development resolution. It calls for the NEG/ECP’s coordinating committee to establish a process of identifying challenges to regional economic development and trade, as well as opportunities enhancing the region’s competitiveness.

Expect an interim report due at next year’s conference in St. John, Newfoundland, and a final report at the 2016 conference.

The other resolutions include: Directing the Northeast International Committee on Energy to organize a Regional Forum in late 2014 for a public-private sector dialogue on the ongoing changes to the region’s energy landscape and the Transportation and Air Quality Committee  to continue its work to enhance transportation choices.

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

NH Division of Economic Development

Government contracting.

These two words can be intimidating, especially for small businesses that can’t dedicate a team to keep up with the ever-changing rules and regulations that guide the process.

Intimidation aside, however, the fact is government contracting offers a steady revenue stream from a reliable business partner. Obtaining a government contract can be a timely and complicated process, but typically turns out to be more than rewarding for the effort expended.

And while a small business may not have the acumen to navigate the process itself, it can count on help – free help – from the New Hampshire Procurement and Technical Assistance Program (NH-PTAP).

NH-PTAP provides technical assistance, workshops and training events aimed at small businesses, educating them about the process. Our staff maintains a calendar of training seminars, which are held all over the state.

The government buys a huge variety of products and services and businesses considering adding it as a customer should carve out time to attend an informative seminar in Keene on July 10, Introduction to Government Contracting and Support Services.

Think of it as Government Contracting 101. Those attending will get an idea of what government contracting is, what it entails and how NH-PTAP can help. The seminar will cover the structure, scale and diversity of government contracting; how it differs from business-to-business contracting; getting through red tape and other solutions. Businesses will also get an assessment of how ready they are for government contracting and setting realistic expectations as they get started.

On July 17, the Subcontractor Training seminar is offered in Berlin, which is one event beneficial for businesses looking to get their foot in the door on government contracting, or just wants a better understanding of what it might entail. Topics covered include how to partner with a company already contracting with the government and how to do business with the prime contractors.

As the dog days of summer come on, it’s a good time for businesses to take a look at their goals and plans for the rest of the year and government contracting may well offer a great opportunity to expand and grow.

For more information and to register online, visit the NH-PTAP website or call program manager David Pease at 271-7581.

Alicia Gagne

Intern

NH Division of Economic Development