Selling services or products to the federal government can be highly profitable for small businesses, but often business owners don’t know where to start. That’s why the New Hampshire Procurement Technical Assistance Program (NH-PTAP) is holding a free information and enrollment meeting for North Country businesses on Friday, June 3rd from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the White Mountains Community College, 2020 Riverside Drive in Berlin.
During presentations by representatives of the NH-PTAP and by Pamala Tharp, Contracting Officer for the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Berlin, participants will learn how to cut through the red tape and get started applying for federal contracts.
According to Roy Duddy, Interim Director of the NH Division of Economic Development, “Federal government contracts worth $1.8 billion are awarded each year to New Hampshire businesses—and 76 businesses in Coos County are working with NH-PTAP to get already involved in government contracting. With Fci Berlin ready to open, pending federal funding, now is the time for North Country businesses to start the process so that they’re ready when FCI Berlin releases their contracts—or they risk being left behind, as once an agency has selected a supplier, they’re likely to stay with them.”
It’s anticipated that FCI Berlin will award $12 million to $14 million per year in contracts, with a big chunk being spent locally. Dave Pease, NH-PTAP Program Manager, points out that there are many more opportunities for federal contracts for North Country businesses. “FCI Berlin is far from the only federal contracting opportunity for lots of North Country companies. Coos County businesses have a competitive advantage when it comes to federal contracts. Since the area is a designated HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone), businesses that are HUBZone certified are eligible for set-asides and contracts. We want to help North Country businesses exploit that competitive advantage.”
Pease explains that those at the June 3rd event will learn what they need to do to be ready to sell to the federal government and what resources NH-PTAP makes available. “Selling to the federal government isn’t like doing business in the private sector. It’s not as flexible and it can’t be done on the fly. Since we now have dedicated office space at White Mountains Community College, we intend to have a staff person spend one week a month there to assist businesses, and we’ll continue to offer training events like this one, as well as more advanced topics.”