SW Michigan PTAC – PTACS of Michigan

SW Michigan PTAC

SW Michigan PTAC

Counties Served: Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Van Buren

ptac@upjohn.org

269.385.0470

http://www.michiganworkssouthwest.org/employers/ptac/

	June 2019
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3	4	5	6 Meet The Buyer Prep Meet The Buyer Prep Starts: 8:00 am Ends: June 6, 2019 - 12:00 pm Location: 519 Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502, USA Description: Join the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce Region 6 PTAC on Wednesday June 5, 2019 for a preparation workshop to prepare you for Meet the Buyer 2019 on June 19, 2019. A capability statement is a document of your individual and organizational capabilities. Its purpose is to communicate clearly and effectively to potential partners about your capabilities. It provides specific information that will assist potential clients to make a decision on whether they should do business with you. When written powerfully and persuasively, it will differentiate your business from your competitor. This preparation workshop will focus primarily on your company's capability statement, what should be highlighted and showcased in the statement, and on developing a winning elevator speech for prospective buyers at the May event. The Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce Region 6 PTAC helps new and existing businesses secure government contracts. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA,) and in part by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC.) More details... Federal Market Research - 201 Federal Market Research - 201 Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 6, 2019 - 12:30 pm Location: Macomb Community College, MTEC, 7900 Tank Ave. Warren, MI 48092 Description: The next step in Macomb Regional PTAC’s core training is Federal Market Research – 201. This training will help you identify who your customer and competitors are, as well as the current and future outlook for your Industry. You will learn how to research the consumer by identifying federal agencies who are buying what you’re selling; research the competition by identifying who is already selling your service or product to the federal government and for how much; and finally research your industry by identifying what are the federal government’s past, present and future procurement and Industry trends. This training will be conducted in a computer lab and seats are limited. Prerequisite: Introduction to Federal Government Contracting - 101 WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Management and key players who will support and facilitate government contracting within your company. No fee to attend, registration is required. Register at: http://www.center-gateway.com/107000/index.php?EVT=53021 More details... • •	7	8	9
10	11 Government Marketing 101 Government Marketing 101 Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 11, 2019 - 11:00 am Location: Economic Club of Lapeer County, 449 McCormick Dr, Lapeer, MI 48446, USA Description: Do you want to gain more business with the federal government in a shorter amount of time while saving money, and making the most effective use of your marketing and sales resources? One great benefit of doing business with the federal government is free to access to government market data. Due to regulations on transparency and accountability, the government maintains a couple of databases on historical spend, which contain a treasure trove of data if you know how to use them. In this course, we dive into the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and provide an overview of USASPENDING.GOV as well as a PTAC tool called Gov spend. Learn what is the best design for business cards, web sites, and capability statements to showcase your small business to the government. The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce PTAC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and in part by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC.) More details... •	12 Small Business Government Marketing Small Business Government Marketing Starts: 2:00 pm Ends: June 12, 2019 - 4:00 pm Location: 300 S Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, USA Description: Southwest Michigan PTAC 2019 Class Schedule Small Business Government Marketing Many industry veterans estimate that between 40–80% of a prospect’s buying decision is decided before any proposals are submitted. Do you want to put that percentage in your favor? Capture planning is the process of identifying opportunities, assessing the environment, and implementing winning strategies to capture a specific business opportunity. There has been much written on the subject of capture planning, but most of the information available is more applicable for large organizations with a wealth of human resources. In this e-course, we discuss how small businesses with limited resources can develop and execute their own capture plan to help them increase their win rate on government contracts in advance of the solicitation phase. This Govology webinar also provides a simple capture plan template and additional resources to help you manage this essential business task. More details... •	13 Meet the Buyers Meet the Buyers Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 13, 2019 - 2:00 pm Location: Schoolcraft College, 18600 Haggerty Rd, Livonia, MI 48152, USA Description: Want to Sell Your Products and Services to the Government? Join us Thursday, June 13, 2019 and meet buyers from federal, state and local governments. Maximize your company’s exposure and speak directly to these procurements professionals. Explore requirements and take advantage of an awesome opportunity to match and potentially sell your products and services to government agencies. Continental breakfast and refreshments are included. Act now! Register today using the link below (P.S. Don’t be left out – this event has sold out in previous years!) Fee: $65 Access WebAdvisor or enter the following URL in your browser window: https://webadvisor.schoolcraft.edu Select Continuing Education (Non-Credit) “Register and Pay for Continuing Education Classes” Insert appropriate CESB (1341) or Section Number (825003) for the date of the class you want to attend. Pay by credit card when registering via the Web. Please have your credit card information at hand. Contact the Admissions and Enrollment Center at 734-462-4426 if you experience problems registering. More details... •	14	15	16
17	18	19 Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce Meet the Buyer Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce Meet the Buyer Starts: 8:00 am Ends: June 19, 2019 - 12:00 pm Location: Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, 1939 Howard St. Flint MI 48503 Description: The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Region 6 PTAC, will host buyers from around the county and state who are looking to make connections with Genesee County businesses. This event provides a fast-paced, innovative way to connect buyers with vendors from across the region. In past years, more than 30 buyers were able to meet with 125 vendors in a format similar to speed dating. Each buyer has five minutes to share information about their organization and what they buy, followed by 15 minutes for attendees to briefly present their company and ask questions. Resource Partners: Veteran’s Business Outreach Center Small Business Development Center The Flint and Genesee Region 6 PTAC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA,) and in part by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC.) More details... Doing Business with the US Forest Service - Iron River Doing Business with the US Forest Service - Iron River Starts: 1:00 pm Ends: June 19, 2019 - 4:00 pm Location: 612 W Adams St, Iron River, MI 49935, USA Description: In Fiscal Year 2018, the US Forest Service awarded over $1.6 billion in contracts. Join us for this unique opportunity and network with and learn directly from the US Forest Service Lake State Acquisition Team about what it takes to do business with the U.S. Forest Service! USFS manages over 193 million acres of national forest. Within the Northern Michigan and Northern Wisconsin area there are four national forests: Hiawatha National Forest – Gladstone, MI Huron-Manistee National Forest – Cadillac, MI Ottawa National Forest – Ironwood, MI Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest – Park Falls and Rhinelander, WI PRESENTATIONS FROM: US Forest Service – Lake State Acquisition Team U.S. Small Business Administration Northwest Michigan PTAC Wisconsin Procurement Institute The workshop is being held at the Windsor Center, 612 W. Adams St. (US-2), Iron River, MI. There is no cost for the workshop but registration is required. The workshop is being hosted and sponsored by the Iron County Economic Chamber Alliance, Northwest Michigan PTAC, Wisconsin Procurement Institute, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Small Business Administration For additional information, please contact LeAnne Kachmarsky at leanne.kachmarsky@networksnorthwest.org or 906.373.7411. Registration: http://www.ptassist.com/services/ptac_web_register.php?id=C40FA53781 More details... • •	20 How to Write a Customer Focused Proposal How to Write a Customer Focused Proposal Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 20, 2019 - 12:00 pm Location: Macomb Community College, MTEC, 7900 Tank Ave., Warren, MI Description: This course is designed to provide an in-depth overview of the process for finding, assessing, and writing customer-focused proposals. You will learn strategies for differentiating your company and building a proposal that demonstrates the best value based on specific evaluation criteria the government expects you to meet. If you are new to the government marketplace, applying the tips and strategies discussed in this course will help you land your first government contract. If you have already won your first contract but are looking to improve your win rate and gain a more competitive edge, this course will also provide you with a “behind the scenes” look at the review process to help you better understand the mindset of government buyers. Here is a summary of what you’ll learn: • How to best find attractive opportunities for your company to pursue and win. • Solicitation analysis techniques and navigating the Uniform Contract Format (UCF). • How to build and use go/no-go evaluation considerations. • How the government will evaluate your proposal. • Tips for writing a customer-focused proposal while avoiding fluff and puff. Who is the target audience? • New contractors seeking to better understand the process of writing proposals in response to federal solicitations. • Active contractors who are looking for a way to better understand what the government is looking for, and how to give it to them in an effort to win more contracts. • Novice proposal writers looking to sharpen the saw and hone their skills. No fee to attend, but registration is required. Register at: http://www.center-gateway.com/107000/index.php?EVT=53175 More details... Government Contracting 101 Government Contracting 101 Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 20, 2019 - 11:30 am Location: Schoolcraft College, 18600 Haggerty Rd, Livonia, MI 48152, USA Description: This class outlines the first steps for passionate entrepreneurs and businesses wishing to gain access to the world’s largest customer (508 billion dollars in goods and services each year). Participants explore how to initially set-up, find opportunities, market, explore small business benefits, sell to the US Government, and take advantage of PTAC resources and services. Doing business in this marketplace takes time, energy, and patience, but the payoff can be very rewarding. Please note this session is restricted to businesses located in our service area Wayne, Oakland, Monroe, Washtenaw and Livingston counties. Participants will be able to: · Register in System for Award Management (SAM), required for federal contractors · Determine ways to find opportunities · Identify and describe benefits of each small business program · Market products and services to the government · Use PTAC services Who should attend: Company owners and/or decision makers, in a stable business for more than two years, who are interested in selling their products/services to the Federal Government through the contracting process. Fee: $45 Access WebAdvisor or enter the following URL in your browser window: https://webadvisor.schoolcraft.edu Select Continuing Education (Non-Credit) “Register and Pay for Continuing Education Classes” Insert appropriate CESB (1354) or Section Number (835002) for the date of the class you want to attend. Pay by credit card when registering via the Web. Please have your credit card information at hand. Contact the Admissions and Enrollment Center at 734-462-4426 if you experience problems registering. More details... • •	21	22	23
24	25 Reading a Solicitation and how to Respond to an RFQ, RFP & IFB Reading a Solicitation and how to Respond to an RFQ, RFP & IFB Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 25, 2019 - 11:00 am Location: Economic Club of Lapeer County, 449 McCormick Dr, Lapeer, MI 48446, USA Description: Reading a solicitation and how to respond to an RFQ, RFP & IFB You're getting your daily bids and opportunities are showing up in your mailbox but what next? PTAC will teach you how to select an opportunity, read a solicitation as well as how to respond to it depending on the type of opportunity it is. We will give you tips on making the bid, no-bid decision and outline the steps you need to take to successfully bid on the opportunity. More details... Government Contracting 101 Government Contracting 101 Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 25, 2019 - 11:00 am Location: The Underground, 301 Huron Ave Suite U, Port Huron, MI 48060, USA Description: Government Contracting 101: What does it take to become a successful government contractor? What services and resources are available to a small business pursuing the government market? If your company has been considering the field of government contracting, this workshop will give you greater insight to help you make the decision. Did you know the federal government purchases more than $450 billion of goods and services a year? Also learn about the services and support the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) has available to assist your company through the contracting process at no cost. The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce PTAC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and in part by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC.) More details... • •	26	27 Research and Marketing to the Government Research and Marketing to the Government Starts: 9:00 am Ends: June 27, 2019 - 12:00 pm Location: Lansing Regional Chamber 500 East Michigan Avenue Ste. 200 Lansing, MI 48912 Description: Are You Interested In Doing Business With The Government And Just Don’t Know Where To Start? In this class you will learn how to find: Which agencies are most likely to purchase your goods/services How much they have bought? Is it a recurring contract? Who are your competitors? Names of Contracting Officers Where to find government buying forecasts Who do I contact? What do I need to know before I contact them? Does this apply to State agencies? This class will give you the tools to find the answers to these questions and more. Take advantage of this free event! Parking in the back of the building is free. Come through rear door with above sign 500 E. Michigan. We are on the 2nd floor, room 200. We look forward to you joining us! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kim Langenberg klangenberg@lansingchamber.org 517-853-6445 or klangenberg@enterprisegroup.org 517-788-4680 for more information and to register Click Here More details... Selling to Uncle Sam, Understanding the Government Marketplace Selling to Uncle Sam, Understanding the Government Marketplace Starts: 10:00 am Ends: June 27, 2019 - 12:00 pm Location: Networks Northwest, 600 E Front St Suite 104, Traverse City, MI 49686, USA Description: Is your business looking to expand its customer base? Have you considered selling to federal, state, or local government? Are you currently selling to the government and looking to reach new customers? Government agencies buy all types of goods and services and government sales are worth billions of dollars each year. But selling to the government is different than selling in the commercial sector; it can be complicated, frustrating, and may overwhelm a businesses resources. This workshop covers the basics of selling to the Federal Government and the State of Michigan. It is for the newcomer to the government marketplace and a worthwhile refresher for those who are already selling to the government. We discuss the basics of government contracting, differences between government and commercial selling, tips to being a successful government supplier, and where to go for assistance. The workshop will be held at Networks Northwest Conference Room #2 (2nd floor Plante Moran Building), 600 E. Front Street, Traverse City, MI. Questions: contact Suzanne Hartnett, suzanne.hartnett@networksnorthwest.org or (231) 929-5068. There is no cost to attend, but pre-registration is required. View event flyer here Register Online Here The Northwest Michigan PTAC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency and in part by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. More details... Meet the Buyer Southwest Michigan Meet the Buyer Southwest Michigan Starts: 1:00 pm Ends: June 27, 2019 - 4:30 pm Location: Fetzer Center, 2251 Business Ct, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA Description: Government contracting is about building relationships with agencies, prime contractors, and business resources. Government contracting opportunities with a total value under $25,000 are not required to be posted publicly. For these opportunities, it is vital to have a relationship with the buyers and to be on an agency's vendor/bid list so that you are contacted for a quote. This is an opportunity to connect with multiple government buyers and prime contractors at one time, as well as business resources. There are two purposes for this event: • The first half will provide information about working with the City of Kalamazoo. They have numerous projects coming up in the coming year. • The second half of the afternoon is an opportunity for business vendors to meet one-on-one with representatives from government, resources, and local businesses. Please spread the word about the upcoming event: 2019 Meet the Buyer in Kalamazoo. More details... • • •	28	29	30