Contracting with the government is big business and, like in any professional “pond”, there are some big and intimidating fish. Feeling like a guppy in the shark tank? A Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) may be just what you need! Read on to learn more about the PTAC, what they can do as a solution for government contractors… and what they can’t do.
What is a PTAC?
PTACs are essentially a network of professionals with the mission of helping local businesses compete successfully when chasing government contracts. They’re the ultimate matchmaker, taking their expertise in the business of government contracting and their knowledge of the contractors to put together great working pairs! In 2018, alone, clients of PTACs were awarded with over $26 billion in contracts.
PTACs are scattered all over the nation, with more than 300 local offices, and each office offers something a little different, tailored to the needs and resources of the area they serve and the businesses thriving within that region. PTACs partner with universities, the state government, local institutions, and bureaus that reflect particular interests. Whatever your need, you can bet that there’s a PTAC office out there that is an expert in it.
These offices run on a staff of experienced counselors with backgrounds in government contracting and many centers provide such services as classes and seminars, access to bid opportunities, contract review and assistance, and a whole arsenal of tools to help small businesses compete for these big contracts. This resource can be the ultimate solution for government contractors. Did we mention that your one-one-one counseling is always free of charge?
Government Contractors and Challenges with the PTAC
So are there any downsides to a PTAC? Well…
A source of frustration that many vendors face is that, as with any federal service, there’s a lot of red tape. Third party registration firms are working with as many as 70,000 businesses and each of those businesses must register across various federal sites in order to enter the arena of bidding for government contracts. Take, for example, registering in the System for Award Management (SAM): While a PTAC can offer you plenty of assistance, information, and basic instruction manuals, a PTAC official cannot actually legally hold your business’s hand through a SAM registration.
There are, however, professional services that can add that next level of fully-comprehensive service.
Another issue that comes up often with PTACs is that they are sometimes woefully under-funded and understaffed for the volume of businesses they are expected to service. Since many PTAC locations are housed in public universities and subject to government availability in funds, it’s not uncommon for these offices to occasionally shut down. That workload gets pushed off to other area offices and suddenly that great resource is that much harder to access.
PTACs are there to be a solution for government contractors, looking to be competitive in the arena of contract bids. At Boon, that’s what we do. Boon is your link to fringe benefit solutions for government contractors. We specialize in designing innovative fringe benefit solutions to meet the unique needs of our clients.
As an industry innovator with more than 35 years of experience, Boon offers products and services with benefits and ease of implementation in mind. We are not a “one size fits all” solution for government contractors. At Boon, we tailor our healthcare benefits to be a perfect fit for your business needs.
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