Small Business News

News

GSA Supports North Carolina Small Biz Conference
GSA Region 4 participated in the North Carolina Procurement Technical Assistance Center's Opportunities 2012 Small Business Conference in Asheville, NC, on Monday, March 19, 2012. This Biannual conference planned in cooperation with Senators Kay Hagan and Richard Burr, and Representatives Patrick McHenry (NC-10), Heath Shuler (NC-11), and Gresham Barrett (SC-3), drew more than 500 participants from in and outside of the region. Meredith Lilly, Special Assistant to the Regional Administrator, Jan Zeigler, FAS Customer Service Director for the Asheville area and the State of South Carolina, and Mildred Quinley, Director, ROSBU Region 4 worked the "Reverse Tradeshow" all day along with over 50 other federal, state and local agencies, military installations, prime contractors and advocacy organizations. For more information contact: mildred.quinley@gsa.gov.

Regional Administrator Reddy touts GSA mission during Small Business Week
GSA Regional Administrator Shyam Reddy recently served as a luncheon speaker at the Moving Your Business Forward – Get Down to Business event in Atlanta. Reddy emphasized GSA’s role in working with small business to make government work better for the American people. He specifically highlighted how small businesses are helping GSA save taxpayer dollars, advance sustainability and make government more open, accessible and transparent.

GSA Southeast Region Reaches Out to Women Owned Small Businesses in Orlando
General Services Administration Southeast Small Business Director Mildred Quinley spoke at the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce and the American Small Business Chamber's 3rd Annual National Small Business Contracting Summit/Southeast Region, held in Orlando, FL on Jan 25-26, 2012. Over 130 Small Businesses attended the event where 13 civilian agencies and military facilities shared their procurement forecasts and participated in one-on-one capabilities meetings.
Contact: mildred.quinley@gsa.gov.

Southeast Sunbelt Region Hosts Jobs and Real Estate Roundtable for Small Business in Atlanta
On October 21, RA Shyam Reddy, PBS Associate Commissioner Desa Sealy, and R4 PBS Acquisition Division Director Pam Lackey hosted a Jobs and Real Estate Business Roundtable with small and large businesses in Atlanta, GA. The attendees provided a wealth of information, feedback and concerns about a variety of issues, which ranged from the National Broker Contract II to solicitation requirements to unnecessary upfront capital investments just to compete. The participants were animated, candid and frank. During the conversation, Reddy emphasized the Administration’s and GSA’s goals to make government work better for the American people through sustainability and accessibility. With hands-on attention and follow-up, Region 4 continues to "build the brand" for GSA.

Southeast Sunbelt Region PBS Talks Shop
Region 4's PBS Acquisition Division hosted a forum for businesses on October 19 in Atlanta to provide them with an opportunity to network with the PBS acquisition team and program managers; to learn about upcoming FY2012 projects; and to familiarize themselves on how PBS conducts business. Regional Administrator Shyam Reddy's opening remarks focused on making government work better via sustainability and open government. He also emphasized the importance of small business to job creation, innovation and economic output. The PBS management team and contracting corps, led by Acquisition Director Pam Lackey, answered questions and discussed opportunities in round-table break-out sessions. Fifty four (54) participating businesses presented their capabilities in small group settings. In addition, Dinora Gonzalez, Regional Small Business Technical Advisor, facilitated a prime contractor's networking discussion where prime contractors spoke to the participants on subcontracting opportunities with their respective large companies and the Regional Office of Small Business Utilization (ROSBU) partnered with SBA in a Marketing and GSA Schedule Workshop. Contact: Dinora Gonzalez, 404-331-3031

Business is breaking through in Atlanta
Southeast Sunbelt’s Small Business Road Show: "Business Breakthrough" training conference was held at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta September 27-29, 2011. Acting Deputy Regional Commissioner for PBS Mary Wood kicked off the event, welcoming over 100 business representatives to the road show, and sharing this region's commitment to the small business community. On Day 2, Regional Administrator Shyam Reddy gave a keynote address touching on his commitment to small business, and shared the administration's efforts on their behalf. Reddy stressed the importance of maintaining open and transparent communications between government and the small business community. He shared GSA's initiatives on sustainability, and took questions from the audience after his formal remarks. Later PBS Acquisition Division Director Pamela Lackey and Diana Hix-Watford, representing FAS Assisted Acquisition, spoke to procurement opportunities in their respective services.

The three day intensive training wrapped up with a "Capstone" class reemphasizing the major focus of the curriculum. GSA Office of Small Business (OSBU) Staff Managers Shaunta Johnson and Christy Jackiewicz joined Regional Small Business Staff members Dinora Gonzalez and Mildred Quinley and the Georgia Tech Procurement Technical Assistance Center Staff in responding to questions, and engaging with the participants throughout the three day event. GSA’s Business Breakthrough is focused on helping businesses better understand the intricacies of the Federal marketplace and GSA’s contracting vehicles and taking advantage of opportunities for growth. This robust workshop was well received by the businesses in attendance. Contact: Mildred Quinley, (404) 331 -1053.

Southeast Sunbelt is accessing new markets for small businesses
Mildred Quinley, Director of Region 4's Office of Small Business Utilization (OSBU), was a presenter along with other panelists from the public and private sectors, at the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) "e200 Executive Level Training Program’s Session 12: Accessing New Markets: Doing Business with the Government” on September 26, 2011. The regional OSBU has an Memorandum of Understanding with the SBA Atlanta District Office, to participate in a advanced training curriculum focusing on emerging executive level small businesses in the SBA Program. The training module requires expertise and knowledge on government contracting and how it applies to a small business.

The panel provided feedback, general guidance, and answered questions during the three hour class. Each panelist gave an overview of their respective organizations and provided important advice on the road map each entrepreneur would need to develop to guide his/her business for the next three years. Several small business owners presented their business capabilities, including their needs and challenges. Two were women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) who have been successful in contracting with GSA in the Southeast Sunbelt in the A-E LEED and Commissioning Services area, and Professional and Engineering Services. Contact: Mildred Quinley, (404) 331 1053.

The Small Business Program in PBS

$2,364,076,407 in Small Business eligible contracts were awarded in FY 2008: