PTACs of Michigan Receive APTAC 2017 Human Impact Award

PTACs come together to preserve services for Michigan businesses

Delena Spates-Allen (left) accepts the Human Impact Award from APTAC president Jane Dowgwillo

June 23, 2017: The Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC) presented its 2017 Human Impact Award to the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) of Michigan for their collaborative efforts to preserve the diverse network of regional PTACs that serve Michigan businesses

The Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) of Michigan comprise a network of independent, not-for-profit organizations that provide government contracting assistance from eleven offices located throughout the state. Their mission is to enhance national defense and economic development in Michigan by assisting local businesses in obtaining and performing on federal, state and local government contracts.  Many of the Michigan PTACs date back to the founding of the Procurement Technical Assistance Program in 1985.

In the fall of 2015, the state of Michigan moved to discontinue the required matching funds for more than half of the Michigan PTAC programs and offices.  Faced with losing PTAC coverage in many areas of the state, these independent, regional organizations—even those for whom funding was secure—came together to inform state officials and lawmakers about the important economic impact that the PTACs provide.  Among their efforts was the creation of a six page, user-friendly, “Impact Report” that quickly lays out the combined efforts and achievements of all of Michigan’s PTAC programs.

As a result of this commitment and coordination, funding was ultimately restored for each of the programs originally planned to be cut, preserving PTAC services for the more than two thousand Michigan small businesses that rely on them.

APTAC’s Human Impact Award recognizes a PTAC that has made a positive contribution to client businesses or to the community, going above and beyond the normal PTAC duties, making a difference in the lives of others and in the communities we call home, and reminding us that our successes are not always measured in dollars and cents.  The extraordinary teamwork of the PTACs of Michigan, their dedication to ensuring that PTAC services remain available to all Michigan small businesses that need them, and the impact on the lives of all those associated with the businesses served represents just such an accomplishment.

APTAC is the professional organization of and for the 98 Procurement Technical Assistance Centers awarded under the Department of Defense’s Procurement Technical Assistance Program.  APTAC supports the PTACs by providing them important information, professional networking, comprehensive training opportunities, and a voice in national government contracting assistance policy arenas.


 

 For help with Government Contracting: contact your nearest Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). Funded through Cooperative Agreements between the U.S. Department of Defense and state and local governments/institutions, PTACs provide free and low-cost assistance in virtually all areas of government contracting.