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Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) helps small businesses obtain state and federal contracts
The House today passed Representatives Daneya Esgar and Tom Sullivan’s legislation to extend the Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) for the next five years. The vote was 49-12.
“PTAC is an invaluable resource for small businesses across Colorado,” said Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Minority, veteran and women-owned businesses need and deserve our support. Now that the House has passed PTAC, we’re one step closer to giving these businesses five more years of invaluable assistance.”
“Entering the world of government contracting can be a nerve-wracking endeavor for a small business,” said Rep. Sullivan, D-Centennial. “PTAC is a resource that guides small businesses through the complex process and improves their chances of getting the funds they need. When small businesses succeed, Colorado succeeds.”
HB20-1116 would extend the Colorado Procurement Assistance Center for five years. The state currently contracts with a nonprofit to provide procurement assistance services, and that contract will end in September 2020. The bill will also allow the state to contribute additional resources to the program if the nonprofit agrees to match that investment 100 percent.
PTAC provides free consulting with procurement counselors, as well as a variety of subject matter experts, to Colorado’s small, women, veteran and minority-owned businesses applying for and performing government contracts at the federal, state and local levels. PTAC also runs free workshops and host events, including a training series, a speaker series and networking events with major federal contractors.
The program, which started in 2009, has served over 5,000 clients and helped support 55,000 jobs in Colorado. In 2018 alone, the program helped companies earn a combined $419 million in government contracts and helped create/retain over 8,000 jobs. The program has consistently outperformed its statutorily required performance metrics, serving six times the number of active businesses required by law. It has provided over 1,000 more counseling hours than required by law and sponsored twice as many events.