WASHINGTON ─ The U.S. Small Business Administration today launched a new online training course to help strengthen access to contracting opportunities for small businesses, including those owned by women, minorities, disadvantaged individuals and veterans.
The training course, “Recovery Act Opportunities: How to Win Federal Contracts,” is part of a federal government-wide initiative announced last month by President Obama and being led by SBA and the Department of Commerce.
“The SBA online training course can help businesses access the federal purchasing system and position themselves to compete for the commercial opportunities offered by government contracting,” SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills said.
In announcing the government-wide initiative, President Obama reiterated his Administration’s commitment to providing “our Nation’s small businesses with maximum practicable opportunity to participate in federal government contracting.” As part of the initiative, federal agency procurement officers are participating in more than 200 events over the next several weeks to help connect small businesses with contracting opportunities. Additionally, SBA and Commerce are expanding their outreach to contracting officials across the federal government to ensure they have the tools to meet their annual contracting goals and increase opportunities to small businesses, including those owned by veterans, women and minorities, as well as those in designated HUBZones.
As part of the outreach to small businesses, the comprehensive online course uses both audio and script to provide information about the federal marketplace, contract rules and, most importantly, how to sell to the government and where to find contract and Recovery Act opportunities. The new training portal is a free online training course designed to assist entrepreneurs during this period of economic recovery. This self-paced, instructional guide provides an overview of the federal procurement process.
The Recovery Act Opportunities course is available on SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov or directly at www.sba.gov/fedcontractingtraining. The course is indexed by subject matter to allow ease of use, and it includes multiple direct links to additional contracting resources.
The Recovery Act Opportunities course includes direct links that highlight the best contracting resources and engages small business owners in the contracting process. The course also includes practical and fundamental steps to engage business owners in the federal contracting arena.
It is one of more than 24 online tutorials offered by the SBA, and is available 24/7.
For more information please visit www.sba.gov.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Your Medicare health choices, Tuesday, September 1st @ 1pm
John Giarratano, a representative from Human MarketPoint, will speak about the various options available to Medicare enrollees. This event is free and open to the public.
Monday, August 24, 2009
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Obama Administration Announces Efforts to Increase Access to Contracting Opportunities for Minority-Owned, Small Businesses
WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration today reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that minority-owned and small businesses, including women- and veteran-owned businesses, have greater access to federal government contracting opportunities.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills announced a government-wide plan that includes federal agency procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
As part of the Commerce-SBA initiative, over the next 90 days:
• Federal agency procurement officials will hold or participate in more than 200 events to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
• SBA and Commerce will expand their outreach to fellow contracting officials across the federal government, passing along best practices for outreach and education to every agency to ensure they have the tools they need to meet their annual contracting goals.
• Locke and Mills will promote small business contracting opportunities in remarks, events and discussions with small business groups across the country, including minority, women and veteran groups.
Beyond the next 90 days, Commerce and SBA will support, monitor and track the impact of these efforts going forward to help ensure the Administration is maximizing opportunities for small businesses.
Small business owners can find out about federal contracting opportunities by visiting www.fedbizopps.gov. Local Commerce and SBA officials are also available in local offices across the country to assist small businesses interested in contracting opportunities. Contact information for local offices can be found www.commerce.gov and www.sba.gov.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills announced a government-wide plan that includes federal agency procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
As part of the Commerce-SBA initiative, over the next 90 days:
• Federal agency procurement officials will hold or participate in more than 200 events to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
• SBA and Commerce will expand their outreach to fellow contracting officials across the federal government, passing along best practices for outreach and education to every agency to ensure they have the tools they need to meet their annual contracting goals.
• Locke and Mills will promote small business contracting opportunities in remarks, events and discussions with small business groups across the country, including minority, women and veteran groups.
Beyond the next 90 days, Commerce and SBA will support, monitor and track the impact of these efforts going forward to help ensure the Administration is maximizing opportunities for small businesses.
Small business owners can find out about federal contracting opportunities by visiting www.fedbizopps.gov. Local Commerce and SBA officials are also available in local offices across the country to assist small businesses interested in contracting opportunities. Contact information for local offices can be found www.commerce.gov and www.sba.gov.
Monday, August 10, 2009
So you want to run a small business? Tuesday, August 18 @ 6pm, Pueblo West Library
If you are currently a small business owner or want to become one, this event is a great opportunity to discover the excellent small business resources available in Pueblo County.
Speakers will include Alfonso Garcia, Small Business Consultant for Mi Casa Resource Center, Caroline Parra, Director of the Small Business Development Center, Bill Keathley, Loan Officer for the Southern Colorado Economic Development District, Ernestine Thomas, a Small Business Counselor for SCORE, and Cindy Shimizu, Business Librarian at Pueblo City-County Library District.
This will be a great chance to hear about what is available for current and new small business owners. Got questions? Get answers! Dealing with difficult issues? Find solutions!
For more information, contact Cindy Shimizu at 719-562-5667.
Speakers will include Alfonso Garcia, Small Business Consultant for Mi Casa Resource Center, Caroline Parra, Director of the Small Business Development Center, Bill Keathley, Loan Officer for the Southern Colorado Economic Development District, Ernestine Thomas, a Small Business Counselor for SCORE, and Cindy Shimizu, Business Librarian at Pueblo City-County Library District.
This will be a great chance to hear about what is available for current and new small business owners. Got questions? Get answers! Dealing with difficult issues? Find solutions!
For more information, contact Cindy Shimizu at 719-562-5667.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Show me the money!
Mi Casa-Southern Colorado WBC & SCORE is hosting this informative seminar especially for small business owners needing access to financial resources
Join us! Learn where to find and get funds for small businesses.
Hear what industry representatives and lenders have to say about…
▪grants for business ▪ micro-loans
▪ commercial bank loans ▪ credit union loans
▪ S.B.A. loans ▪ brokered loans ▪ angels
▪ business development pools
▪ private investment groups ▪ and more
Question and answer session will follow panel presentation
DATE: Saturday, August 15, 2009
TIME: 1- 4 p.m. Refreshments provided
PLACE: Pueblo County Conference Center
1001 N. Santa Fe, Pueblo, CO 81003
COST: $20.00; reservations required
Please RSVP by August 10, 2009
Mi Casa Resource Center 719-542-0091
lcandelario@micasaresourcecenter.org
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U. S. Small Business Administration
Join us! Learn where to find and get funds for small businesses.
Hear what industry representatives and lenders have to say about…
▪grants for business ▪ micro-loans
▪ commercial bank loans ▪ credit union loans
▪ S.B.A. loans ▪ brokered loans ▪ angels
▪ business development pools
▪ private investment groups ▪ and more
Question and answer session will follow panel presentation
DATE: Saturday, August 15, 2009
TIME: 1- 4 p.m. Refreshments provided
PLACE: Pueblo County Conference Center
1001 N. Santa Fe, Pueblo, CO 81003
COST: $20.00; reservations required
Please RSVP by August 10, 2009
Mi Casa Resource Center 719-542-0091
lcandelario@micasaresourcecenter.org
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U. S. Small Business Administration
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July events at Pueblo West Library
“Your money or your health, for small business.” Tuesday, July 28 @ 6pm.
Holly Hanson, CEO of Health Access Pueblo will speak at Pueblo West Library and answer questions about health care reform, small businesses, and coverage options
Health care reform is on everyone’s mind. Small businesses are feeling an especially hard pinch. Accelerating health-care premiums and sharp revenue shortfalls due to the recession are forcing some small companies to choose between dropping health insurance or laying off workers -- or staying in business at all. Holly will speak about the current federal health care initiatives and address concerns small business owners have with these proposals, and introduce options for coverage that are affordable and manageable.
Holly has been an independent insurance agent for over 10 years and worked for managed health care companies for another 10. She has been on the Legislative Committee for the National Association of Health Underwriters, and as the CEO of Health Access Pueblo she works with small employers on a daily basis on health care coverage benefits and management.
For more information about these events, contact Cindy Shimizu 719-562-5667, cindy.shimizu@pueblolibrary.org
Holly Hanson, CEO of Health Access Pueblo will speak at Pueblo West Library and answer questions about health care reform, small businesses, and coverage options
Health care reform is on everyone’s mind. Small businesses are feeling an especially hard pinch. Accelerating health-care premiums and sharp revenue shortfalls due to the recession are forcing some small companies to choose between dropping health insurance or laying off workers -- or staying in business at all. Holly will speak about the current federal health care initiatives and address concerns small business owners have with these proposals, and introduce options for coverage that are affordable and manageable.
Holly has been an independent insurance agent for over 10 years and worked for managed health care companies for another 10. She has been on the Legislative Committee for the National Association of Health Underwriters, and as the CEO of Health Access Pueblo she works with small employers on a daily basis on health care coverage benefits and management.
For more information about these events, contact Cindy Shimizu 719-562-5667, cindy.shimizu@pueblolibrary.org
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