In the News - October 2008
Increased funding for free services to Arkansas businesses
MALVERN, Ark. -The Defense Department has renewed its contract with a unit of
the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture to continue and expand
operation of the Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center (APAC), which serves the
entire state from Malvern.
The center offers free counseling and technical assistance on any issue
related to government contracting and assists Arkansas businesses serve and
supply public agencies nationwide, according to Sue Coates, instructor and APAC
program director.
The new contract provides nearly double the federal funding, which is matched
by the Cooperative Extension Service under their Cost Sharing Cooperative
Agreement that was signed after six months of tough negotiations. The result is
a total annual budget of $1,017,632, up from $620,733 per year for the past
decade.
Over a five-year period, the return on investment has exceeded 160 to 1; that
is, for every federal and state dollar put into running the center, the
businesses it helps have received public contracts worth 160 times that much.
That has resulted in thousands of jobs for Arkansans.
"The program really works," says Coates,
Coates says, "I have the best job in the world because we get paid to help
people.” In addition to helping small business owners and managers navigate the
difficult market of federal, state and local procurement, it also helps agency
personnel find qualified vendors and contractors. Many clients declare they
could never have achieved success without APAC's help.
Currently, APAC employs two procurement advisors, one procurement technical
assistant and two professional secretaries, in addition to the program director.
The new budget provides for an additional procurement advisor, an additional
clerical support person and a new position as assistant program manager.
APAC operates a popular Web site full of information and resources at
www.arcommunities.org/apac.htm,
which has recently been upgraded with several new features.
The center can be reached at 501-337-5355 or
apac@uaex.edu and welcomes
visitors at 127 West 5th St., Malvern.
The Cooperative Extension Service is a part of the University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture.
October 10, 2008
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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