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Chief Counsel Praises the Repeal of Three Percent Withholding Requirement on Contractors

Mitalis — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:42:06 +0000

Washington, D.C. – Today Chief Counsel for Advocacy Dr. Winslow Sargeant praised Congress’ repeal of the three percent contractor withholding requirement. The requirement would have required federal, state and local governments to withhold three percent of nearly all payments made to contractors, placing a burden on numerous small businesses. By a vote of 95 to 0, the Senate passed the Government Contractor Withholding Repeal Act. The House has already passed a similar piece of legislation. The Office of Advocacy has consistently worked with small businesses for the elimination of this unfair burden. The Chief Counsel called for its elimination in May of this year.

“The repeal of the three percent withholding requirement is a victory for small business,” said Dr. Sargeant. “For small businesses to thrive in government contracting they need an environment that is clear, transparent and predictable.”

The three percent withholding requirement would have adversely affected the accounts all small businesses that provide services to government entities. Most of the small businesses would have had to increase their debt level in order to ensure sufficient cash flows and thus pass these additional expenses on to their government customers. If small firms were unable to secure additional debt, the three percent withholding requirement might force them out of the Federal contracting market.

The three percent provision was included in the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 in an effort to ensure that individuals and companies that receive new payments from the federal government did not accrue tax debt. The law mandated that federal state and local governments with expenditures of more than $100 million withhold three percent of payments for products and services worth more than $10,000. The requirement was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2013.

The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. The presidentially appointed Chief Counsel for Advocacy advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policymakers. Regional advocates and an office in Washington, D.C., support the Chief Counsel’s efforts. For more information, visit http://www.sba.gov/advocacy, or call (202) 205-6533.

VA to Build Polytrauma-Blind Rehabilitation Center in Palo Alto

Mitalis — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:27:53 +0000

$98.8 Million Contract Awarded

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a $98.8 million contract to build a new rehabilitation facility located on the campus of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System.

“This new Polytrauma-Blind Rehabilitation Center will allow VA to better serve our Veterans and active duty Servicemembers in a state-of-the-art facility, which will support the exceptional clinical care currently delivered through both programs,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

In 2005, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System was designated a Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center. Since then, the program has been housed in an existing facility originally constructed in 1960. The Western Blind Rehabilitation Center, which began in 1967, has been housed in a building constructed in 1977.

The $98.8 million contract was awarded to Walsh/DeMaria Joint Venture V of Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 30. Construction is scheduled to be completed in spring 2014. The three-story facility will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver equivalency.

This will be VA’s first and only Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center to be combined with a Blind Rehabilitation Center. At 174,000 square feet, this new facility is the largest consolidated rehabilitation center in VA. The Rehabilitation Center includes 24 beds for the polytrauma program, 32 beds for the blind rehabilitation program, and 12 beds for the polytrauma transitional rehabilitation program.

The center will also have an outpatient physical therapy/occupational therapy clinic, an outpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic, and clinical programs for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans. In addition to the new Polytrauma-Blind Rehabilitation Center, a 600-car, four-story parking garage will be constructed adjacent to the new facility to support the growing demand for onsite parking.

SBA Seek Nominations for 2012 Rhode Island Small Business Awards

Mitalis — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:47:25 +0000

Providence, RI – Nominations are now being accepted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for the 2012 Rhode Island Small Business Person of the Year and other small business awards. Winners will be honored during the Rhode Island Small Business Week celebration in June.

Awards will be presented in 10 categories. Any individual or organization dedicated to the support of the small business community may submit nominations for these prestigious awards. Award guidelines and nomination forms are available from the SBA Rhode Island District Office by calling (401) 528-4561, or by visiting the SBA Website at www.sba.gov/ri. The Nomination deadline is Thursday, November 10, 2011.

The other awards include: Entrepreneurial Success Award, Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year, SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Small Business Exporter of the Year, Financial Services Champion, Minority Small Business Champion, Veteran Small Business Champion, Home-based Business Champion, and Women in Business Champion.

The Rhode Island Small Business Person of the Year will also have the opportunity to participate in the National Small Business Week activities and meetings with government officials in Washington, DC, and will compete for the National Small Business Person of the Year Award.

Champion awards are presented to persons who have used their professional skills or personal talents to further public understanding and awareness of small business. Candidates must have taken an active role in creating opportunities to promote the interests of small business. Persons nominated for Champion awards need not be an entrepreneur.

For more information about the SBA Small Business Awards, contact Faith White at (401) 528-4561, or by e-mail at faith.white@sba.gov.

GSA Small Business Conference – October 6th 2011

Mitalis — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:33:14 +0000

When: October 6, 2011
9AM – 4PM

Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC

Registration opens at 8AM

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Don’t miss this powerful one day conference featuring procurement and marketing workshops, an opportunity for you to meet and network with GSA program managers, building managers, leasing specialists, senior procurement associates, as well as small business advocates from DOD and other Federal agencies. Attendees will also be exposed to prime contractors seeking to partner with experienced small businesses to help meet and exceed their company’s Subcontracting Plan goals.

Date:: October 6, 2011
Registration opens at 8:00 a.m.
Location:: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004

Don’t miss the afternoon Prime Introduction and Networking Session!

Access to Success will close out the day by giving small businesses the chance to hear directly from large prime companies looking for small business subcontractors. These large businesses currently have contracts for major projects with the GSA and other Federal agencies. Prime representatives will introduce their firms in the open forum before they break out into individual meeting rooms. Learn about subcontracting opportunities and their vetting process for selecting small business subcontractors. The Prime participants will include: Clark Construction, Verizon, Level 3, General Dynamics and more. Plan to stay all day; great things don’t just happen before lunch!

Additional session descriptions are below:

“Understanding the Government’s Regulatory and Contracting Processes”
To pursue potential business opportunities, small business must have an understanding of regulatory and contracting processes. Provisions from the Small Business Jobs Act 2010 and Green Gov requirements are reshaping the way the Federal government does business. Major L. Clark III, Assistant Chief Counsel for Procurement Policy in the Office of Advocacy of the SBA will discuss Federal policies that effect small businesses. Hear what your firm should know to effectively pursue work in the Federal marketplace.
Marketing to the Federal Government – Learn what works from the Buyers
Back by popular demand – Join us for this informative panel session and get the expert advice you need to successfully market and compete for federal government contracts. Learn how to effectively market your GSA Schedule and other contract vehicles from our federal customer agencies acquisition experts, and our own GSA experts.
Partnering to Win – Break the Plateau
The Federal government’s needs are changing and firms must adapt their capacity and service offerings to be and stay competitive. Learn how forming strategic alliances through teaming, subcontracting, joint venture and mentor protégés relationships can decrease barriers to take your firm to the next level. Hear how partnering can help small businesses maximize complementary skills, resources and capabilities to expand procurement opportunities. The diverse panel will discuss differentiators that can break the plateau and affiliation rules small business need to know.
Doing Business with GSA’s Public Buildings Service (PBS)
Are you interested in partnering with GSA to provide Design, Construction, A/E, Security guard, landscape or other facilities maintenance services? If so, this session is a must! This workshop will be lead by one of GSA National Capital Region’s procurement experts from the Acquisition Management Division. PBS divides its Federal customers into Service Delivery Teams who are responsible for executing contracts to build, renovate, and maintain our regional real estate portfolio totaling over 41 million rentable square feet of office space. During FY 2010, NCR’s PBS awarded over $384 Million to small businesses.
9 Steps to Success in the Federal Acquisition Service:
Take the lead in becoming one of the most sought-after companies in the region for the Federal Government agencies. Learn how to balance your portfolio of products and services to meet the needs of Federal, State and Local government project managers and program specialists. Learn how to team with other companies that have successfully managed large Government contracts and network with other business owners who want to expand their reach into the Federal marketplace. Be the best “feet on the street” to get the job done.

Lunch with the Experts:

Back by popular demand! This premiere networking opportunity with GSA program managers, contracting officers, and/or small business advocates at each luncheon table will provide access to key players in the acquisition process and current information related to the Federal Government’s procurement process, specific issues about related questions, provide additional guidance that will help your small business get a step closer in securing Federal business.

POWER YOUR BUSINESS – Diversity Event Information

Mitalis — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:49:31 +0000

The

Conference, with America’s Money Answers Man Jordan Goodman
Motivational Speaker Linda Larsen and Speakers from: SBA, VA, DOL, & Top Corporations took place on Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 at Amgen’s Corporate Conference Center in Thousand Oaks.

The conference focused on Certification/Verification, Financing, and Winning Government and Private Sector Business.

We hope to make this an annual event.

2011 Women in Power Impacting Diversity

Mitalis — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:15:14 +0000

VAMBOA would like to congratulate Wendy Matheu for being named one of the DiversityPlus Top Women in Power award winners. Ms. Matheu, the Supplier Diversity Manager at Amgen, was responsible for Amgen’s sponsorship of the Power Your Business Conference in April, and she also served as Emcee of the event.

SBA Patriot Express Loans Top $633 Million

Mitalis — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:12:09 +0000

WASHINGTON – In just four years the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Patriot Express Pilot Loan Guarantee Initiative has provided more than $633 million in SBA-guaranteed loans to 7,650 veterans to start or expand their small businesses.

Patriot Express, a pilot loan product, with streamlined paperwork, and based on the agency’s SBA Express program, offers an enhanced guaranty and interest rate on loans to small businesses owned by veterans, reservists and their spouses.

“As Independence Day arrives it is only natural for us to reflect on America’s veterans – men and women who have the leadership skills and experience to become successful entrepreneurs and small business owners,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “The impact of this program the last four years has meant thousands of veterans and their families have had the resources to pursue their dreams as entrepreneurs, and at the same time create jobs and drive economic growth at a critical time for our country.”

Patriot Express was launched June 28, 2007, to expand upon the more than $1 billion in loans SBA guarantees annually for veteran-owned businesses across all its loan programs. SBA also offers counseling assistance and procurement support each year to more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans, reservists and members of the National Guard and their spouses.

Patriot Express loans are offered by SBA’s network of participating lenders nationwide and feature one of SBA’s fastest turnaround times for loan approvals. Patriot Express loans are available for up to $500,000.

The Patriot Express loan can be used for most business purposes, including start-up, expansion, equipment purchases, working capital, inventory or business-occupied real-estate purchases. Local SBA district offices can provide lists of Patriot Express lenders in their areas. Details on the initiative can be found at www.sba.gov/patriotexpress.

To learn more about additional opportunities for veterans available through the SBA, please visit the website at www.sba.gov/vets.

VA Awards 14 Major Technology Contracts – Setting the Stage for Long-term IT Solutions to Serve Veterans

Mitalis — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:08:55 +0000

Washington, D.C. – Fourteen major contracts to transform information technology in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have been awarded for an estimated program ceiling of $12 billion. The Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology program, known as T4, will consist of 15 prime contracts, including seven awards reserved for service-disabled Veteran small businesses and Veteran-owned small businesses.

“This five-year program will help VA transform into a 21st century organization and enable us to deliver the high-quality health care, benefits, and services Veterans have earned,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “In addition, it opens an opportunity for Veterans in business to grow and claim a share of VA’s business.”

Calling the program T4, VA awarded 14 prime contracts together as a tool to close gaps in acquiring IT services to integrate systems, networks and software. A fifteenth contract is pending resolution of a protest filed with the Government Accountability Office. The companies selected will have a fair opportunity to compete for work under T4 over five years. Their services and products may cover the life cycle of a computer system, and include program planning and management, systems and software engineering, cyber security, operation and maintenance, and support to facilities.

One of VA’s main goals is to provide timely access to benefits and high-quality health care to Veterans over their lifetimes, from the day they enter military service until the day they are laid to rest. T4 will be a major tool enabling VA to meet those goals by closing gaps in transforming programs.

The combined contracts will allow the most efficient use of technology to reduce the backlog of benefit claims and delivers real value to America’s taxpayers.

The T4 program will be a single focal point for managing the multiple contracts; give VA access to the best industry capabilities without the traditional long acquisition lead time; and help the department meet its Veteran small-business goals.

Unsuccessful competitors will be notified once the fifteenth, final award is made. They will be given the opportunity to receive a debriefing about their respective proposals and learn how they might improve their future submissions.

National Veteran Small Business Conference

Mitalis — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:54:57 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting this event on August 15-18th, 2011, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana being assisted by Halfaker and Associates LLC. The largest nationwide conference of its kind, the National Veteran Small Business Conference provides Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs and SDVOSBs) an opportunity to learn, network and market their businesses.

For more information, go to their website: http://www.nationalveteransconference.com/

SHRM Diversity & Inclusion Conference

Mitalis — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:19:25 +0000

The SHRM Diversity & Inclusion Conference & Expo attracts hundreds of HR professionals from cross-section of business sectors, industry and discipline. They gather each year to learn new practices, collaborate on challenges they face and re-energize and regain focus.

Information about this conference will be found clicking here.

2011 Registration opening soon!

2011 Speakers

Shirley Davis, Ph.D., Director of Diversity & Inclusion, SHRM

Susan O’Malley, former President of Washington Sports and Entertainment
Game Changer: Ms. O’Malley is the first female president of a professional sports franchise and a pioneer in two fields: sports and business.

Patricia Sowell Harris, Global Chief Diversity Officer at McDonald’s
Game Changer: Ms. Harris is driving D&I initiatives at one of the most globally recognized companies. She has been there for over 20 years and offers a unique perspective on how things have changed during her tenure.

Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, President of UMBC (The University of Maryland, Baltimore County) since May 1992
Game Changer: Mr. Freeman was able to make UMBC one of the more diverse campuses in the U.S. He was also named one of America’s 10 Best College Presidents by Time magazine.

Erik Weihenmayer, World-class Blind Adventurer
Game Changer: Mr. Weihenmayer became the only blind man in history to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, and completed his quest to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peak on every continent. He sees every new challenge as an opportunity to problem solve, strategize, and create a new way forward.