'Hidden gem' helps firms secure government contracts

That's when Heartland Procurement Technical Assistance Center of Joplin came to the rescue.

Two months later, Radiophone Engineering had secured two government contracts and had five more nearly in the bag.

“They helped us out that much,” said Dave Daniels, federal markets specialist for Radiophone Engineering.

Heartland PTAC, located on the campus of Missouri Southern State University, is one of 93 PTACs across the country that help civilian companies secure government contracts.

“We work with multinational companies all the way down to the ma-and-pa grocery stores,” said Bernie Franks, associate contracting assistance specialist at Heartland PTAC.

Franks said PTACs originated in 1985, and 90 percent of the companies they help are small businesses, though the organization's charter simply states it is to aid American-owned businesses regardless of size.

He said PTACs have two main purposes: Supply the government with the most cost-effective goods and services, and supply economic stimulus to the civilian economy.

Through 2005, Heartland PTAC, which serves southwest Missouri and all of Kansas, helped award 1,274 contracts and subcontracts worth $260 million.

Nationally, in 2004 alone, PTACs helped award 88,000 contracts and subcontracts worth $13 billion. Heartland PTAC Program Manager Terri Bennett said 2005 national figures aren't available yet.

She said Heartland PTAC is something of a hidden gem - companies either don't know it exists or forego its free and at-cost services to pay private companies for the same thing.

“As time goes by, more people are realizing that we're available to help,” she said. “I wonder sometimes if people think we're too good to be true.”

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