SBDC seminar to offer free advice on selling to governments
Crossroads area small business leaders are invited to attend a workshop Wednesday that could improve their chances of landing a government contract.
The University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center will present “SBA & Selling to Government” from 1 to 3 p.m. at the SBDC office, 3402 N. Ben Wilson St. The seminar is free and open to all small business owners, managers and staff members.
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| Joe Humphreys |
“It’s no surprise that federal, state and local governments need a wide range of products and services,” SBDC Director Joe Humphreys said. “Of course this produces a number of business opportunities, and many government agencies require that some percentage of the procurements be set aside for small businesses. This workshop will show business leaders how they can get certified to better their chances of competing for government contracts.”
Sean P. Smith, a business opportunities specialist at the U.S. Small Business Administration San Antonio District office, will discuss the various business certification programs for small businesses. Smith works with firms participating in the SBA 8(a) Business Development, a business assistance program for small, disadvantaged businesses.
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| Sean Smith |
Smith previously spent 17 years managing a family-owned small business, and he worked for a decade as a program manager for the Del Mar College Procurement Technical Assistance Center in Corpus Christi.
He will join SBDC staff members in presenting information about contracting certifications available to small businesses through Historically Underutilized Business Zones, Women-Owned Small Businesses and Veteran-Owned Businesses.
Attendees with specific questions for Smith can send those questions ahead of time to sbdc@uhv.edu. They should put “SBA & Selling to Government” in the subject line.
The UHV SBDC offers assistance on starting, growing and financing a business; contracting opportunities; and recovering from disaster. It also helps new businesses start and existing businesses expand through a combination of consulting and training in areas like market identification, raising capital and developing a business plan. Most of its services are free to area small business owners. The center serves Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, DeWitt, Gonzales, Goliad, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Refugio and Victoria counties.
To register for the free seminar, call 361-485-4485, email sbdc@uhv.edu or visit www.uhv.edu/small-business/.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
