Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) help business owners navigate the waters of local, state, and federal procurement opportunities. Services that are offered include bid matching, seminars and trade fairs. There are a number of PTACs that serve business owners in this region:
- Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland counties: Southwestern PA Commission
- Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene and Washington counties: Government Agency Coordination Office
- Indiana County: Government Contracting Assistance Program
- Fayette and Westmoreland counties: Private Industry Council
Certification is an important marketing tool for contracting opportunities whether you are interested in government or corporate contracts. Here is a list of the free, government certification programs:
- PA Bureau of Minority and Women Business Opportunities
- PA Unified Certification Program
- U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program
- U.S. Small Business Administration’s SDB program
The MWDBE Governmental Committee is a collaborative organization among 20 different local, state, and federal agencies.
If you are interested in doing business with the PA Department of Transportation, they have a Supportive Services Center at Cheyney University, but they do outreach in western PA.
