New name, expanded reach for governmental contracting support provider
The Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is now the East Michigan APEX Accelerator. It is one of more than 90 former PTACs nationwide that is, or will soon be, rebranding following a recent change in where it’s housed at the federal level.
The APEX Accelerator program was founded in 1985 to expand the number of businesses participating in the government marketplace. The program was previously managed by the Defense Logistics Agency before it changed hands on Oct. 1, 2022. It now operates under the direction of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP).
“We’re operating under a new name and organizing body, but our purpose remains the same,” said Jasmine McKenney, program director of the East Michigan APEX Accelerator, a program hosted by the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance. “Our team is here to help connect small businesses with local, state, and federal contracting opportunities.”
Locally, the East Michigan APEX Accelerator serves seven counties, including Genesee, Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, and Tuscola. It provides businesses with the tools, resources, and support needed to successfully explore government contracting. Specifically, staff provide seminars, workshops, and direct consultation to help businesses identify government contracting opportunities on the federal, state, and local levels.
“The government is looking to buy everything from customized pens to contracting services to build public schools,” McKenney says. “Landing a contract for one of these opportunities can help take a small business to the next level.”
According to McKenney, while clients of the program will see little to no change in support services offered, the transition does allow the APEX Accelerator to serve a wider variety of businesses.
“Previously, we could work only with businesses that had been in operation for at least two years,” McKenney said. “Under the DoD, we can now work with startups as well as nonprofit organizations. We’re excited for these changes and look forward to advising and counseling additional clients in our region.”
Looking forward, the East Michigan APEX Accelerator will host multiple webinars related to government contracting in February and March. Topics include Am I a Small Disadvantaged Business? (Feb. 28), Government Contracting Orientation (March 1), and The Power of Woman-Owned Small Business Certification (March 14).
To learn more about the East Michigan APEX Accelerator, which is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the DoD and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, visit DevelopFlintandGenesee.org.
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Please join us for the Flint & Genesee Group’s Annual Meeting on March 22. With the theme “Meeting What’s Next,” the event will allow us to review and celebrate the impact of the Group and its divisions in 2022, take a retrospective look at the local business climate and economy, and look ahead to what’s next for our organization and community.
Additionally, we’ll hear from this year’s keynote speaker, Doneen McDowell, manufacturing executive director of the truck and components sector at General Motors. A graduate of Kettering University, McDowell will share her perspective on leading through change, creativity in the face of uncertainty, and collaborative approaches to progress.
The event begins at 3 p.m. at the historic FIM Capitol Theatre in downtown Flint.
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Flint & Genesee Education & Talent seeks employers to hire teens this summer
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Flint & Genesee Education & Talent’s teen employment program, Summer Youth Initiative (SYI), is now accepting responses to its Request for Proposal (RFP) from local businesses and organizations looking for employees this summer.
“Traditionally, we have partnered with mostly nonprofits and schools to employ our SYI teens and we are looking forward to continuing those partnerships,” says James Avery, director of Talent Development at Flint & Genesee Education & Talent. “At the same time, we are also hoping to expand the jobs that are offered by partnering with more for-profit employers in a variety of fields.”
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Explore Flint & Genesee books seven events in first half of 2023
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The sales team at Explore Flint & Genesee has worked hard to secure seven events to be hosted locally in the first half of 2023. Each of these events will bring new individuals to the area, as well as support jobs and increase tourism spending in Flint & Genesee.
“We are grateful to have a variety of events coming to Genesee County,” says Amari Steward, executive director of Explore Flint & Genesee. “Typically, the winter and spring are a slower season for larger events and meetings, so we are happy that we were able to connect with new organizations to get these booked.”
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FACES of Flint & Genesee Business: Angela Lots, ATL Jamaican Jerk
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Chicago native Angela Lots moved to Flint for her husband’s sake. After 15 years of being in Chicago, he wanted to move back to his hometown to be closer to family, and Lots conceded.
“A couple of weeks into living here, I asked if he could take me to a Jamaican restaurant and he said, ‘we don’t have one,'” says Lots. “I said, ‘We can open one,’ and he said, ‘there you go with another idea.'”
Although her plans didn’t immediately come to fruition, she kept the idea in the back of her mind. While running her nonprofit Faith Foundations Resources, Lots was working with a realtor to move to a new location.
“My realtor sent me a spot about a mile away from our old location and when I pulled into the parking lot, God said ‘There is your Jerk Chicken restaurant,'” says Lots. “We talked to the owner and three months later the deal went through.”
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About Flint & Genesee Group
Flint & Genesee Group supports the region through its commitment to developing business, talent, and place. Marketing its services through four divisions – Explore Flint & Genesee, Flint & Genesee Chamber, Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, and Flint & Genesee Education & Talent – as well as with community partners, the organization works to strengthen the Flint and Genesee County economy and create a place where people thrive, and businesses invest and grow. For more information, visit flintandgenesee.org, and check us out on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
