Ohio University will offer more opportunities to businesses acquiring government contracts after the state requested it expand its resource sites to the Dayton and Cincinnati areas.
OU’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center “opens the government market” to small businesses by offering them training sessions, one-on-one counseling and help with matching bids, said Sharon Hopkins, regional PTAC director.
“We will look at solicitation packages and give them advice to put together a proposal,” Hopkins said. “It’s a ‘hold their hand all the way’ process.”
PTAC has about 1,300 active businesses throughout 55 counties, including Athens, Akron, Lancaster and Columbus.
“The government will buy your product or service,” said Brian Cox, PTAC procurement specialist, in a news release. “The challenge is where, and that is what PTAC’s services are for.”
PTAC, which is partially subsidized by the state, has operated since 2001 and is now part of OU’s Center for Entrepreneurship.
The Dayton location will share building space with a facility that also houses OU’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology. It will offer a training facility for up to 50 people, according to the release.
The Cincinnati location will be located in the Hamilton County Business Center.
OU’s Innovation Center is yet another university entity devoted to helping small businesses grow, which U.S. Sen. Rob Portman R-Ohio toured Friday.
Portman spoke to representatives from the Innovation Center’s startup companies to get advice on how businesses “make it through early-stage development,” according to a previous Post article.
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