WIPP News: IRS Issued Proposed Rule Implementing 3% Tax Withholding for Contractor Goods and Services

WIPP is a part of the Government Withholding Relief Coalition. The coalition just sent a memo stating that:

Government Withholding Relief Coalition

The IRS has issued their proposed rule implementing the 3% Tax Withholding. It will appear in the Federal Register tomorrow, December 5th. We will discuss this at the meeting on December 16th as well.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-28789.pdf

IRS PROPOSES RULES ON WITHHOLDING UNDER TAX CODE SECTION 3402(T)

The Internal Revenue Service Dec. 4 issued proposed rules (REG-158747-06) relating to withholding under tax code Section 3402(t).

IRS said the proposed regulations reflect changes in the law made by the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (Pub. L. No. 109-222) that require federal, state, and local government entities to withhold income tax when making payments to persons providing property or services. The proposed regulations provide guidance to assist the government entitiesin complying with Section 3402(t), IRS said.

The regulations, which will appear in the Dec. 5 Federal Register, also provide certain guidance to persons receiving payments for property or services from government entities, IRS said.

ODNI Announces New Security Policy for Information Systems

A groundbreaking new policy from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence changes how the intelligence community and, by influence, the entire federal government will build, validate and approve information technology systems. The policy requires common security controls and risk-management procedures – a unified approach to enhance collaboration.

Click here for the entire article

Have you won a government contract?

Send your announcement with the following information included and we’ll consider it for the Winning Contracts column for Corridor Inc.

Major Wins
Winning Contracts Presented by



Click here to see a recent column on the Corridor site.

Please include this information:
1. Your company name
2. Your location (City, State)
3. Your contact information (name, email, phone)
4. What agency awarded the contract
5. The contract amount
6. What services or products you are providing
7. Any other appropriate information

Please send the information to info@targetgov.com

Very Important Message to ALL Vendors from GOVPRO.com

Excerpt: Vendors, don't forget: The federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30! by Michael Keating, GOVPRO.com

"...It's right around the corner. The federal government's fiscal year 2008 ends Sept. 30, and all 1,300 federal agencies will be working to spend down their budgets before the witching hour..."

Click here for the entire article

SBA Further Increases Small Business Size Standards Due to Inflation

This rule increases the nonmanufacturer anchor size standard from $6.5 million to $7.0 million. This rule also increases the size standard for Computer Systems Design Services (NAICS 541512) from $23 million to $25 million. Click here for more info on this latest increase.

National Minority Enterprise Development Week

TargetGov to Exhibit

September 4, 2008
Omni Shorehame Hotel
Washington D.C.

The National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference, September 3-5, 2008, is the largest federally sponsored Conference held on behalf of minority entrepreneurs and business enterprises. Tools, strategies and resources for developing global and strategic partnerships, accessing capital through partnerships and becoming an active player in global trade will be made available to participants.

Make sure to stop by the TargetGov booth

Click here for details

TUNE IN TO CHANNEL 98

If you are located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland and want to see a television show regarding BRAC business opportunities, please tune in!

Click here for airing times and topics

Upcoming Speaking Event

The 20th Public Procurement Forum
Hampton, Virginia

"Enhancing the outcome of your supplier development programs"

Gloria's sessions are designed to help buyers better understand the risks and rewards suppliers face when doing business with government so you can enhance the outcome of your supplier development programs.

Click here for more information

Prompt Payment Policy Directive

“Kudos to Maryland for instuting a prompt payment directive. Too bad we needed a directive to make sure our small businesses get paid for doing work on state contracts.” ~ Gloria

August 4, 2008

RE: Prompt Payment Policy Directive Issued by Governor O'Malley

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to inform you that Governor O'Malley, through the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs (GOMA), has issued a Prompt Payment Directive to ensure timely payment for all subcontractors, including small and minority business enterprises who participate on State projects.

What Does This Mean for Small and Minority Businesses? Untimely payment of subcontractors is a re-occurring concern for small and minority businesses. As small business owners, minority business leaders, legislators, and others who are on the front lines advocating for fair treatment of small and minority firms, you know all too well the impact payment disputes have on small businesses, especially MBEs. Payment disputes top the list of the most frequent complaints GOMA receives from MBEs who work as tier two and three subcontractors on State projects.

This Prompt Payment Directive provides specific remedies for Cabinet Level Agencies that, effective immediately, are authorized to include provisions in solicitations and contract documents that sets forth guidelines requiring prime contractors to remit timely payment to subcontractors for work performed. This directive also empowers agencies to ensure that subcontractors listed on contract participation schedules are receiving compensation and it requires agencies to notify GOMA of all subcontractor payment complaints. State Procurement Law currently contains a prompt payment requirement that applies to construction related contracts. This directive applies to all other State procurement contracts in excess of $25,000 thereby effectively giving prompt payment protection to all State contracts and procurements.

To assist small and minority businesses who encounter prompt payment issues when working on State contracts, GOMA has developed an informational Guide to Prompt Payment for Non-Construction Subcontractors. To view or download a copy, click here. We invite and encourage all parties who serve small and minority firms, to share this information with their members and constituents.

Efforts such as this "prompt payment" policy directive are just one example of the O'Malley-Brown Administration's progress towards ensuring greater inclusion and fair treatment for Maryland's small and minority businesses. Maryland's small and minority business laws and support of policy initiatives like "prompt payment" are unprecedented anywhere else in the country. It is our expectation that this will bring much needed relief to small and minority firms who contribute to the base for Maryland's middle class and help sustain our economy.

The O'Malley-Brown Administration continues to strengthen its commitment to the success of Maryland's small and minority businesses; as well as promoting inclusion initiatives that will enhance the vision of One Maryland.

Sincerely,

Luwanda W. Jenkins, Special Secretary
Governor's Office of Minority Affairs

US Innovation is Strong – with Federal Help

Today’s innovation is not your father’s—or your grandfather’s---innovation. The way that new products, services, and technologies emerge has changed. A new study sponsored by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation analyzes decades of data with interesting results. One major finding is that the role of Federal investments in supporting innovations has grown rapidly.

Click here for more of the report’s interesting results.

$162 Billion War Appropriations Bill Signed

President Bush on Monday signed legislation to pay for the war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of his presidency and beyond, hailing the $162 billion plan as a rare product of bipartisan cooperation...The legislation will bring to more than $650 billion the amount Congress has provided for the Iraq war since it began more than five years ago...

Click here to read the entire article

Is Your Firm A Gazelle?

New SBA Office of Advocacy-sponsored research offers compelling evidence in support of findings that should come as no surprise: high-growth gazelle firms matter. The research uses a new data set developed by the Corporate Research Board to get a sense of what high-impact firms look like and how they affect the economy. The study reviews the period between 1994 and 2006, and, in the last time frame of 2002-2006, it identifies more than 376,000 high impact firms... There’s a reason why these companies are called “high impact.”

Click here to read the entire article

© 2008 The Public Forum Institute and the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship

Have you heard?

Good News for Small Business and the DoD
"Notice of reinstitution of small business set-asides under the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program."

Click here for more details

IRS Gas Mileage Reimbursement Going Up
"The IRS announced on Tuesday that beginning July 1, the standard rate used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes will be increased to...the highest rate ever"

Click here to read more

House appropriators approve DHS spending bill
"The House Appropriations Committee Tuesday approved an fiscal 2009 spending bill for the Homeland Security Department, after voting on a handful of Republican amendments...$2.3 billion more than President Bush requested."

Click here for more details

Teaming for Growth: Diversity Procurement Fair

The Diversity Fair is an opportunity to participate in a forum for regional companies and professionals, Tuesday, June 24, 2008, to explore the unique and lucrative business of Government Prime and Subcontracting. The day will feature strategic networking opportunities and several educational workshops where TargetGov will present: "New Strategies and Tactics to Win Government Contracts"

Click here for more information on the conference and how to register

Certifications: Learn the Basics and the Crucial Next Steps

Do you qualify for certifications? Attend the Certifications: Learn the Basics and the Crucial Next Steps conference, Thursday, July 17, 2008, sponsored by TargetGov and the Center for Business and Technology Development. This conference is specifically designed to teach the small business owner to use certification as a tool to open the door to increased business opportunities.

Learn to tap into over $15 billion in federal contracts set aside for companies meeting Minority, Disadvantaged and other certifications.

Click here for more information

Diversity Procurement Conference

Teaming for Growth is a Diversity Procurement Fair that you won’t want to miss. The Fair will be held on June 24th, 2008 at the Engineer’s Club beautiful Garrett Jacobs Mansion in the historic Mt. Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore City. The purpose of the fair is to create a forum for regional companies and professionals to explore the unique and lucrative business of Government Prime and Subcontracting. The day will feature; scheduled one-on-one matching sessions with purchasing and procurement officers from Government Agencies and Prime Contractors who have small and diversity business goals. It will also include several educational workshops and strategic networking opportunities.

Click here for more information about the conference

We've Got Good News and...

'Churn' Good for Growth and Productivity

"Job losses and business failures are certainly distressing to the individual... the churning process replaces lower productivity businesses with new, more productive ones, thereby increasing productivity and raising living standards."

Click here to learn more

Wells Fargo/Gallup: Small Business Confidence at Record Lows

"confidence has been dropping for more than a year...A number of factors are scaring small business owners--especially concerns about future cash flow."

© 2008 The Public Forum Institute and the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship

Click here to learn more

340 out of 351 Contractors Win Navy IDIQ

The U.S. Navy is awarding indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contracts to 340 contractors that will provide for their competition for service requirements solicited by Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Naval Supply Systems Command, Military Sealift Command, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Strategic Systems Programs, Office of Naval Research, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the United States Marine Corps.

Click here for the entire listing

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS ETHICS GUIDANCE NOW AVAILABLE

"Under new Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 3.10 that took effect last December, all government contractors are now required to establish ethics programs suitable to the size of the company and the nature of their federal contracting to help prevent fraud and drive ethical conduct," said Open Compliance and Ethics Group (OCEG) President, Carole Stern Switzer. "But like similar regulations imposed on other industries and activities, these regulations don't tell contractors how best to comply.” Click here for more details.

Clean Contracting Act

Congressman Henry Waxman, Chair of the House Government Reform Committee, which has jurisdiction over government contracting, introduced a wide ranging contracting amendment last week called the “Clean Contracting Act” that will affect ALL government contractors.

A sampling of the changes include:

TITLE XLI—ENHANCED COMPETITION
Sec. 4101. Minimizing sole-source contracts.
Sec. 4102. Limitation on length of certain noncompetitive contracts.

TITLE XLII—CURBING ABUSE-PRONE CONTRACTS
Sec. 4201. Regulations to minimize the inappropriate use of cost-reimbursement contracts.
Sec. 4202. Preventing abuse of interagency contracts.
Sec. 4203. Prohibitions on the use of lead systems integrators.

Additional acquisition, fraud and transparency topics are covered as well. Click here for the full text.

I am looking for feedback from contractors regarding the suggested changes. This amendment will be proposed as part of the DOD Authorization bill. Let me know what you think! Deadline for replies to me is June 13, 2008. Email me at info@targetgov.com. Of course, feel free to contact your Congressperson to let them know what you think of the bill as well!

WIPP announces 2008 Elizabeth Dole Young Entrepreneur Scholarship

Women Impacting Public Policy is pleased to announce the release of the application for the 2008 Elizabeth Dole Young Entrepreneur Scholoarship: this year’s application deadline is June 30th. The Scholarship, established in 2006 honoring Senator Dole as the WIPP Congressional Award Winner, is completing its first program year watching young women business owners grow and thrive in their community. It has been an exciting and educational process and we are eager to begin the process for the coming program year.

The scholarship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and guidance from successful women business owners – as well as have a chance to receive a cash award to help grow their business!

The Elizabeth Dole Young Entrepreneur Scholarship is a bi-partisan effort, established to recognize high potential young women business owners who are leaders in their community, with resources and guidance to excel their businesses and personal success.

Here are the qualifications to take advantage of this opportunity:

• At least 51% woman-owned
• Entrepreneur between the ages of 21-35
• U.S. Citizen
• Business 5 years old or less
• Revenue of $500, 000 or less for service industries OR $1milion or less for manufacturing industries
• The business has capacity to assume more debt
• Owner has a satisfactory personal credit history

Interested in supporting the Elizabeth Dole Young Entrepreneur Scholarship?

WIPP also invites you to join us as a sponsor of this important effort. Sponsorship opportunities are available for as low as $50.00 and all sponsors will be recognized along with the program and at the 2008 WIPP Annual Conference in Washington, DC. Sponsorship of the Elizabeth Dole Young Entrepreneur Scholarship sends a powerful message of women business owners helping women business owners.

If you or know someone who might be interested, click here for more details

Calling All Ant Fighters: Texas Needs You!

"If you open a computer, you would find a cluster of ants on the motherboard and all over. You'd get 3,000 or 4,000 ants inside, and they create arcs. They'll wipe out any computer."

Hoards of aggressive ants are damaging computers and other electronic equipment in Texas. The “crazy rasberry ant” has been named after Tom Rasberry, owner of Budget Pest Control in Pearland, Texas. Exterminators have found it nearly impossible to kill the ants. Yes, you can kill some of them, at least the first wave, maybe. However, there are so many more ants coming behind them, that the insecticide becomes ineffective. Even NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston is threatened by these tiny creatures.

For more details go to: http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/exotic_tx.cfm

Are the DHS Small Business Figures Accurate?

In 2007, the Homeland Security Department was one of the few federal agencies to state that they met each of the government's small business contracting goals.

House lawmakers now have suggested those figures may have been boosted by creative double counting, in which small firms that fall into more than one socio-economic category are counted more than once for each contract they were awarded.

"DHS has met each of its federal contracting goals for small, minority, and disadvantaged businesses, but crediting a single procurement action to more than one contracting goal may create a misperception of the participation of small, minority and disadvantaged businesses." according to a report issued by the majority staff of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Click here to read full article

SBA increases size limits for small firm contracts

Dallas Business Journal

Kent Hoover Washington Bureau Chief

The U.S. Small Business Administration plans to increase the size limits on federal research contracts made to small companies through the Small Business Innovative Research program.

Eleven federal agencies with outside research budgets of $100 million or more are required to award at least 2.5 percent of this R&D spending to small businesses through the SBIR program, which was created in 1982.

The awards are granted in phases, with up to $100,000 available to test the technical merit or feasibility of an idea or technology, and $750,000 available for additional research and development and evaluation of the technology's commercial potential.

Click here to read the full article.

New Sessions for Government Contractors

TargetGov and the Center for Business and Technology Development are sponsoring two sessions
for government contractors.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Introduction to Government Contracting: Entering the Market

This workshop is designed for the novice and will provide an overview of how and what the government buys, registrations, certifications, purchase vehicles, the capability statement, marketing processes, and more.

time: 8:30am-12:00 noon

Advanced Government Contracting: Winning the Contract

The advanced session is designed for those already in the procurement arena and will include discussion of the federal purchase process, evaluating the various bid offers, analyzing opportunities for the best match, the prooposal and response process, strategies for securing the contract, contract management, and more.

time: 1:00-4:30pm

Preregistration is required. Cost: $129 each session, $229 for both sessions

Location:
The Center for Business and Technology Development
The Thomas Dorsey Building
9250 Bendix Road, North
Columbia, MD 21045

For more information and to register:
www.hceda.org/CBTD/busevents.aspx
Phone: 410-313-6550

Business Week’s Most Innovative Companies

The latest issue of Business Week contains its rankings of the world’s 25 most innovative companies. The list, developed in cooperation with the Boston Consulting Group, is based on surveys of more than 2500 leading corporate executives. Not surprisingly, Apple tops the list for the third straight year. Most respondents lauded Apple for its introduction of the iPhone which has, in only ten months, pushed Apple to #3 in the global smartphone market. Other innovative firms include (in rank order): Google, Toyota, General Electric, and Microsoft.

“The 25 Most Innovative Companies: Smart Ideas for Tough Times,” appears in the April 28, 2008 issue of Business Week.

© 2008 The Public Forum Institute and the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde.

New National Innovation Foundation Proposed

A new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the Brookings Institution suggests that a new National Innovation Foundation could do a better job of structuring key Federal agencies to support innovation. The study recommends that a newly created National Innovation Foundation serve as the Federal government’s primary support mechanism and point of contact for issues related to innovation. The report proposes three possible structures for a new NIF: housed within the Commerce Department; a publicly-sponsored corporation similar to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; and, as an independent federal agency like the National Science Foundation. Regardless of the final structure, the NIF would seek to:

Catalyze industry-university research partnerships through national sector research grants.
Expand regional innovation-promotion through state-level grants to fund activities like technology commercialization and entrepreneurial support.
Encourage technology adoption by assisting small and mid-sized firms in implementing best-practice processes and organizational forms that they do not currently use.
Support regional industry clusters with grants for cluster development.
Emphasize performance and accountability by measuring and researching innovation, productivity, and the value-added to firms from NIF assistance.
Champion innovation by promoting innovation policy within the federal government and serving as an expert resource on innovation to other agencies.

It is anticipated that legislation will soon be introduced in the Senate. This promises to kick-off a new round of discussion about how big a role the Federal government could or should play in unleashing America’s innovation capacity.

Download the April 2008 report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, Boosting Productivity, Innovation and Growth through a National Innovation Foundation, by Robert Atkinson and Howard Wial.

© 2008 The Public Forum Institute and the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde.

Briefing and Small Business Conference for potential Army Government Contractors

Army Team Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) will be hosting the annual Advance Planning Briefing for Industry (APBI) and Small Business Conference (SBC) at Ft. Monmouth, NJ on May 28-29, 2008.

Advance Planning Briefing for Industry

The purpose of the Advance Planning Briefing for Industry (APBI) is to provide industry with a comprehensive overview of Army Team C4ISR requirements and corresponding contract opportunities that will be available within the next few years.

Small Business Conference

The Small Business Conference brings together small business leaders and key CECOM LCMC decision makers. It provides a forum for direct exchange of information and ideas among senior officials and small business leaders and will facilitate small businesses getting their fair share of CECOM LCMC contracts and ensure that the command maintains a viable small business program.


Click here to learn more and for registration information.

Speak up Now! The IRS seeks public comment on law: a 3% withholding tax required by all government contractors

Companies that do business with government entities should be aware that in May 2006 both the House and Senate passed the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 109-222 (TIPRA). Accordingly, the Internal Revenue Service recently posted a notice regarding the new requirement for government entities to withhold three percent on payment for property and services. The IRS is seeking public comment on this notice by April 28, 2008. If implemented, this notice will impact companies with existing government contracts that expire after December 31, 2010. To read Notice 2000-38 visit the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/govt/fslg/article/0,,id=180377,00.html

Government Withholding Relief Coalition

The DoD reports on their cost estimate for compliance with the 3% withholding law. Their estimate is $17 billion for the first five years.

The report states:

DoD anticipates the costs for DoD to comply with section 511 will be significant – over $17 billion for the first five years. The estimated cost impact includes the costs for DoD to implement and manage section 511 within DoD and the additional costs escalation DoD will pay its contractors as a result of section 511. Further, DoD is concerned that section 511 may limit the number of companies willing to enter into the government market, thereby reducing competition and access to new technologies, and may cause other unintended consequences that are addressed in the report.

Click here to read more.

New Health Care Legislation Targets Small Business

Health care is a hot issue in Campaign 2008, and we can expect to see a host of health care solutions proposed in Congress starting now and continuing into next year. In recent weeks, leading Senators have introduced two approaches that seek to help small business owners facing major increases in the cost of health insurance. The Small Business Health Plans Act (S. 2818), introduced by Sens. Enzi (R-WY), Nelson (D-NE), and Gregg (R-NH) is the latest and revised edition of a proposal that has passed the House on several occasions in recent years. This plan creates a version of Association Health Plans (AHPs) where small businesses are permitted to purchase insurance through trade associations who contract with insurance providers and are thus able to pass on lower costs.

A different approach is offered in S. 2795, the Small Business Health Options (SHOP) Act of 2008, takes a slight different approach. Introduced by Sens. Durbin (D-IL), Snowe (R-ME), Lincoln (D-AR), and Coleman (R-MN), the SHOP Act would create national and state-run insurance pools for small employers. The self-employed would also be included in these packages. The bill also provides employer tax credits (up to $1000 per employee) to help encourage participation in the pools.

Learn more about S. 2818, the Small Business Health Plans Act, and S. 2795, the Small Business Health Options Act, visit the Library of Congress’ THOMAS website.

All stories © 2008 The Public Forum Institute, National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde.

IBM Suspended from Federal Contracts

IBM has been hit with an unexpected suspension preventing it from entering into new business with US federal government agencies, as a result of an ongoing investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The temporary suspension comes after the EPA alleged the computer giant violated procurement laws while negotiating a contract with the agency.

An IBM press release states that the notice of temporary suspension was issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and relates to an investigation by the EPA of possible violations of the Procurement Integrity provisions of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act regarding a bid for business with the EPA originally submitted in March 2006. The temporary suspension applies to all Federal agencies and IBM business units. IBM may continue awards in existence as of the date of this suspension, unless a particular agency directs otherwise.

In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has served IBM and certain employees with grand jury subpoenas requesting testimony and documents regarding interactions between employees of the EPA and certain IBM employees.

IBM has served the Federal agency community for many decades as a vendor in good standing and is committed to the highest standards of business ethics. IBM provides training on its Business Conduct Guidelines to all employees, with specialized training to those employees working on matters with the Federal government, to ensure compliance with all applicable Federal requirements.

Prior to learning of the temporary suspension on March 28, 2008, IBM was not aware that the EPA or U.S. Attorney’s office were considering any action against IBM. Upon learning of the suspension, IBM initiated discussions with the EPA and the U.S. Attorney’s office to obtain additional information and is cooperating with the investigations.

Under Federal procurement procedures, IBM has 30 days in which to contest the scope of the temporary suspension, which can continue for an initial period of up to one year pending the completion of the investigation. IBM intends to take all appropriate actions to challenge the suspension and limit its scope.

Is Health Insurance for Small Businesses and the Self-Employed Prohibitive?

Many small business no longer offer health insurance, and self-employed individuals are have dropped coverage because they cannot afford it. This article in the NY Times has very good information about your options.

“…. an expert on health insurance issues, shared a valuable tool, healthinsuranceinfo.net. The site, maintained by the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, shows a map of the country and after clicking on a state, a document is downloaded that covers everything from what kinds of programs are available to small-business owners to whether there is a high-risk pool available for those who have been rejected by insurance providers. These primers are comprehensive and frequently updated, and they are a great place to start, especially if you have been wondering about the meaning of jargon that peppers insurance providers’ descriptions of their offerings...”

An excerpt from the NY Times article: Finding Health Insurance if You Are Self-Employed

Click here for more info.

ORDP-SSA Internship Opportunities

The Office of Retirement and Disability Policy of the Social Security Administration (SSA) is currently accepting applications for summer internships. Projects involve current and future issues for retirement and disability, such as the analysis of economic/social well-being, labor force participation, financial literacy, benefit applicants, work incentives, international policies, non-citizen issues, authentication, and evidentiary standards. Other opportunities include statistical reporting of beneficiary population characteristics (such as demographic characteristics, immigrant status, or patterns of employment history), computer programming, and developing business process applications.

Deadline: Several internship positions are available, and applications will be accepted on a flow basis. The first review will occur on Monday, March 24, 2008. Individual start dates will occur in May or June.

Click here for more information.

TargetGov Heads Up Alert:

Beware of all offers of grants to start or run your business. There are NO legitimate US government grants to start or run your business. No federal goverment entity, not even the SBA, gives any grants to business people to start or run your business. Anyone who markets or advertises as such is offering misleading in not fraudulent imformation. Essentially, they are trying to run a con game on you. Don't fall for it!

Small Business Development Conference

The Office of Congresswoman Thelma Drake has begun accepting registrations for the Small Business Development Conference on

DATE: Friday, March 28th, 2008
TIME: 8:00am to 12:00pm
LOCATION: Virginia Beach Central Library, Auditorium, Folio, & Libris Rooms
4100 Virginia Beach Boulevard Virginia Beach, Virginia

The Conference will offer separate tract sessions providing a comprehensive, informational opportunity to address your business' changing needs.

Federal, State and local resources will be on hand to present on topics and resources for small business owners, with tract sessions to include:
* Start-Up Business Development
* Advanced Business Development
* Procurement Opportunities

Please contact Ms. Claire Winiarek, Grants and Projects Coordinator, Congresswoman Thelma D. Drake (VA-2), directly to RSVP via 757.497.6859 or email: claire.winiarek@mail.house.gov. Ref: "TLI" as your point of entry.

Workforce Solutions Summit

Baltimore Washington Regional

Breakout Sessions    Exhibitor Tables     Resource Guide

In collaboration with local, state, and federal governments, the educational community, and private employers, the Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber is developing a half-day summit focused on workforce issues such as:

• BRAC: The largest impact on Maryland’s economy since World War II…
• Fifty percent of my workforce will reach retirement age in the next five years…
• I can’t get enough people with security clearances.
• How can I expand my business if I can’t get the workforce I need?
• How do I find employees from diverse workforce resources?

Download the registration form for more information.

Acuity Sports Insights for Business and Golf

Golf—The Sport of Business: From the trade show floor to the putting green, many organizations are leveraging the power of golf. Golf provides the perfect social and professional environment to facilitate relationships. A day on the links provides an unmatched opportunity for uninterrupted conversation with customers, prospects, and employees. Many people do it, but are not necessarily comfortable with what they should or should not be doing and saying. This workshop is ideal for those new to business golf, Women and Minorities who want to learn how to use golf to enhance business and open doors, and sales professionals who want to learn how to make golf work for them in business.

Acuity Sports Marketing is a professionally managed golf event planning and management firm. They specialize in designing world-class events for first class clients. Whether you are looking for a classic golf tournament for your favorite charity, a special golf-themed event to impress your clients at conventions or large meetings, a team-building session to enhance the effectiveness of your team or simply, a way to say thank you to your employees for a job well done, Acuity Sports Marketing can design, delight and deliver a spectacular event for you. Their professional staff has managed over fifty high-quality events and are eager to customize an event for you.

Acuity Sports Marketing, www.acuitysports.com/

Tip to Recession-Proof Your Business

You can make your business more recession-proof by having the U.S. federal government as a customer. Every year, over 200 agencies throughout the entire U.S. buy over $400 Billion in products and services of every type from businesses of every type and size. Advantages of selling to the federal government include large contracts, repeat business, guaranteed payment and a built-in referral base. Businesses of all sizes, from very small, one person operations to small/medium companies up to 500 people to large corporations, have all become successful government vendors. Selling your products and services to the federal government is different from selling to consumers or other businesses, but if you invest in learning how to it, follow the rules, and are persistent, you can build a recession-proof business!

We Did It -- So Far

SBA Rule Comments Period Extended!
Let them know what YOU Think

Women-Owned Businesses: The SBA is extending the comment period for its proposed rule on women-owned small business federal contract assistance procedures. Comments must now be received by March 31, 2008. The extension is a result of the significant level of interest in the proposed rule.

Go online to www.wipp.org to take action!

It is Time to Spring Forward

Soon the days will be longer and we can enjoy a little more sunshine. This coming Sunday, March 9, 2008 it's time to spring your clocks forward to Daylight Saving Time.

Most of the United States begins Daylight Saving Time (DST) at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November.

During DST, clocks are turned forward an hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.

Click here for more information on Daylight Saving Time.

Women in Government Contracting National Teleconference for Women: Reach for the Goal Now

Washington, DC. The national teleconference, “Women in Government Contracting” will be held Thursday, March 6, 2008 from 1:00 to 2:00pm EST (noon CST, 11:00 am MST and 10:00 am PST). There is no cost to attend the teleconference for any woman or anyone who works for a woman-owned company located anywhere in the United States. No wasted travel time or expenses, attend directly from any phone. Phone lines are limited to the first 500 people to register.

Are women setting their government contracting goals high enough? Five percent of the $400 Billion Federal Contracting Budget is targeted to go to small businesses owned by women – that is $20 BILLION Dollars. That goal has never been reached. Government contracting can be a very lucrative market for savvy business women. And the federal government buys virtually every type of product and service available. Any business that wants to win a government contract must be registered with the federal government.

There are over 2,000,000 women-owned businesses in the U.S and only 55,000 are registered as government contractors. In one hour, at no cost, learn how to become registered as a federal government contractor and tackle the world’s fortune one customer: The U.S. Federal Government.

Attend this national complimentary teleconference to learn how to open the doors to government contracting. Hear from women business owners who have already become successful in this market. Learn the specific steps to become registered. Learn about the no-cost support services available directly from the federal government that will help you begin your government contracting business.

To register for this teleconference go to www.targetgov.com and click on the “Teleconference” button in the upper right corner of the home page. Select the Women in Government Contracting teleconference. Or call toll free 1-866-579-1346 to register.

Gloria Berthold is the host of the teleconference and is President of TargetGov at Marketing Outsource Associates, Inc. which focuses on government procurement and related business development services. She is Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP); author of The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business (book); an international speaker and she has created a series of Government Business Guides highlighting specific federal agencies and business opportunities. She has been interviewed on television and radio shows and has been quoted in national publications such as USA Today, Government Executive and Entrepreneur magazine.

Gloria Berthold Speaks: The Art of Entrepreneurship

Come hear Gloria Berthold, President, Marketing Outsource, Inc., and Targetgov speak at "The Art of Entrepreneurship."
The "Art of Entrepreneurship" is the 2nd Annual Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School Entrepreneurship Conference.

March 8, 2008 Downtown Center Baltimore 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

$25 in advance; $40 at the door, space permitting. Payable by credit card or check.

Register Now | Payment Form | Get Directions

A Cautionary Tale About Sharing Passcode

Court Order Requires Two Companies
to Pay CoStar $100,000 for Passcode Sharing

Bethesda-based CoStar Group has announced that a Maryland federal court recently entered an order requiring Laser Marketing, a marketing firm doing business under the name Atkinson Hunt, and Resource Realty, both of southern New Jersey, to pay CoStar $100,000 to settle charges that the two firms shared a CoStar passcode in order to gain unauthorized access to CoStar’s real estate information database.

The court also entered a permanent injunction restraining Atkinson Hunt and Resource Realty from engaging or assisting in any future unauthorized use of CoStar services.

The court found that Resource Realty provided Atkinson Hunt with a CoStar passcode that had been assigned to an approved subscriber at Resource Realty. Using fraud detection technology, CoStar determined that the passcode assigned to Resource Realty was used illegally and repeatedly from the offices of Atkinson Hunt to access CoStar’s information services.

“The thousands of honest subscribers who invest in CoStar’s service for the competitive advantage it offers expect CoStar to provide the most complete and highest quality information service we can at the lowest cost possible. When some users illegally resell or share CoStar passcodes with unauthorized users, they are really stealing from CoStar’s legitimate subscribers,” said Jonathan Coleman, CoStar Group’s general counsel.

Recently, the company also announced a $1 million judgment to settle a lawsuit against Centers & Malls, a Lake Forest, Ill., limited liability company, for infringing on CoStar’s copyrighted commercial real estate information.

Thanks to The Business Monthly at www.bizmonthly.com for this story

OSDBU Procurement Conference: Registration Is Open

We are now accepting exhibit space reservations for the 18th Annual OSDBU Procurement Conference, April 24, 2008 held at the Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. For 17 years, FBC and the OSDBU Directors Council, have been successful in bringing together small businesses, large corporations and government agencies for this dynamic one-day Procurement Conference. In 2007, exhibit space was sold out with over 375 exhibitors and 2750 industry and government attendees.

Registration Now Open

Exhibitors: There are a variety of ways for your company to have a presence at OSDBU. Exhibit Space is available for Prime and Small Businesses as well as additional sponsorship opportunities to enhance your exposure. Please ask your FBC Account Manager about these opportunities.

Attendees: For more information and to register, please visit the OSDBU Website.

Attendee and Exhibitor Website: https://www.fbcinc.com/osdbu/registration.asp

Procurement Matchmaking Procurement Matchmaking "matches" small company "sellers" with participating "buyers" represented by government agencies and large business Prime Contractors. These buyers and sellers will convene for a series of one-on-one meetings that will occur throughout the OSDBU event in a special matchmaking meeting room. This opportunity is a first come, first serve basis and sell out quickly so do not wait!

To learn how to participate in Procurement Matchmaking, click here...

Additional Information

For more information on exhibit space, sponsorship opportunities, and attending the 18th Annual OSDBU Procurement Conference, visit the OSDBU website or contact us your FBC Account Manager at 800-878-2940 or bj@fbcinc.com.

Conference Website: www.fbcinc.com/osdbu

New Tools to Measure Innovation

In late 2006, Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez announced the creation of a blue ribbon Advisory Committee on Measuring Innovation in the 21st Century Economy. The panel was chaired by Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and was composed of leading business executives and experts from academia. It was asked to review how the US government tracks and measures innovation and to provide recommendations for how measurement systems can do a better job of tracking new forms of innovative activity. The panel released its findings earlier this month, and its report should be considered a “must-read” for anyone with an interest in the innovation economy.

The Committee began its work with a basic working definition of innovation: “The design, invention, development and/or implantation of new or altered products, services, processes, systems, organizational structures, or business models for the purpose of creating new value for customers and financial returns for the firm.” This definition helped set important guidelines for the Committee’s work. Their work focused on measuring the creation of new value, not just something new. In addition, the Committee recognized that effective innovation measurement must go beyond tracking inputs such as R&D spending; it must also track outcomes for firms, customers, regions, and nations.

The report includes a series of recommendations for both government and business. For government, the Committee recommends better coordination between government statistical agencies, increased access to government data sources for outside researchers, and enhanced funding to create a stronger framework for measuring innovation. For business, the Committee recommends that corporate leaders provide expanded support for the creation of new firm and industry-level measures of innovation. Business leaders should also actively participate in innovation research activities.

Download the January 2008 report of The Advisory Committee on Measuring Innovation in the 21st Century Economy, Innovation Measurement: Tracking the State of Innovation in the American Economy.

© 2008 The Public Forum Institute and the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde.

Alternative Financing For Government Contractors

Alternative Financing For Government Contractors©

When Significant Capital Needs Precede
Customer Payments on Government Contracts

Richard Lewis, Vice President,
Wells Fargo Business Credit, Government Services Group

“While poor management is cited most frequently as the reason businesses fail, inadequate or ill-timed financing is a close second. Whether you are starting a business or expanding one, sufficient ready capital is essential. However, it is not enough to simply have sufficient financing; knowledge and planning are required to manage it well. These qualities ensure that entrepreneurs avoid common mistakes like securing the wrong type of financing, miscalculating the amount required, or underestimating the cost of borrowing money.” http://www.sba.gov/financing/basics/basics.html.

The Good News: Your Company has landed a new Government contract, one that will result in a significant increase in revenues.

The Challenge: In order to fulfill this contract, you must immediately commit to additional people (payroll), training, materials, and related costs. This commitment must be made in advance of receiving payments from your customer (the US Government). Unfortunately, the amount of capital needed to cover your commitments exceeds the balance available on your existing line of credit or your credit card. It also exceeds the amount of cash that could be made available by delaying payments to selected vendors. The nature of this contract might justify issuing new equity or debt, but raising capital generally is an expensive, complex task that ultimately may take too long to meet your short-term contract specific capital requirements.

Solution – Planning!:

In order to minimize the risk of your company having to scramble to raise enough capital to ramp up for future major contracts, your internal business development forecasting process should identify and signal situations early to senior management. This will allow for a pro-active review of any significant operational, personnel, and financial impacts. Specific terms may be negotiated into the customer’s agreement to dampen these impacts. Such terms may include extended delivery dates, partial payment upon order placement, or progress payments based upon specific performance criteria.

Existing Bank or Lender - If your company has an existing line of credit or borrowing arrangement with a bank or other lender, try to negotiate an increase with them. A responsive lender may provide all of the short-term capital needed until the Government agency begins payment. You should be aware that trade-offs of a significantly higher level of credit might involve committing to a new long term deal, additional loan covenants, greater reporting requirements, and/or higher interest rates. In addition, your credit agreement may constrain your ability to take on other types of debt or lease obligations. In any event, it is best to discuss the situation as far in advance as possible and have a full financing/business plan and presentation available. Remember, LENDERS HATE SURPRISES. If your company does not have an accommodating lender, the following alternatives should be considered:

Factoring – This is the sale of your invoices, accounts receivable, to a bank or finance company (the “Factor”), as opposed to using them as borrowing collateral. The Factor will advance a percentage, usually between 75% and 90%, of the invoice amount to the customer; the balance is refundable upon receipt of payment, less interest and transaction costs. Some Factors may also provide weekly or mid-month, funding of unbilled accounts receivable, mobilization financing for new contracts, and/or “term loans” for multi-year contracts. The Factor will, through the Federal Assignment of Claims provisions, notify the Federal Government agency customer that the invoice has been financed and is payable directly to them. There are several advantages to factoring; most of the A/R bookkeeping, customer credit worthiness, collections, and credit risk become a shared responsibility with the Factor, and the initial approval process can usually be a matter of days.

In addition, because the primary credit criteria is based on your government customer, the federal, state, or municipality, a Factor will generally provide financing for start-ups, 8a, minority, Native American, disabled veteran, woman owned contractors, or other companies that may have a questionable credit history. Although sometimes more costly, it is a viable alternative to traditional bank financing because of its increased flexibility. In addition, many Factors will provide a “financial support” letter, submitted with the proposal, to the Government agency insuring that their institution’s financial strength is behind the client.

Contract Financing/Purchase Order Financing - You may be able to negotiate financing based upon your Federal Government customer Purchase Order(s). Some lenders provide Purchase Order financing based upon the credit worthiness of your customer (in this case the US Federal Government). PO financing is easiest when your products or services are well established. If your products are new, services are non-standard and/or unproven, PO financing is more difficult to obtain. The effectiveness of contract/PO financing in a pre-revenue ramp up situation will be determined by how soon your company can invoice the customer.

Commercial Financing-Asset Based Lending - This is a common type of financing provided by most banks and commercial financial companies. The primary asset used in this type of lending is your company’s accounts receivable, although inventory, fixed assets, and in some instances, intellectual properties may be used to collateralize additional long term financing requirements. With asset based lending your, as well as your customers’ credit worthiness will determine the percentage of the receivables that will be advanced, usually between 75% and 90%. Inventory and fixed assets advance rates are most often significantly lower because these are less liquid assets. This financing is almost always provided on a revolving or an on-going basis, thus the term “revolving credit.”

Leasing and/or Sale and Leaseback - These financing alternatives can be used to generate capital from fixed assets that are to be obtained or currently owned by your company, such as computers, equipment, furniture and fixtures, vehicles, and real estate. Banks, financing companies, dealers, and manufacturers provide these more specialized services. Your company’s credit standing and the quality of the assets involved will determine the amount of cash that can be raised and the terms under which it is provided. The specifics of the agreement will determine if these leases have to be reported on your company’s balance sheet or if they can be treated as “off balance sheet” items.

SBA Loan – The SBA offers numerous loan programs to assist small businesses. It is important to note, however, that the SBA is primarily a guarantor of loans made by private and other institutions.

The Basic 7(a) Loan Guaranty serves as the SBA’s primary business loan program to help qualified small businesses obtain financing when they might not be eligible for business loans through normal lending channels. It is also the agency’s most flexible business loan program, since financing under this program can be guaranteed for a variety of general business purposes. Loan proceeds can be used for most sound business purposes including working capital, machinery and equipment, furniture and fixtures, land and building (including purchase, renovation and new construction), leasehold improvements, and debt refinancing (under special conditions). Loan maturity is up to 10 years for working capital and generally up to 25 years for fixed assets. http://www.sba.gov/financing/sbaloan/snapshot.html.

SBIR and Grants: SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) is a federal government program administered by 10 federal agencies for the purpose of helping to provide early-stage Research and Development funding to small technology companies (or individual entrepreneurs who form a company). Solicitations are released periodically from each of the agencies and present technical topics of R&D, which the agency is interested in funding. Companies are invited to compete for funding by submitting proposals answering the technical topic needs of the agency's solicitation. Each agency has various needs and flavors of the SBIR program and you can learn more about them by visiting their sites. Here are the addresses for the SBA, DOD, and NIH: www.sba.gov/sbir/, www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir/, grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm, www.grants.gov.

None of the alternatives mentioned above are mutually exclusive. In many cases, combinations can be very effective. However, there are significant legal and operational differences in these financing arrangements. The terms of some borrowing agreements may limit your ability to take on additional debt and they should be entered into only as part of a coherent financing strategy. Do not be alarmed when the lender asks for your personal guaranty. Personal guarantees are virtually standard for all but the most credit worthy and/or public companies.

For questions or additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Richard Lewis at 703-462-2310 or email at richard.lewis@wellsfargo.com.

WIPP Action Alert: Contact the SBA now!

Our hard work is paying off! The momentum decrying the SBA’s proposed new rule for the Women’s Procurement Program has grown exponentially. In the past five weeks, WIPP members have written op-eds, been interviewed and quoted by local and national media, and participated in online podcasts. Senators and Representatives in Washington have heard our call and, as a result, held Congressional hearings and briefings, circulated ‘Dear Colleague’ letters, and sent SBA Administrator Steve Preston letters lambasting the SBA’s proposed new rule.

We have worked hard and seen results but there is still one more task. It is vital that we each, individually, demand that the SBA withdraw the rule. Submit your comments to the SBA directly; the official comment period ends February 25. Do not miss this chance to have your business' voice go on the record.

We have posted a sample letter to the SBA on our website. Please click here and follow the simple instructions; or if you prefer, go directly to the SBA comment section and write your own comments. Please forward Anna Lubiner at alubiner@wipp.org your comments to the SBA.

Do not miss this important opportunity to stand up and be heard. The deadline for comments is February 25th, so act now!

888.488.WIPP ~ www.WIPP.org

SBA’s Progress Implementing Women’s Procurement

Comments on the hearing
“SBA’s Progress in Implementing
the Women’s Procurement Program"

January 17, 2008

The Honorable Nydia Velázquez
Chair
House Small Business Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
2361 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chair Velázquez,

I am writing to submit comments on the hearing, “SBA’s Progress in Implementing the Women’s Procurement Program," held on January 16, 2008.

Despite the clear intentions of Congress regarding this Program, I am very dismayed that the SBA has created yet additional hurdles for women business owners who strive to be successful federal contractors.

I. Women-owned businesses received only a mere 3.4% of federal procurement contracts in 2006. We are losing billions in contracts every year simply because this Program has not been implemented. I have first hand experience in that there remain active barriers preventing women-owned businesses from open competition in federal procurement.

II. The SBA, in the proposed rule, states an impossible situation in that an agency must perform an internal audit of its past contracting actions to show that it has exhibited past discrimination before the contract can be designated for restricted competition. This is ludicrous and an extreme burden that no federal agency will perform thereby assuring that women will never receive a fair share of contracting opportunities. What agency will self-incriminate?

III. The creation of this artificial standard at the federal level will have chilling and highly detrimental consequences at the state and local level. If the federal government, by actions such as this proposed rule, articulate that women owned businesses are not “underrepresented” in federal contracting, the message flows down that women-owned businesses are not “underrepresented” at any level.

Thank you for allowing me to share my views.

Sincerely,

Gloria Berthold
President

MD CATS #2 is coming...ARE YOU READY?

Consulting and Technical Services Contract #2 (CATS)

The Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM), is in the process of finalizing the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the next Consulting and Technical Services (CATS) contract. DBM anticipates issuance of the RFP within the next several weeks and completion of the awards by approximately July 30, 2008.

Although the current CATS contract does not expire until January, 2011, there will be an overlap of the two contracts so that task orders of longer duration will have a contract vehicle in place as the old CATS contract moves towards completion.

Similar to the first RFP, CATS #2 will also provide for unlimited awards to qualified vendors. For those IT firms who missed out on CATS #1, here is an opportunity to become one of the successful Master Contractors under CATS #2.

Interested parties are advised to:

1) Download a copy of CATS #1 RFP from the DBM website (http://www.dbm.maryland.gov/portal/server.pt?) to get a general idea of what will be required to submit with the proposal; and,

2) Register with eMarylandMarketplace and provide a "current" email address to ensure that the solicitation is received as soon as it is posted by DBM. (https://ebidmarketplace.com)

Note: You must be registered on eMarylandMarketplace in order to be awarded a Master Contract under CATS #2.

The new RFP (CATS #2) will also be available for downloading from the DBM website as soon as it is released. For the most current information on CATS #2, or to be placed on the RFP distribution list, call 410- 260-7570.

Three New Web Resources

Here are three new sites that might be worth a visit:

USASpending.gov (www.usaspending.gov): Visit this site if you want to know where your tax dollars are going. The website was created by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 and provides detailed information on every government contract by company, size, and location.

Zopa (www.zopa.com): Zopa, a website begun in Great Britain , was the first on-line social finance company. Other websites where users can pitch new business ideas for funding include Prosper.com. Until recently, Zopa was only available in Britain , but it is now open for business in the US and in Italy .

Ideablob (www.ideablob.com): Have you ever had a “crazy” business idea but weren’t sure how to get someone to fund it? If so, you might check out Ideablob, a new site where you can share a business idea and maybe get $10,000 for it in the process. The site solicits ideas regarding any kind of business proposal, and then opens up on-line voting for a month. The idea with the most votes is awarded $10,000 that can be used to help make a dream into reality. The site announced its first monthly winner in October with Chicago-based entrepreneur Tom Kriegelstein’s idea to create new orientation software for incoming college freshmen.

© 2007 The Public Forum Institute and the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship and a link to www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde.

National Dialogue Entrepreneurship Update

Entrepreneurs Expect to Work Even Harder in 2008

If you want to be an entrepreneur, be prepared to work some late and long hours. That’s one primary finding from the second annual Staples National Small Business Survey, which shows that 98% of small business owners regularly work during their time off at vacation, on weekends, and at night. In addition, fifty-four percent expect to work even harder in 2008. More than 2/3 of those surveyed agree that they are “constantly challenged” by not having enough time to complete necessary tasks. While business owners are pressed for time, many are not taking advantages of effective time management strategies and technologies. Seventy percent of those surveyed did not have a written business plan, and more than 84 percent do not utilize new media technologies, such as blogs, podcasts, or virtual meeting tools.

Learn more about the results of the 2nd annual Staples National Small Business survey. The survey was based on an Internet poll that queried more than 300 small businesses with less than 20 employees each.

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State Tax Systems and Economic Competitiveness

Analysts of national and state competitiveness tend to focus most of their attention on factors such as education policy, access to capital, and innovation assets. But, the effectiveness of government finance systems also matters. A new study from the Pew Center on the States raises some red flags about how some US states are performing on this front. Effective tax systems provide stable revenue, support efficient tax collection, provide transparent information about incentives, and give localities some say in how their tax dollars are used. Unfortunately, many state tax systems fail on these measures. As a result, these lagging states lack the ability to support new economic engines while continuing to provide outdated and unnecessary incentives to other economic sectors. The research cites the following states as strong performers in terms of effective tax systems: Iowa , Maine , Minnesota , Mississippi , Nebraska , New Jersey , Texas , and Utah . Poor performing states include: Arkansas , Georgia , Louisiana , North Dakota , Oklahoma , and Vermont .

Download the January 2008 Pew Charitable Trust’s Center on the States’ report, Growth and Taxes: Why Outdated State Tax Systems Undercut Economic Vitality and What States can do About It, by Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene. The study also appears in the January 2008 issue of Governing.

Both stories: © 2008 The Public Forum Institute and the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde.

NASA LARSS Internship Program

NASA LARSS Internship Program – http://research.nianet.org/larss

Deadline Info: Summer – Feb. 1, 08; Fall – Mar. 6, 08; Spring 2009 – Oct. 24, 08

NASA's Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) Program, hosted at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton , Virginia , offers paid 10-week summer or 15-week fall and spring internship experiences for rising college juniors and above. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, have a 3.0/4.0 GPA, and be pursuing a major of interest to NASA including engineering, science, mathematics, or special project areas such as history, journalism, accounting, and photography.

There are also opportunities for outstanding rising High School Seniors, College Freshmen, and Sophomores who have a 3.5 GPA and previous NASA program experience.

See website for specific details. http://research.nianet.org/larss

Contact:
Debbie Murray
LARSS Program Coordinator
757-964-5215
Deborah.B.Murray@nasa.gov

GSA Chooses IT companies for $15 Billion Contract

GSA Chooses 62 IT companies for $15 Billion
Alliant Small Business Governmentwide Acquisition Contract

The Alliant Small Business Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (Alliant SB GWAC) is a competitive multiple award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity set-aside small business contract. The contract is designed to provide worldwide information technology solutions to federal agencies while strengthening opportunities in federal contracting for small businesses.

Click here to read the announcement.

Gloria Berthold to speak at Reston Chamber of Commerce Gov Con

Reston Chamber of Commerce
Government Contracting Forum and Loan Fair

2/1/2008 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sheraton Reston Hotel

Are you looking to succeed as a government contractor? Then attend the Reston Chamber of Commerce Gov Con forum to listen to noted speakers, attend workshops and federal agency representative matchmaking sessions, and meet major prime contractor representatives.

Gloria Berthold will be discussing "New Trends and Tactics for Successful Government Contracting". Register today and hear her expertise advice on government procurement.

Click here for more information and to register.

Ft Belvoir Gov Con by Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

Ft Belvoir Gov Con by Fairfax Chamber of Commerce
February 6, 2008
Fort Belvoir, VA (directions)

Attend the February 6th Fort Belvoir Procurement Forum to gain the information, knowledge, and connections you need to successfully partner with agencies located on Fort Belvoir.

7:30 – 8:30am: Registration/Networking/Continental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall

8:30 – 9:00am: Welcoming Comments by Col. Brian W. Lauritzen, Garrison Commander

9:15 – 10:15am: Concurrent Sessions #1 (will repeat for Sessions #2)

Ø “Effective Marketing to Position your Company in the Federal Sector”
Speaker: Gloria Berthold, President, TargetGov

Ø “Federal Contracting Vehicles: Which Ones are Right for Your Company”
Speaker: Ryan Novak, Program Manager, GSA Speaker: TBD

Ø “Win Contracts by Preparing the Best Proposal”
Speaker: Phyllis Hoffmann, President, Strategic Solutions

10:30 – 11:30am: Concurrent Sessions #2 (same as above)

12:00 – 1:30pm: Luncheon Presentation Ø A BRAC Luncheon panel featuring experts in transportation, construction, new entrants and overall base requirements.

1:30 – 3:30pm: Private Interviews with Procurement Officers/Exhibits

3:30 – 4:30pm Exhibitor Breakdown

Click here to register.

Howard County offers BRAC OPPORTUNITIES WORKSHOP

HOWARD COUNTY’S CENTER FOR BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT OFFERS BRAC OPPORTUNITIES WORKSHOP

 Workshop to Help Businesses Identify, Pursue
and Win BRAC-related Government Contracts

NOTE: THIS WORKSHOP WAS SOLD OUT LAST TIME, REGISTER EARLY TO GUARANTEE YOUR SEAT! The Howard County Economic Development Authority’s Center for Business and Technology Development is launching a new workshop to help businesses identify, pursue and win government contracts relating to the upcoming BRAC moves.

The workshop entitled BRAC Business Opportunities: An Introduction to Federal Contracting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 29, 2008 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The Center for Business and Technology Development, 9250 Bendix Road, North, Columbia, Maryland.

Click here to download the announcement (PDF file).

This workshop will introduce business owners to federal contracting and specifically how to find business opportunities related to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process affecting Maryland bases and surrounding areas. All industries will be covered including: construction, information technology, services, commodities and supplies, architecture and engineering, and much more.

Experts from  TargetGov will conduct the fast-paced workshop and attendees will receive a full workbook detailing the needed registrations, contracting process, certifications, bidding, accounting, and successful business development steps.

The cost of the workshop is $149.00. For more information and to register, please visit www.hceda.org/CBTD/busEvents.aspx or contact Tasha Taylor, 410-313-6550, e-mail ttaylor@hceda.org.

The Center for Business and Technology Development is The Center for Business and Technology Development is part of the Howard County Economic Development Authority, a public-private partnership that promotes growth and stability by supporting existing businesses, targeting new businesses, and attracting corporate/regional headquarters. For more information about The Center for Business and Technology Development and the Howard County Economic Development Authority, please visit www.hceda.org.

WIPP Update: SBA Kills Contracting Opportunities

WIPP CRITICIZES SBA FOR KILLING FEDERAL CONTRACTING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), the nation’s largest bipartisan women’s business group, spoke out against a Small Business Administration proposed rule that reduces federal contracts protected status for women-owned businesses to only four of over 2,300 business categories.  WIPP Procurement Committee member Gloria Berthold, President, TargetGov of Baltimore, Maryland joined the organization in commenting on the proposed rule.

“The SBA has effectively killed billions in business opportunities in federal contracts for women business owners,” said Gloria Berthold.  “As a business leader and a government contractor, I believe this proposed rule demonstrates that women business owners are not important to this administration nor to the political process.  After seven long years waiting to enact the law, this is a drastic step backwards in chipping away at the little progress that women made to gain a mere five percent of federal contracts, while half of all privately held companies have a woman owner. I am embarrassed to be a republican when things like this happen.”

The rule, if enacted, would drastically limit the number of federal government contracts awarded to women entrepreneurs by requiring women-owned businesses to show under-representation in thousands of industries and direct discrimination by a government agency to qualify for protected status.  The new rule would only extend protected status to women-owned businesses in four categories listed by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): kitchen cabinet manufacturing, engraving, other motor vehicles and intelligence.

Further raising the bar of entry for women entrepreneurs in the area of government procurement, the SBA has also proposed that in order for an agency to set aside a new contract under the proposed rule, the procuring agency would have to conduct an appropriate analysis of its own procurement history to show that there has been discrimination against women-owned small businesses in the past.  

“One of our members is the nation’s only woman-owned munitions designer, and according to this new rule, SBA believes the munitions industry is over-represented by women and faces no discrimination in procurement,” said WIPP President Barbara Kasoff. 

Passed by Congress in 2000, Public Law 106-554, was created to allow federal contracting officers to award up to five percent of all contracts to women-owned businesses.  However, according to the most recent government report, that goal continues to fall short, with women entrepreneurs receiving only 3.3 percent of contracts in 2005.  Many of these figures were supported by Rand Corporation study, released in April 2007.  The study, conducted at SBA’s request, confirmed that women-owned small businesses are under-represented in 87% of industries. WIPP Maryland state leader Berthold remarked that “Five percent of $400 billion is $20 billion. Even the SBA says women-owned businesses are only getting about $13 billion in contracts annually, well below the targeted five percent. This cheats us out of $7 billion in contracts every year.”

“Access to government contracts is imperative for the survival and growth of women-owned businesses.  As the figures demonstrate, at the heart of SBA’s proposed change is not the issue of preferred status for women entrepreneurs, it is the question of 10.4 million women-owned small businesses getting their fair share of federal business.” said Kasoff.  “Each year, access to government contracts is identified by our member survey as one of the top challenges facing women business owners, and continues to be a high priority for WIPP.”
# # #

About Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP):

WIPP is a national bi-partisan group comprising over half a million members.  The non-profit organization is the public policy voice for 45 national Women in Business groups and is The Voice for Women in Business in Our Nation’s Capital.  WIPP strengthens its members’ sphere of influence in the legislative process, creates economic opportunities for members and builds alliances with other small business organizations.  Visit www.wipp.org.

Call 1-866-579-1346 for more information or to hear what you can do about this.

GSA Chooses IT companies for $15 Billion Contract

GSA Chooses 62 IT companies for $15 Billion
Alliant Small Business Governmentwide Acquisition Contract

The Alliant Small Business Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (Alliant SB GWAC) is a competitive multiple award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity set-aside small business contract. The contract is designed to provide worldwide information technology solutions to federal agencies while strengthening opportunities in federal contracting for small businesses.

Click here to read the announcement.