Contract Opportunities Center Contract Opportunities Center El Paso, Texas
English espanol
COC Home
About the COC
Services
Request for Service
Calendar
Success Stories
Useful Links
Weekly Bid Opportunities
Newsletter
contact
 
 
newsletter
FEDERAL CONTRACTOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
January 14, 2010
6th Annual Procurement and Contracting Symposium
March 2, 2009
FEDERAL CONTRACTOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
January 14, 2010

The Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) and the Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE), with assistance of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) have teamed to create the “Federal Contractor Certification “(FCC).

The FCC is a training program for business owners and is specifically designed to help them understand Federal Contracting, help them respond intelligently to solicitations and perform successfully when a contract has been awarded.

The pilot program started on July 29, 2009. To participate in the training program interested businesses must register with a participating Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). Interested business owners (Veteran and non-Veteran) in the El Paso region may contact the El Paso Community College’s Contract Opportunities Center to express their interest in participating in the program.

It is requested that any business owner that has an interest in participating in the FCC program, please contact the Contract Opportunities Center at 915-831-7749 so that your name can be added to the FCC contact list. An orientation will be held in the very near future for those whose names appear on the list.

Should you wish additional information, you may go to the Center for Veteran Enterprises web site, www.VetBiz.gov or see the attached flyer or contact Pablo Armendariz at 915-831-7747.
6th Annual Procurement and Contracting Symposium
March 2, 2009

The 6th Annual Procurement and Contracting Symposium was held at the El Paso Community College’s Administrative Services Center on February 26th and 27th, 2009. The theme of this years Symposium was “Building Alliances-2009 & Beyond”. For the first time it was a regional event and attracted participants throughout the state of Texas, Alabama, Southern New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and California.

Though the Contract Opportunities Center was the lead element in the planning and organization of the Symposium, representatives of the El Paso Small Business Consortium which consists of Accion Texas, City of El Paso, Economic Development, El Paso 8(a) Government Contractors Association the Local Chambers of Commerce, the Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE), University of Texas at El Paso and Workforce Solutions (Upper Rio Grande at Work) participated in the planning, program development and promotion of the event.
 

The Procurement and Contracting Symposium is made possible through the generous and continued support of its sponsors. This years sponsors included the El Paso Community College, The El Paso Electric Company,  Casa Carpet Tile & Wood Distributors, Abrams, Centennial Contractors Enterprises, Inc.,  Magnum Opus Technologies, SPECTRUM imaging systems, Western Industrial Resources Corporation, Fort Bliss Water Services Co., OfficeMax, Campos Roofing & Construction L.L.C., RT Electric, Inc. and Granite Construction Company. Other supporting organizations were the El Paso District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, The Dona Ana Community College’s Small Business Development Center and the El Paso Community College’s Small Business Development Center.
                
This year was also the first time that the Symposium was held over two days. The second day was focused on Women Businesses in government contracting. On each of the days, firms had the opportunity to network with each other and establish alliances with federal, state and local agency representatives. On the first day of the Symposium, 299 persons attended the Symposium and had the opportunity to meet with 57 representatives of agencies and prime contractors. On day two, 187 persons registered.
                
Support for the Symposium was expressed by the Offices of New Mexico Senators  Udall and Bingaman. Field representatives from both offices attended the Symposium and read statements from the Senators during the General Session. Congressman Silvestre Reyes took time out from his busy schedule to visit and address those in attendance on day two.
    
Over the two days there were many high valued presentations made by professionals in the contracting arena and business fields. Some of these presentations are posted below.  Featured speakers were Mr. Robert A. Burton- who retired from federal service as the Deputy Administrator of the Office of federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) in the Executive Office of the President; Ms. Mamie Salazar-Harper- CEO, M Rentals, Inc. whose story serves as an example for other entrepreneurs; and Colonel Tim White, Deputy Garrison Commander, Ft Bliss, Texas who serves as the Senior Army Engineer responsible for the synchronization, coordination and integration of all base transformation actions, events and activities related to Base Realignment and Closure on Ft Bliss.

                
Those in attendance also had the opportunity to receive the advice and guidance of well informed and experienced persons such as Mr. Ralph Thomas who specializes in Contract Law and Corporate Transactions; Loretta Dominguez, Senior Commercial Manager of CIG and Robert Taylor, Area Director of Government Contracting with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Best wishes to all who supported, planned and participated in this years Symposium and may the alliances developed lead to a prosperous 2009 and beyond.

 

The following presentations are available to download:

 
The Contract Opportunities Center is administered by the El Paso Community College