Pensacola, FLA – The Florida APEX Accelerator is pleased to announce the selection of Jessica Tenney as the program manager of the Florida APEX Accelerator effective January 22.  

As program manager, Tenney will provide strategic direction for the Florida APEX Accelerator. She will work to facilitate partnerships to support the national APEX Accelerators’ priorities and will coordinate with partners and stakeholders to achieve common goals. As program manager, she will lead a statewide team of government contracting consultants, who help small businesses navigate the complexities of government contracting.

Tenney joins the Florida APEX Accelerator as program manager after working as a government contracting consultant for the Florida APEX Accelerator at the University of West Florida.

“We are excited to have Jessica join us in this new role,” said Jane Dowgwillo, director of strategic programs for the Florida SBDC Network and former program manager for the Florida APEX Accelerator. “Her extensive experience and background in government contracting will help us build on the success of the program and assist more businesses seeking government contracts.”

Having served eight years of active duty in the United States Navy, Tenney brings a strong foundation in leadership and management. Following her military career, she ran the operations for a small defense contractor that specializes in information technology and healthcare services. She led the company to be recognized as one of the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies in America – Government Services and become Joint Commission certified. Jessica holds an M.B.A. and a B.S. in Health Science and Public Health from the University of West Florida. Her firsthand experience in the small business sector fuels her passion for helping other companies succeed in government contracting.

“I’ve always appreciated the economic impact small businesses have had on the economy of the Florida panhandle and can’t wait to share my experience with our team and help small business owners all over the state,” said Tenney. “I look forward to working with small businesses and my team and am very excited about our future together.”

Formerly the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), the Florida APEX Accelerator helps Florida-based businesses compete for and win federal, state, and local government contracts. Through the program, the Florida APEX Accelerator matches businesses with contract opportunities, helps them prepare bids and navigate requirements, and assists them after winning contracts. 

Consultants also help businesses apply for certifications that may help them get an edge when competing for contracts, including minority-owned, veteran-owned, woman-owned, or HUBZone small businesses. These services are provided at no-cost to businesses.

For more information about the Florida APEX Accelerator program, and to find a government contracting consultant in your area, please visit www.FLAPEX.org. 

PENSACOLA, FLA. – The Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is changing its name to the Florida APEX Accelerator, but its mission to help businesses research and bid on federal, state and local government contracts remains the same.

The name change coincides with the program’s transition nationally from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Logistics Agency to the DoD Office of Small Business Programs. 

“Small businesses are critical to our economy and play a central role in bolstering our nation’s defense,” said Jane Dowgwillo, interim program manager of the Florida APEX Accelerator. “Government contracting, however, can be complex and small business participation in the defense industrial base has declined over the past decade. This shift is aimed at reducing barriers and equipping businesses with greater resources to be capable of competing in the federal, state and local government marketplace.”

Under the oversight of the DoD, APEX Accelerators nationally will focus on accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity, and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains in the government marketplace. 

Although the program’s name is changing, its mission remains the same. The Florida APEX Accelerator helps Florida-based businesses compete for and win federal, state, and local government contracts. Through the program, the Florida APEX Accelerator matches businesses with contract opportunities, helps them prepare bids and navigate requirements, and assists them after winning contracts. 

Consultants also help businesses apply for certifications that may help them get an edge when competing for contracts, including minority-owned, veteran-owned, woman-owned, or HUBZone small businesses. These services are provided at no-cost to businesses.

In addition to these services, the program will expand to provide training and awareness on cybersecurity, risks of foreign ownership, control and influence, intellectual property protection, and assistance with government-led innovation programs. 

More than 90 PTACs around the country – including the Florida APEX Accelerator – will change to the new name. 

The Florida APEX Accelerator program plays an important role in the state. The U.S. government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world, and every year, contracts are available to businesses at the local, state, and federal level.

Last year, the Florida APEX Accelerator program served 1,387 new clients, resulting in 25,919 jobs supported and helping businesses secure $246 million in government contracts. 

The announcement coincides with National APEX Accelerators Day. Held today, October 12, 2023, National APEX Accelerators Day celebrates the success of tens of thousands of small businesses that have leveraged APEX Accelerators’ training and technical assistance to successfully compete for and win federal, state, and local government contracts. This is the first national event for APEX Accelerators since rebranding from PTAC.

For more information, and to find a government contracting consultant in your area, please visit www.FLAPEX.org. 

In November, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will launch the tenth round of its SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program to coincide with the November 12, 2019 announcement of the FY2020 Phase I Release 2 SBIR/STTR Topics. The program is aimed at helping eligible small R&D businesses and individuals successfully apply for SBIR/STTR federal funding from the DOE. Since the program is entirely funded by the DOE, these services are AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS. The goal of this program is to increase the number of responsive, high-quality Phase I proposals submitted to the DOE from all first-time DOE SBIR/STTR applicants.

Companies and researchers planning to form a company may apply for services directly by completing a simple online form available at www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/apply.php. Registration for this round of the DOE Phase 0 Assistance program will begin November 12, 2019. Applicants will subsequently be contacted by a representative of the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program to affirm that they meet the additional criteria specified by the DOE.

With the upcoming DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to be released on December 16, 2019 we anticipate providing services to 100 or more Phase 0 participants. Potential applicants are encouraged to find out more about the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program at www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0. Recognizing that multiple states already offer some level of assistance to their SBIR/STTR applicants, the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program is designed to complement services already offered by existing professional organizations, SBDCs, universities, incubators, and other state organizations. The services offered by the DOE SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program are also available to eligible, qualified individuals who commit to form a company should they win a DOE SBIR/ STTR Phase I award.

Eligible parties may receive one or more specialized services following an initial assessment by a member of the Dawnbreaker team. The services include:

1. Letter of Intent (LOI) review;
2. Phase I proposal preparation, review and registration assistance;
3. Market research assistance;
4. Technology advice and consultation;
5. Intellectual property consultation;
6. Indirect rates and financials;
7. Travel assistance.

As part of this initiative, Online Tutorials covering all aspects of the DOE SBIR/STTR Phase I application process are available at https://science.osti.gov/SBIRLearning. The Online Tutorials will provide training on application preparation for individuals interested in preparing a DOE SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal and will be available nationally at no charge to everyone.

For more information on the DOE Phase 0 initiative, please visit: www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0

In October 2019, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) will institute a single process for accessing technical data within its Collaboration Folders (cFolders) that is subject to export-control under either the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). DLA will limit distribution of the export-controlled technical data to DLA suppliers that have an approved US/Canada Joint Certification Program (JCP) certification; completed the “Introduction to Proper Handling of DOD Export Controlled Technical Data Training”; the DLA “Export-Controlled Technical Data Questionnaire”; and have been approved by the DLA controlling authority to access the export-controlled data.

Instructions for obtaining access to DLA export-controlled data can be found at: https://www.dla.mil/HQ/LogisticsOperations/EnhancedValidation/.

The General Services Administration (GSA) announced this week that they are using a streamlined process to procure innovative, commercial solutions. Click here to read the article.

On July 18, 2019, the SBA Administrator posted a notice to the Federal Register announcing changes to the small business size standards to adjust for inflation. Though this is an interim rule, the changes will take effect on August 19, 2019, and will allow small businesses to remain “small” longer. They will also help some companies, which are currently just outside the small-business range, to move back within the range thus making them eligible to compete for small business set-aside contracts if the proposal due date is on or after August 19, 2019.

If you’re an agricultural firm, you’ll be pleased to know that the SBA has increased size standards for agricultural industries. But that’s not all! The NAICS codes relevant to agricultural industries are now included in the SBA’s rolling review for inflation, which occurs every five years. Before this change, the size standards for these NAICS codes were set by statute.

For more information about this interim rule, including the comment period that ends on September 16, 2019, or to review the new size standards table, click here to read the full notice in the Federal Register. If you have questions about the new size standards, whether they impact your business, how to certify your eligibility as a small business, or just want to gain a better understanding of these changes, contact your local PTAC consultant for further guidance.