It surprises me when I meet business leaders who still believe environmental responsibility beyond meeting regulation, or social responsibility outside their four walls, is a cost versus an investment with good returns. CSR and sustainability work around the world, and in Iowa, has proven that leading companies have found ways to do both while profiting along the way.
Author: Jeff Eckhoff
Communications Manager at CIRAS, Iowa State University
Did You Know?…. Contracting with Local Governments
One key market for selling your products/services involves local governments – the host of towns, cities, and counties located throughout Iowa. Normally, the first step in doing business with local governments is to contact the municipal clerk, the county auditor, or the city Procurement Office/county Purchasing Department. This can be accomplished by personally visiting their offices to learn about their bid opportunities. If that’s not practical, you can research their websites for notices and submit your bid online/email. Or, you can simply email your company capability statement to each government’s Point of Contact (POC).
Cybersecurity for Manufacturers – Takeaways from our Future of Manufacturing Series
In March, CIRAS kicked off its 2018 Future of Manufacturing Series with Cybersecurity for Manufacturers in Cedar Rapids. While we all have heard about cyber attacks, ransomware, data theft, etc., cybersecurity too frequently falls into the “it won’t happen to me” category – especially for manufacturers.
Camille Sloan Schroeder praised for Engineering Outreach
Camille Sloan Schroeder earlier this month was presented with the 2018 President's Award of Merit by the Quad-City Engineering and Science Council (QCESC).
CIRAS SPOTLIGHT – Jeff Mohr
CIRAS project manager Jeff Mohr is easing his way into an early-June retirement. We managed to make him stop on his way out the door to share some of his wisdom.
Internet Marketing Is at the Core of Any Growth Strategy
For most of the online era, companies were able to maintain two separate growth strategies: a traditional marketing plan and a web/e-commerce plan. Not anymore. Buyers, from consumers to professional B2B purchasing agents, have changed. It is now imperative to include your website, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, and web analytics as integrated pieces of your overall marketing plan.
Digital Manufacturing—Better Efficiency via an Internet-linked Vending Machine
Asked to explain the value of his two-year-old electronic supply cabinets, the comparison Joe Greving reaches for is to a major technological shift. “I can’t imagine going back to the way we used to do it,” said Greving, president of Iowa Steel Fabrication in Osceola. “Once you have an iPhone X for 30 days, you’re not going back to a flip phone.”
CIRAS Helps Avoca Surface Take Smooth First Steps into Government Contracting
It was a quest for help with the paperwork that sent Patrick Richards to the Flying J truck stop in Avoca. In 2016, Richards was in the beginning stages of creating what would become Avoca Surfaces, a countertop business owned by Richards, his son, and another father-son team. Lori Holste, executive director of the Western Iowa Development Association, suggested that Richards meet with Andy Alexander, a government contracting specialist with CIRAS’ Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP). And a long-term partnership was born.
CIRAS Spotlight: Andrew Friend
CIRAS employees know a lot about Iowa businesses. Here are a few questions and answers to help you learn a little more about them:
SAM Suspects Fraudulent Activity in the System
If you’re a government contractor, you may have recently received a suspicious-looking email with the subject line “ALERT: Bank Account Change Detected for COMPANY NAME / DUNS / CAGE in the U.S. Government’s System for Award Management (SAM)”? The first thing you need to know is that the email was legit.