Government contracting is a byzantine business—a long and plodding trek through a jungle filled with complicated regulation, documentation, and new marketing challenges. Sound impossible? It’s not. But no smart explorer launches a trip through the jungle without finding a good guide. CIRAS exists to serve as that guide for Iowa businesses. Many Iowa businesses have known this for a long time. What Iowans may not know, however, is how much knowledge and experience is available to back up the CIRAS government contracting team if the way proves complicated for your particular business.
Author: Jeff Eckhoff
Communications Manager at CIRAS, Iowa State University
Did You Know? Information is Power
Did you know that CIRAS has access to several training resources, systems, and databases that can assist you and your business with government contracting free of charge? We’ve also just acquired access to a new system that allows us to see city/county/state spending data, similar to how we can see federal data. Here’s a recap of some of these resources:
It’s Iowa State University Career Fair Time Again
Iowa State University's twice-yearly flurry of smart people seeking employment started on Wednesday. Here's what you need to know if you're looking to attend a spring career fair:
Coming Soon: CIRAS Bringing Technology Showcase to you
More than 30 leaders from eastern Iowa manufacturing companies gathered in a Pella conference room last month for CIRAS’ first mobile effort at showing firms exactly what can happen in the labs at Iowa State University.
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 + MEP = The National Network for Manufacturers
One of the promises CIRAS makes to our clients is that working with us brings you more than just our 500+ years of combined industry experience. Clients also get connected with CIRAS’ vast network of experts. Usually, this means one of our great partners or the service providers we work with in Iowa. But frequently, it means tapping into the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network.
GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: All-Small Mentor-Protégé Program can Open New Doors
Small businesses that sell products or services to the government received a new tool for growth last fall when the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) launched its new All-Small Mentor-Protégé Program. The program, which expanded on capabilities that previously existed for Certified 8(a) disadvantaged businesses, essentially put all small businesses on a higher level of competiveness by making them viable bidders for larger-scale federal contracts.
The Future of Manufacturing is Happening Today
Every day we see something “new” in manufacturing. 3D Printed food, connected everything, cobots, and the list goes on. In fact, we’ve heard of these possibilities for decades. But something about these things seems a bit more real now than in the past. Like something important is happening
CIRAS Shows ADA Enterprises How to Build for the Future
A Northwood, Iowa-based manufacturer of pig and calf flooring and commercial outdoor furniture should see a major boost to its production capacity because of a CIRAS-assisted expansion of its production plant. Thomas Stensrud, president of ADA Enterprises, said his company’s recently remodeled and expanded footprint should provide 20 years of growth for the maker of park furniture and plastic-coated pork industry flooring. “We plan on at least doubling or even tripling our capacity,” he said.
CIRAS Networking: A New Focus in 2018
As the old saying goes, it's not what you know but who you know. Thanks to Google, online forums, and social networking sites, a lot of people will tell you that old saying is out of date. Our experience at CIRAS is that it is more true than ever. Searching the web for solutions to problems is great, but sometimes it is the personal connection that makes it real, and helps you implement real change within your business.