Des Moines Career & Trades Expo on Friday

• Jeff Eckhoff

CIRAS is not a direct part of this, but we just want to remind you that the Des Moines Career & Trade Expo is set for Friday morning at the Valley Community Center in West Des Moines.

Produced by Cumulus Media, the expo  is presented by Tero International & Marketlink. Organizers say it will highlight employers looking for workers to fill positions within the Trades & Skilled Labor sector. But the expo also is being billed as an event “unlike any you may have previously attended.”

CIRAS Innovation Summit to Map Future for Iowa Machinery Makers

• Jeff Eckhoff

Iowa machinery manufacturers have seen their share of U.S. machinery exports more than double since 2000, according to a CIRAS analysis of U.S. industry statistics. Now, manufacturers need to figure out how to build on that gain.

A CIRAS analysis, completed by Iowa State University economist Liesl Eathington for an April 2 summit on the state of machinery production in Iowa, shows that Iowans have a competi­tive advantage over the rest of the na­tion—especially when it comes to making agricultural and construction equipment.

CIRAS Sets Table for Food Companies’ Success

• Jeff Eckhoff

For Iowa State University meat specialist Joseph Cordray, it all comes down to Americans’ changing demands for dinner.

Evolving societal preferences have created new opportunities for Iowa food companies, Cordray believes. Firms just need to innovate—or, if necessary, to find someone who’s willing and able to help them do it.

“Your spouse’s definition of a homecooked meal I guarantee is not the same as your grandmother’s definition of a home-cooked meal,” Cordray, a professor of animal science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Iowa State University, said of the changing consumer demand. “Your grandmother used to spend all day in the kitchen making it.”

Ten Myths of Government Contracting – by Beth White

• Jeff Eckhoff

Government Contracting, or stated more simply “selling to the government” at any level; Federal, State and Local, is enough to make many business owners cringe at the thought.  “Too much red tape, good ole boy’s club” are some common thoughts, but all in all it is many times thought of as being a market that is just not worth the perceived headache. 

While selling to the government, just like any business endeavor, may not be for everyone, it is certainly a market to consider if you want to diversify your revenue stream.  To assist in the initial consideration of the market, we would like to take a stab at some of the myths surrounding working with the government. Some are promoting working with the government, some provide a more “realistic view” and some are taken straight from the government’s mouth…but all will provide an honest perspective that will help you make informed decisions about working with these customers.

Government Contracting Tip: Meet the U.S. Defense Commissary Agency

• Jeff Eckhoff

FYI, WE’RE SKIPPING CIRAS DIGEST TODAY IN THE INTEREST OF SHARING ANOTHER TIP FROM BETH WHITE FOR NAVIGATING THE WORLD OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING. HERE’S BETH:

Did you know that there is a littler known agency within the Department of Defense that provides food and other household products for military families, with the major mission to improve their quality of life?

Government Contracting: It’s not just a bidding thing

• Jeff Eckhoff

(ED. NOTE: CIRAS’ government contracting specialists try to offer their clients weekly tips for boosting business. This latest is from contracting specialist Beth White.)

Did You Know that there are a lot of ways to do business with an agency other than just waiting for a bid opportunity?