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Overview of Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center
What is APAC?
- APAC is an economic development program operated by the University of
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service under a Cost-Sharing Cooperative
Agreement with the Department of Defense, with additional matching support
from Malvern National Bank, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation,
and other community organizations.
- The staff of seven, who are University employees, include one secretary
providing technical information, one receptionist/librarian, two senior
secretaries providing administrative support, two Program Associates
providing professional counseling and assistance to clients, and one Program
Director providing community outreach and program management.
- APAC has two fully staffed offices to serve you: the main center in
Malvern and the metro satellite in Little Rock. There is also a part-time
satellite in Camden. Future satellite offices are planned elsewhere in the
state.
What APAC offers:
- Free counseling and consulting to Arkansas businesses only, on any issue
related to selling goods or services to public agencies, including
solicitation analysis and proposal scrubdown
- Free bid opportunity notices for federal and out-of-state jobs related
to the client’s line of work
- Free bid opportunity notices for state and local opportunities on a
password-protected website
- Free weekly newsletter (“Procurement Briefing”) containing technical
information, announcements of events, and reports on items related to
government contracting in Arkansas
- Assistance with certifications and registrations to qualify for agencies
the client wishes to approach
- Access to government specifications, drawings, procurement history, and
other difficult-to-find data
- Assistance to agencies and large prime contractors to find small
business suppliers and contractors
- Free workshops and seminars in various locations on a variety of
government contracting topics
- A comprehensive 30-hour Government Contracting Course, accredited for
CEU, with modest tuition, to prepare for complex contracting programs such
as GSA Schedules, Corps of Engineers, etc.
What APAC does not do:
- Provide financial support or assistance, such as grants and financing
- Provide references or endorsements
- Prepare your bid or proposal (but we show you how)
- Represent your company, or act as your agent, or make any decisions for
you
- Accept any payment or gift for these services (except tuition for the
accredited course)
- Help you with litigation against the government
What APAC expects of a client:
- Be in a business capable of or potentially capable of providing goods or
services to a public agency
- Have a primary place of business located in Arkansas
- Provide data about the company and its ownership, which APAC will not
divulge
- Actively pursue government contracts and the related registrations and
certifications
- Provide a simple Monthly Activity Report containing information about
your government sales
- Agree to these expectations by signing a Request For Assistance
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