Corpus Christi, TX- Corpus Christi Army Depot’s Business Development Office (BDO) held its first depot-to-business workshop at Del Mar College’s Business Center, March 23, to discuss opportunities for local businesses to ontract with the area’s largest employer.  The CCAD team met with representatives from more than 30 local machine shops to present a roadmap to do business with CCAD and the Dept. of Defense.

  CCAD’s BDO partnered with the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Commission, Del Mar College’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center and Small Business Development Center to bring about the workshop.  The three-hour workshop laid the groundwork for the local machinists to initiate business with the government and included details about contracting issues, certifications and registration.   The machinists were the first group targeted to help the aviation complex decrease a backlog of tool and die manufacturing.

 CCAD Contracting Officer, Rod Wolthoff, laid out the process of registering on the Central Contracting Registration (CCR), Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website and the steps necessary for a business to contract with CCAD.   ”There are necessary procedures that every contractor must complete to be considered for work at the Depot,” said Wolthoff. “This is one occasion where we are reaching out to the local community to satisfy a Depot need.”   

 The Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), housed at Del Mar College’s Business Center on Kostoryz Road, aids local businesses by working through an array of requirements or paperwork.  Geared toward small business (defined as a business with less than 500 employees), Sean Smith, PTAC Program Director, mentioned they’ll work with any small business wanting to work with the government.  “We’re here to guide you through the process,” said Smith. “One step at a time but we’ll point out all the opportunities available.”

 There are different small business categories, including small business set-aside, Section 8(a), small disadvantaged business, Historically-underutilized business zone, Women-owned, Veteran-owned, and Service Disabled Veteran owned that might give a business an edge in dealing with the government, Smith said.  More monthly workshops are being planned in order to build relationships with local vendors so as to include them as approved contractors and present bid opportunities. For more information on upcoming events call Sean Smith at the Del Mar College PTAC at 698-2221 or email at spsmith@delmar.edu