APEX Accelerator (formerly PTAC)
Also called: APEX Accelerator, PTAC, Procurement Technical Assistance Center, procurement assistance center
APEX Accelerators are the Department of Defense-funded, locally run centers, formerly called Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, that give free one-on-one help with government contracting: registration, certifications, bid matching, proposal review and contract compliance.
The program is authorized by 10 U.S.C. 4951 and run by the DoD Office of Small Business Programs, with centers hosted by states, universities, chambers and economic development agencies in every state and several territories. Counselors help with SAM.gov registration, NAICS and size questions, SBA certifications, state vendor registration, bid matching services, capability statements, reading a solicitation and preparing for a DCAA review. Because they are government funded, they do not charge and do not sell anything.
What to check: your nearest center on the APEX Accelerator directory, what the counselor specializes in (some focus on DoD, some on state and local), and the training calendar. Bring a specific solicitation or a specific problem; the advice is best when it is concrete. SBA's Small Business Development Centers and SCORE cover the general business side.
What it is not: a consultant who writes your proposal, or a lead service. They teach you to do it.
See also: SAM.gov, Capability statement, Size standard, State procurement portal
Questions that use this term
Search allHey everyone, I'm new to federal contracting. My shop does signs and printing, and we're just starting to bid on federal RFQs. My APEX Accelerator...