Business Resources

PTAC Bid Match - Final Offer!

113 Free Seats Remaining! $165 Value, Offer ends 12/31

OMWBE has partnered with the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) of Washington to fund 300 free one year subscriptions for state-certified businesses to use their online Bid Match services.

Sign up to receive daily notifications about bidding opportunities in your industry. Get free assistance from a PTAC advisor when you become a client.

Since July 19, 2021, 187 firms have signed up for the free Bid Match subscription.

• 43% of firms state they won bids with Bid Match! 
• 76% state they are receiving relevant, daily emails with bid opportunities.

RECENT FEEDBACK FROM OUR CUSTOMER SURVEY:

One firm reported winning a $50,000 contract with Community Transit!

“Bid Match saves me a ton of time searching for Federal contracting opportunities and has opened the doors for biding on out-of-state contracts”.

ScaleUp: The Rebuild Edition

ScaleUp business trainings are back with three new eight-week programs beginning January 12-13. There are sessions Wednesday and Thursday mornings as well as Thursday evening. 

The ideal candidate for ScaleUp is the president/owner of a Washington State business that has been in operation for two years and has annual pre-COVID revenues in excess of $100,000.

Course topics include:

• Organizing and creating business systems to get more done in less time.
• Strategies for increasing revenue.
• Strengthening your product and/or service.
• Creating your own competitive advantage in the marketplace.
• Designing a marketing strategy that increases sales leads.
• Understanding financial statements and key business drivers and metrics.

Equitable Innovations Accelerator Program

The Equitable Innovations Accelerator program (EIA) with support from the Washington State Department of Commerce is a first-of-its-kind program fueling the start-up community at the earliest stage of business development. It aims to make “entrepreneurship for all” a reality by prioritizing entrepreneurs from historically marginalized communities. 

EIA is accepting applications for entrepreneurs from historically marginalized communities in the startup industry. 10 tech startups will get up to $100k in grants, programming, and mentoring coaches. They are accepting applications now until Jan 31, 2022, and are offering two info sessions. Visit their website for to learn more and apply.

Certification Corner

Did you know? There are two types of certification: State and Federal.

Federal Certification is a program of the US Department of Transportation. The purpose of these certifications to increase the participation of certified business on projects funded by the US Department of Transportation and other federal sectors. Projects typically include heavy construction, such as building and designing roads, bridges, railroads, ports, and airports. 

State Certification is a program of the State of Washington. The purpose is to enhance business opportunities for certified businesses participating in state-funded projects or working with state agencies, local governments, school districts, and public universities. Projects include any work or product state agencies, or other entities, wish to buy from private companies. This includes a wide variety of different types of businesses, such as construction, consulting, training, translation services, supplies and equipment, and many other industries and services. 

Becoming state certified also makes you eligible to apply for the Linked Deposit Program which can decrease interest rates on small business loans up to 2%. 

New Certifications

38 businesses obtained OMWBE certification in October! We share these monthly lists of newly certified firms with our contract and procurement contacts at State Agencies and Institutions of Higher Education.