Journey to government partnership hot topic at showcase

By Mr. Ed Mickley (CECOM)June 3, 2015

Journey to government partnership hot topic at showcase
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. -- Small business gained new insight on partnering with federal and state governments during a contracting symposium held recently at a local community college.

The Northeast Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) organized the showcase that drew more than 100 attendees and businesses from the region.

NEPA Alliance Chief Executive Officer Jeff Box opened the event, stating that this past year a partnership between NEPA's Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), the Department of Defense, the state and the depot helped small business secure more than $70 million in government contracts.

Judy Haff, chief of the Army Contracting Command (ACC) at Tobyhanna discussed present and emerging opportunities at the depot. Last year ACC and the depot awarded more than $22 million in local contracts for products and services.

With the electronics world moving in new directions, Tobyhanna is positioned to take advantage of these emerging opportunities and is looking for partners to help meet the demand.

"There are a lot of opportunities for small business contracts at the depot," Haff said. "We're looking for vendors that can provide products and services to support the depot's mission -- anything from cable and wire to construction to test equipment to hard-to-find parts for production."

Partnering with local business is essential for the depot. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines rely on Tobyhanna to have the radios, computers, radars, robots and weapons systems ready to go whenever and wherever they need them, anywhere around the globe.

"Our engagement with business partners, surrounding communities and educational institutions ensures we will always fulfill our mission," said Col. Gerhard P.R. Schröter, depot commander.

"We're here to help guide them through the process because they're going to help Tobyhanna," Haff added.

Small Business Specialist David Kern and Management Analyst Jenny Croughn manned the depot's exhibit and conferred with a constant stream of eager business owners and entrepreneurs pursuing best practices for contracting.

"The line never stopped," said Kern. "I met a lot of people and answered many questions. It was a good opportunity to interact with the business community."

With additional construction and production requirements coming down the road, business owners and entrepreneurs can look to ACC for ways to move forward. The Tobyhanna team routinely guides participants through the in-depth process to land successful contracts with the depot.

"There are a lot of layers to government contracting." Haff said. "It's very complex. We'll do what we can and with PTAC, help them get started and be successful."

For more information, call the small business office, 570-615-8733.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna's Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C4ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.

Tobyhanna's unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our Joint Warfighters.

About 3,100 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the Armed Forces.