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8/12/05 |
From the Naperville Sun
COD New Hub For Homeland Security Deals
Program will assist those seeking
government work
By Larry Avila
BUSINESS EDITOR |
Heather Stalker had always heard there
was plenty of business to be found in
government contracts.
However, she quickly learned it wasn't
always easy to find.
"It was a very long process," said
Stalker, who recently took over her
family's Elmhurst-based business
Phototek, a maker of photo
identification products.
She said her company started the process
on its own about eight years ago.
Stalker compared it to climbing a mountain.
"Trying to get the paperwork under control is a
process," Stalker said. But that quickly changed about
three years ago after her company began working with
College of DuPage and its procurement assistance
program, which helps businesses find government
contracts. Her company now is a certified vendor with
the U.S. Department of Defense.
Stalker said since her company began working with the
college and securing government contracts, revenue has
increased about 17 percent.
Now she and other Illinois businesses will see even
more opportunities.
On Thursday, representatives with the Illinois
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, along
with college representatives, announced that COD would
be home to the state's new Homeland Security Procurement
Technical Assistance Center. The center is an initiative
of the Commerce Department's Homeland Security Market
Development Bureau.
"Businesses often don't understand where the
opportunities are," said
Matthew Summy, deputy director of the bureau. "We want
to be able to help Illinois companies navigate the
process quickly and efficiently. We want to put better
tools in the hands of the first responders, especially
those on the front lines responding to needs of homeland
security."
The state sees an opportunity to be the leading
developer of new technology for homeland security, Summy
said. Homeland security is a $42.5 billion industry and
is growing at an annual rate of about 11 percent, he
said.
"Illinois is home to leading research centers and
universities, and we're
seventh overall (nationally) in research funding," Summy
said. "We have a great history of innovation in Illinois
and we want to make sure the next wave of innovation
comes from Illinois."
College of DuPage was selected to host the Homeland
Security procurement center because of its track record
in helping businesses secure government work, Summy
said. College officials estimate that over the past five
years, its procurement programs have helped DuPage
County area companies land about $153 million in
business.
That's a large return on investment, Summy said. The
college will receive about $84,000 from the state this
year for its procurement program.
The homeland security program will bring an additional
$30,000 annually in state funding to the college.
"As the network continues to yield success, we will
continue to invest more in it and provide the proper
support it needs," Summy said.
The homeland security procurement program will be
operated by Rita Hatcher, a member of the college's
staff who works in the Center for
Entrepreneurship.
"We will provide clarifications on regulations and
connect people with
agencies who are looking for (specific) products and
services," Hatcher
said. The college's procurement assistance services are
free and available to anyone.
Hatcher said areas of specialty for the homeland
security initiative include information technology,
advance manufacturing and electronic
communication, food safety security and technology,
biotechnology, public health and life sciences. She said
these industries have numerous
applications that can be applied to an assortment of
homeland security
needs.
Stalker said her company already does a lot of business
with the federal
government as well as provide photo identification
technology to many major companies and organizations,
including The Gap, the University of
Wisconsin, WGN and Sears Corp.
"We hope to find more state contracts through this new
program," she said.
BY THE NUMBERS
$114,000: Total state funding College of DuPage will
receive to operate its procurement programs that help
businesses land government contracts.
$30,000: Estimated amount the state will provide to the
college to launch the Homeland Security Procurement
Technical Assistance Center.
$3.8 billion: Estimated amount of contracts Illinois
procurement programs
have helped businesses across the state secure since
1984.
$153 million: Estimated amount DuPage County-area
companies have secured in government contracts with
assistance from COD's Procurement Technical Assistance
Center in the past five years.
Sources: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity, College of DuPage
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