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Small Business Assistance

Small Business Utilization Center

The Pacific Rim Region's Small Business Utilization Center (SBUC) serves as the regional liaison and advocate for small businesses within Arizona, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. As the regional advocates for small business owners, it is the mission of the SBUC to promote increased access to GSA's nationwide procurement opportunities.

GSA, like all federal agencies, has procurement preference goals for contracting with small businesses. Procurement preference goals are a performance measure that GSA strives to achieve through its various programs. The procurement preference categories are small, small disadvantaged, Section 8(a), woman-owned small, HUBZone small, veteran-owned small, and service-disabled veteran owned small businesses, as well as federally recognized Native American tribes and tribal organizations.

The SBUC promotes and facilitates the following programs and activities for small business owners by:
  • Working with contracting officers to highlight small businesses for specific contracts;
  • Counseling potential vendors on the procurement process;
  • Providing marketing resources;
  • Participating in outreach activities such as networking sessions, workshops and tradeshows; and
  • Conducting monthly workshops which provide valuable information that set the road map on how businesses can conquer the procurement requirements and position themselves for opportunities.

Workshops

  • How to Obtain a GSA Schedules Contract: for small businesses interested in obtaining a GSA Schedules contract. Find out more about contracting opportunities and the procurement process. Meet with government representatives who support Small Business Programs. Federal, state and county representatives: Identify potential small business suppliers. To register online, please view the listing of upcoming workshops in your area. For more information, please contact the Region 9 SBUC using the contact information provided on the upper right of this page.
  • Workshop for Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contract Holders: designed to clarify MAS contract requirements. Typical topics include contract terms and conditions, Schedule Input Systems (SIPs), GSA Advantage! requirements, compliance reviews, marketing, GSA eBuy and eOffer/eMod. Bring copies of your MAS contract, modifications and pricelist approved by your contracting officer. These workshops are held throughout the year in various locations in Region 9. For more information, please contact Floree McCullough at floree.mccullough@gsa.gov.
  • GSA Government Marketing Events: are held in Los Angeles and San Francisco once a year, and they provide a venue for various government agencies and prime contractors to set up booths and to discuss their needs with the business community. For more information, please contact the Region 9 SBUC office, using the contact information provided on the upper right of this page.

The shortcut for this page is www.gsa.gov/r9smallbusiness.

Last Reviewed 12/15/2008