APEX Success Stories

Established in 2010, by Charissa and Wes Halliburton, Bgesh, Incorporated, a Native American, Women-Owned Small Business, has emerged as an impactful partner in the business world. Bgesh, Incorporated has earned the rank of No. 396 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America and #1 in the San Antonio Metro area.

The name Bgesh originates from the Potawatomi language, encapsulating a powerful mission - Hope. It signifies not only confidence and trust but also a strong desire for success. This spirit of hope runs through every facet of Bgesh's operations.

Living by the Golden Rule. At the core of Bgesh's culture lies a guiding principle: "Treat others as you want to be treated." This principle shapes every decision, ensuring fairness and respect for clients, employees, and partners.

What makes Bgesh a compelling business partner?

The answer lies in their genuine commitment to integrity and unwavering care for their team. Bgesh doesn't just envision a better tomorrow; they actively build it. Success is measured not only in business achievements but also in the positive impact made on their community and the lives they touch. Bgesh envisions a future where our community is protected from harm and its people are employed and financially secure. The mission is to reduce risk for its clients and deliver exceptional service with integrity, diligence, and fruitful communication.

Together, the Halliburtons have created not just a thriving business, but a movement. In 2021, they founded The Bgesh Foundation, pledging to donate 10% of Bgesh Incorporated's profits to the community, embodying the traditional value of communal support and giving back. Additionally, they started Bgesh’s internal IMPACT program, which specifically identifies employees enduring hardships and acts to support them, showcasing their unwavering commitment to supporting employees facing hardships.

Bgesh provides Professional and Technical Services to both federal entities and commercial businesses.  

For more information on Bgesh, Inc. go to https://www.bgesh.com/

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Native American-Owned Creative Company Sending SmokeSygnals for Broader Impact 

How 8(a) certification is helping expand reach to public agencies

By Norman Eng, SBA Public Affairs Specialist

For over a decade, Paula Peters worked as a journalist on Cape Cod, driven by her passion for storytelling and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities.

A citizen of the Wampanoag Tribe of Mashpee, Paula spent her entire life giving a voice to Native Americans through activism, scholarly work, and publishing.   

In 2007, after a rich career in journalism, Paula ventured into public relations, starting a firm that, with her son Steven’s involvement, evolved into SmokeSygnals LLC.  The mother-son duo envisioned creating a full-service creative production company that would tell stories across various mediums.

“We found our niche producing museum exhibits and public education displays to help correct inaccuracies about the Wampanoag people and other historically marginalized communities,” said CEO Steven Peters.

Steven provided the creative direction for the traveling exhibit "Our" Story: 400 Years of Wampanoag History, a groundbreaking exhibit that gave a more accurate depiction about the realities of Mayflower Pilgrims arriving in 1620.  The story was featured in Time Magazine, New York Times, BBC Radio, and other international outlets for its significance.

To read the entire story, go to https://www.sba.gov/success-story/native-american-owned-creative-company-sending-smokesygnals-broader-impact

Read more about SmokeSygnal at https://smokesygnals.com/

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Indian Neck, VA – It is with great pleasure to share that the Rappahannock Tribe’s business sector, Rappahannock Enterprises, has received the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Certification. With this certification, Rappahannock Enterprises will now be allowed to compete for government contracts set-aside for socially and economically disadvantaged organizations.

The federal government sets aside a portion of business contract opportunities exclusively for 8(a) certified businesses. By doing this, small organizations have a chance at competing and receiving business contracts that would typically be out of reach.

An 8(a) certification will have a profound impact on the economic landscape of Rappahannock Enterprises and by gaining this new status, we can expand job creation within our Tribal community and build long-term financial stability. Before receiving the 8(a) certification, competing for government contracts was immensely challenging as the bidding pool is broad and contains organizations with more resources, experience, and established relationships.

Rappahannock Enterprises will receive training and technical assistance from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, APEX Accelerator, and the Small Business Administration Procurement and Technical Assistance Centers. Additionally, we will receive one-on-one business development assistance from an assigned business opportunity specialist. This means we will strengthen our ability to compete effectively in the American Economy.

As of now, Rappahannock Enterprises plans to pursue various strategic initiatives that will maximize our potential within federal contracting space. We plan to establish a business enterprise with a Tribal Citizen through a joint venture process. We will participate in the DoD Mentor-Protégé program and form team arrangements with other companies in areas of expertise we plan to pursue, which will allow us to expand on business expertise. We also plan on generating a Small Business Administration Development Plan while collaborating with established organizations and federal government business specialists.

Moreover, we will consult with Rappahannock Tribal citizens to identify capabilities to provide jobs on contracts and begin expanding job creation within our Tribal community. It is a top priority of the Rappahannock Tribe to serve our citizens in every way we can.

Receiving an 8(a) certification is a monumental step forward in our goal of building long-term financial stability and expanding the economic landscape of our Tribal community. We are eager as a Tribe and a business, to get in the contracting pool and foster economic growth for our citizens.

The mission of the Tribe is to preserve Rappahannock culture, social structures, and political structures while educating the public on the rich contributions that Rappahannocks have made and continue to make to Virginia and the Nation. Rappahannock Tribe Website

The Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) is proud to announce the first award of the Department of Defense Pilot Protégé Initiative (PPI) to Eikon Research, Inc., a Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) in Huntsville, Ala.

Eikon, in collaboration with their mentor, All Points Logistics LLC, is leading an initiative to integrate their Xally radar onto critical Army platforms, addressing urgent mission requirements for countering drone threats in conflict areas such as Ukraine.

The PPI provides protégés on DoD reimbursable agreements an opportunity to receive 25% of the annual budget of the respective reimbursable agreement for their project. The proposed amount will be used exclusively by the protégé for the project, supporting the advancement of engineering, software development, or manufacturing customization in support of the warfighter.

Eikon, in collaboration with their mentor, All Points Logistics LLC, is leading an initiative to integrate their Xally radar onto critical Army platforms, addressing urgent mission requirements for countering drone threats in conflict areas such as Ukraine. Eikon Research Website

The National Center APEX Accelerator commends Procurement Specialist Chris Jeansonne on his achievement of the Junior level of National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) University.  This accomplishment required in-depth study in a variety of government contracting courses, including Solicitations and Regulations, Teaming, Joint Venture, Subcontracting, Mentor-Protégé, and other government contracting topics.  The National Center APEX Accelerator looks forward to Chris utilizing his newfound knowledge for the benefit of its clients.  Congratulations, Chris!

Contact Chris at: c.jeansonne@ncaied.org 

 APEX Contact – NCAIED

On January 10, 2023 Go Weh Yaza, LLC was awarded a $3.1M – 3 Year Food Service Operations contract with United Tribes Technical College, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation incorporated in the state of North Dakota and operated by these five tribes: Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold, the Spirit Lake Tribe, the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. UTTC is home to over 500+ Students, Faculty, Staff and Elementary Students from the surrounding communities within the state. The new contract will allow Go Weh Yaza, LLC to create 18 new food service and management support employment positions.

United Tribes Technical College offers a variety of academic and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs ranging from certificates to bachelor degree programs. UTTC is committed to providing opportunities for students to acquire the knowledge and skills to graduate and to have the academic foundation to continue their education, pursue a career, and be leaders among tribal nations.

Go Weh Yaza, LLC was able to receive American Indian Contract Preference and will replace Aladdin Campus Dining, who was the incumbent contractor for the past ten years. Go Weh Yaza, LLC is an American Indian Joint Venture New Mexico Limited Company, which was created with the vision of providing high quality and value driven Contract Food Services Management to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, Indian Health Services, Tribal School, Tribal Hospitals, Tribal Casinos/Hotels, Tribal Governments, Tribal Organizations, Private Sector and Federal Government Agencies.

Go Weh Yaza, LLC prides itself with our philosophy of “Healthy Cuisine – Rooted in Culture – Honoring Traditions”, which allows our team to take enormous pride in honoring the histories and legacies of American Indian and Indigenous Tribal inspired cuisines throughout the United States by blending artistry, modernity and healthy dietary meals for our customers. Our unique brand and approach appeal to American Indian institutional menu preferences and can satisfy all private sector and government agencies dietary program requirements. We offer opportunities to American Indian businesses and provide employment preference to qualified American Indian tribal members.

Read More: Success Story (PDF) & Capabilities Statement (PDF)

Go Weh Yaza Website

Four Winds Diversified Project

Ware Neck, VA – June 5, 2024 – Ware River Consulting, a leading provider of healthcare staffing, human resource solutions, and administrative management services to government agencies and Indian Country nationwide, is proud to announce the launch of its new internship program. This initiative is dedicated to fostering opportunities for Native Americans pursuing careers in business.

“I am passionate about making a difference for our tribal communities and confident our internship program will inspire the next generation of business leaders,” says Debra Goodier, Ware River Founder & CEO. “This program offers valuable real-world experience, mentorship, and creates a dynamic learning environment for both our interns and our team.”

The internship program recently welcomed its first intern, Anthony (Tony) Martinez, a tribal member of the Makah Indian Tribe in Neah Bay, Washington, and a double-major in Accounting & Economics at the University of Notre Dame. Tony will gain hands-on experience in small business operations, federal contracting, and contribute to enhancing technical documents and reporting mechanisms.

“We’re excited to nurture Tony’s talents and welcome future interns who share our passion for making a difference,” says Goodier.

This internship program is part of Ware River Consulting’s ongoing commitment to supporting tribal communities.

About Ware River Consulting

Ware River Consulting is an Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) & SBA Certified Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Business (EDWOSB) that provides healthcare staffing, human resource solutions, and administrative management services to federal and tribal clients nationwide.  Ware River Consulting Website

The collaboration between three Louisiana APEX Accelerators – University of Louisiana at Lafayette, National Center American Indian APEX Accelerator, and the Northwest Louisiana APEX Accelerator, along with Tunica-Biloxi Industries for our 3rd Annual Tunica-Biloxi Procurement Conference proved to be a success!

Based on the collaboration of all three Louisiana based APEX Accelerators, the first Tunica-Biloxi Procurement Conference was established.  Three years ago, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette signed a MOU to assist the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe with economic development, which included a commitment for hosting conferences and other events to support the Tribe.  The Procurement Conference consists of one day of educational topics while the second day is a Matchmaker event based on pre-scheduled meetings between buyers and sellers based on NAICs or buyer needs.  The 3rd Annual Tunica-Biloxi Procurement Conference was held on June 11 and 12, 2024 at the Paragon Casino in Marksville, located in central Louisiana.  The educational day agenda included Government Innovation Programs:  StrikeWerx; Collaboration, Communication, Commitment:  Practical Tips for Successful Partnering; Doing Business with Barksdale Air Force Base; Doing Business with US Army Corps of Engineers; Doing Business with the State of LA; and Doing Business on a local level with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.  Dr. Gayle Flowers presented an APEX Accelerator overview and highlighted Louisiana based APEX Accelerators collaboration.  Wendy Lemoine with Tunica-Biloxi Industries showcased government contracts and partnerships the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe is currently working on or towards, as well as future interests of the Tribe in partnering with Louisiana companies on government contracts. 

We had 154 attendees and 143 pre-scheduled meetings at this Matchmaker.  Buyers included Army Corps of Engineers-NO District, City of Baton Rouge, Office of State Purchasing – Louisiana, FEMA, StrikeWerx, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, SBA Louisiana District Office, and V2X.  On the first night of the conference, a networking reception was hosted by Louisiana Economic Development. 

Louisiana companies and buyers have praised this event and include it as a budget item each year.  Feedback received from government agencies and large prime contractors included:

Thanks for inviting me to this event. It was my pleasure to play a role supporting this fine event. Looking forward to next year’s event.

David J. Willis, Deputy, Office of Small Business Programs, United States Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District

Thank you for having NASA. Please invite me to any future events.  Your events are awesome!

Kay S. Doane, Business Development Specialist, NASA Office of Small Business Programs

It was my pleasure to be part of this event, I had a great time. Thanks for the invitation and keep Textron on the list for next year’s event or any other Small Business events may come up!  Best Regards!

Dennis K. Burke, Sr. Buyer / MRO, Textron

As I’m getting home, I just wanted to tell you that this was one of the most engagement driven conferences I’ve ever been involved with, and the APEX team is amazing.  My one regret is not getting more time with you so I can learn more about your journey and work at APEX.

Ben Diebold, LEMOINE

Due to the networking and pre-scheduled meetings APEX Accelerators were thrilled to hear of many business opportunities that were birthed at this conference.  This year, one of the University of LA at Lafayette’s LA APEX clients received word that she received a state of LA emergency transportation contract from Office of State Purchasing while at this conference.  This client also received a delivery contract for mattresses from a connection at this conference.  Another client is connecting with Tunica-Biloxi Industries regarding a potential Mentor Protégé agreement or partnership (teaming or joint venture).  Last year, one of University of LA at Lafayette APEX clients received a drone cleaning contract for three state buildings.  Outdoor windows on state of Louisiana buildings are being cleaned by drones. 

The three APEX Accelerators and Tunica-Biloxi Industries are already in the preliminary planning for the next Tunica-Biloxi Procurement Conference.  Great things are happening in the great state of Louisiana!  Keep an eye on the emerging Silicon Bayou!

The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) is the host organization of the National Center APEX Accelerator.  Although Arizona has been home to the NCAIED Headquarters since the 1980s, their footprint is national, including APEX Accelerator offices in the Eastern, Southwest, and Navajo BIA Regions. Take a look back at our history! 

If you are a Native American Indian owned business within these three BIA regions and need assistance with Government Contracting, please contact us at apex@ncaied.org, or submit a new client application.

Ware River Consulting and Millbrook Support Services have joined forces to create a new dynamic Mentor Protege-Joint Venture, WareBrook Health to serve American Indians and Alaskan Natives alike.

Ware Neck, Va. (February 23, 2024) – Ware River Consulting, LLC and Millbrook Support Services, Inc. are pleased to announce their SBA approved Mentor-Protégé Joint Venture, WareBrook Health, LLC, which will supply Physicians, Nurses, Advanced Practice Providers and Allied Healthcare staffing services to government agencies, specifically Indian Health Service and Indian Country nationwide. WareBrook’s mission is to improve healthcare outcomes for the American Indian and Alaska Native communities for generations to come. To learn more, visit Warebrook Health website .

“We are extremely excited to have joined forces with Debra Goodier and the entire Ware River team. Debra, an official member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, is an exceptional business leader who is committed to American Indian communities and supporting government agencies that serve indigenous people across the nation. We look forward to mentoring the Ware River team over the coming years” stated James L. Paterek, Chief Strategy Officer of Millbrook.

Debra A. Goodier, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ware River, emphasized the strong foundation for real change: “Together, we will provide federal and Tribal clients with a comprehensive avenue to premium healthcare staffing. This agreement enables us to work more closely with Millbrook, whom we know well and greatly respect, and to advance needed healthcare staffing solutions for the American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”

About the Companies:

Ware River, an Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) & SBA Certified Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), provides Healthcare Staffing, Human Resource Solutions, and Administrative Management Services to federal and Tribal clients nationwide.

Millbrook, a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), is a leading provider of healthcare staffing and workforce solutions, dedicated to serving government agencies and commercial organizations across the United States. Founded over 20 years ago, Millbrook has built a reputation for delivering exceptional service and providing top-quality healthcare professionals to meet the needs of our clients.

Letter from Mr. Lorenzo J. Begay, Executive Director/DCDC

Dear Ms. Tsosie:

Diné Community Development Corporation (DCDC) is a Navajo-certified non-profit organization that provides economic and community development services to the Navajo Nation. DCDC would like to thank you for providing exceptional procurement and technical assistance in assisting our organization get re-certified with the Systems for Awards Management (SAMs).

SAMs now required DCDC to have a physical address to get our re-certification approved, however, you were fully aware that the Navajo Nation has no such rural addressing system that hindered our re-certification process. DCDC has been certified with SAMs for the last 5 years and it was until this recent physical address requirement that prevented our re-certification. DCDC appreciates your knowledge and skills in maneuvering DCDC’s SAMs’ application by recommending contacting the Navajo Nation Division of Community Development to obtain a Physical Address Verification (PAV) certificate to upload to SAMs. After you contacted SAMs and obtained a tech staff to be assigned to DCDC’s case and the PAV document was eventually accepted and resulted in our SAMs being re-certified.

Thank you for your relentless efforts on assisting DCDC obtain its SAMs re-certification status that will now allow us to apply for federal grants and get reimbursed on existing grants. Unfortunately, these types of services are not readily available through the Navajo Nation and DCDC is fortunate to have you assist our non-profit organization with such valuable procurement services. DCDC will continue to recommend other non-profit organizations and LGA certified chapters to contact your office regarding SAMs certification efforts.

Sincerely,

Mr. Lorenzo J. Begay, Executive Director/DCDC

See more about Dine Community Development Corporation, Inc.

A new technology education hub will soon be available to Robeson County’s budding engineers and tech thinkers.

Emerging Technology Institute is preparing to open the doors to its new headquarters for their Young Entrepreneurs internship program in the back of the Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub located at 202 Main St in Pembroke.

Taking up nearly 4,000 square-feet of space, the X8 Lab will feature everything a growing tech enthusiast needs while also providing a safe, relaxed atmosphere to train and learn.

The Lab includes an adjustable workspace, storage space, and seating area for students. 

According to Emerging Technology Institute Founder and President James Freeman, the idea for the space came to him after it was brought to his attention that there was no tech specific place for students in the Pembroke area.

“In June, I forced my daughter to go to a cybersecurity camp. She was mad, she was like ‘I don’t know anything about cyber. It’s at the community college, I don’t want to do this.’ By the third or fourth day, she loved it. She got to be around other kids who were building things, she got to build a robot, she got to meet a federal employee, she got to see people come in and speak to them as employers and she loved it,” shared Freeman. “She said ‘I want to go somewhere after school where I could do robots and drones like your work.’ We can’t do that anywhere, we have a lot of students in our community that are tech savvy, but they have no place to go.”

Read the full article Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub welcomes new tenant; ETI’s X8 Lab currently under construction.

Learn more about ETI at ETI Community website and the Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub website.

Lock4 LLC has been a client of Ms. Cris Pierce, Sr Procurement Specialist for the National Center APEX Accelerator for the past 5 plus years. Within that timeframe APEX has been central to Lock4’s capacity to acquire new opportunities that have pushed Lock4’s acceptance into the SBA’s 8 (a) program through the acquisition of new contracts. Lock4 is a Professional Services small disadvantaged business focused on Federal Government support providing specially qualified Subject Matter Experts (SME) in Strategy & Plans, Intelligence, Training, Education, Exercise Development, Specialized Aviation Support, Air Traffic Control, and Program/Facility/Administrative support. Lock4 supplies Knowledge-Based services specializing in Dept of Defense (DoD), Special Operations, USAF, and Inter-Agency expertise. The company has taken advantage of APEX generated products, such as their Bid Search Engine that has provided critical information on upcoming opportunities that align with Lock4’s capabilities. The assistance of APEX personnel was the difference, as they pulled Lock4 operating data in order to build a search profile that culled out those opportunities for pursuit. Lock4 will continue to work closely with APEX as we push growth and seek business options within the federal government.

For more information on Lock4 LLC, go to the Lock4 LLC website.

Bull Bear Defense Solutions was recently awarded their first prime contract for a 5-year FFP effort supporting the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Justice Services (OJS), and United States Indian Police Academy (USIPA).

Jessica McKinley, a proud member of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and also President and Owner of Bull Bear Defense Solutions, is excited to get this award and partner with industry leaders to serve the important mission of the USIPA.

“This is the culmination of a lengthy acquisition process over the past 8 months. This award started with the help of the National Center’s daily APEX bid match alert system. Over the past 8 months, we have researched the opportunity and established the right partnerships with our trusted partner at Envisage to bring a modern cloud training platform to our customers at the BIA OJS USIPA. Patience, persistence, and targeting the right opportunities are the keys to success in the government contracting industry.”

Bull Bear Defense Solutions, located in Beavercreek, Ohio, provides IT modernization, cloud, and GRC-focused consulting to government and commercial clients. Our team focuses on excelling in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), IT modernization, and cloud security. We understand the complexity of IT systems and excel at leading teams in navigating complex and compliant solutions.

For more information or to explore partner opportunities, contact Bull Bear Defense Solutions, LLC through the Bull Bear Defense website or via email.

The name of the Pueblo, “Ysleta Del Sur,” means “Island of the South.” The Ysleta Del Sur Native Americans first came to the El Paso territory in 1680, nearly 100 years before America gained its independence. Tigua Inc. is the economic development arm of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, and is also based in El Paso, Texas. Tigua Inc. has 5 subsidiary 8a’s that focus on technology, facility services, construction, Distributing and operates a smoke shop. It also operates a very successful JV and has contract sites in 30 states.

Tigua Inc. started out as a single tribally owned business and has now grown to be a successful Entity Owned (IEE) Native American Enterprise with capacity and capability to support both government and commercial contracts at any level with its subsidiary 8a’s and its proven ability to “TEAM up” with other native and non-native businesses, both large and small, in support a plethora of projects, supplies and services. Over the last 10 years it has lived up to its Corporate Values:  Trust, Innovation, Growth, Unification and Accountability. 

According to the data in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), Tigua Inc. over the last 10 years successfully expanded its subsidiary AND teaming efforts from one entity, to now include 5 stand-alone subsidiary entities and 1 Joint Venture.  These subsidiaries and its JV ISBEE’s have successfully increased Tigua Inc’s federal contract awards and value by over 390%.  The vast majority of these contracts have been with DoD agencies.  This increase does not include Tigua Inc.’s commercial and state contract awards and earnings.  This is a growth from $6M in Fy2012 to an average of over $35M in FY’s 20-23. 

Tigua Inc has plans to increase its subsidiary businesses in FY2024.  This growth will undoubtedly support additional increases and larger value opportunities in the near future.    With this track record of growth and the DoD’s sole source awarding levels to Entity Owned SDB’s of $100M per award, Tigua Inc is now postured to be a priority “go to” to DoD and other Federal Agencies in the coming years.

Tigua Inc has and continues to be an NCAIED APEX Accelerator client since 2017. For more information on Tigua Inc, go to Tigua's website.

The Monroe County Finger Lakes (MCFL) APEX Accelerator and The National Center APEX Accelerator co-sponsored the event with U.S. Congressman Joseph Morelle and Monroe County Executive Adam J. Bello.

“On behalf of DOD’s Monroe County Finger Lakes and The National Center APEX Accelerator programs,” said Program Manager Anna Vulaj Fitzsimmons of the MCFL APEX Accelerator, “thank you for making the third annual Congressman Morelle and County Executive Bello Government Contracting Forum & Matchmaker a great success!”

The APEX Accelerator program welcomed 261 participants to the one-day event held on October 3 at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, NY.

The event opened with Best Practices Panel Discussions.  Small Business Liaison Officers from L3Harris Technologies Space & Airborne Systems and Communications Systems and Lockheed Martin Corp.  Small Business Representatives from the Department of Army Fort Drum MICC, Department of Navy Office of Small Business Programs, and Air Force Materiel Command followed.

After lunch, Congressman Morelle and County Executive Bello welcomed participants.

Director Farooq A. Mitha, Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Small Business Programs, spoke about developments in his office, specifically, Project Spectrum and the APEX Accelerators.

Senior Procurement Specialist Crystal Pierce, The National Center APEX Accelerator, spoke about Subcontracting and the DOD Indian Incentive Program.  

The Matchmaker opened at 2:00pm.  Participants registered for fifteen-minute, one-on-one appointments with the government agency and prime contractor representatives.  Six hundred and fifteen appointments were conducted in the closing two hours of the event.

“Partnership between the two APEX Accelerator programs for the last three years,” said Program Specialist Crystal Pierce of The National Center APEX Accelerator, “has benefited our clients and their communities in western New York. We look forward to teaming up with the Monroe County Finger Lakes APEX Accelerator next year.”

For Flatwater Solutions Company, a Flatwater Group company, contracting efforts are led by Senior Business Development (BD) Manager Peter Tracey. The Flatwater Group supports Furniture Fixtures and Equipment opportunities and Professional, Technical, and Administrative Services. All Professional, Technical, and Administrative Services contracting efforts are led by BD Capture Manager Cheyanne Diehl, with support from Stan Sams, Procurement Specialist with the National Center American Indian APEX Accelerator.

They were recently awarded a total small business multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with the Department of Commerce (DOC) for $60M for Furniture Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E).

Flatwater Solutions was one of two companies on the first 5-year Blank Purchase Agreement (BPA) contract, winning over 70% of the awards on 151 task orders.

Flatwater Solutions continued its work with the DOC this summer and was awarded the new 5-year IDIQ contract. Flatwater Solutions will compete with three other companies for work on this contract. The contract is a turnkey facility solutions contract for Flatwater Solutions’ FF&E team, including services in supporting their customer.

The Flatwater Solutions Program Manager and assigned Project Manager are responsible for the execution of all projects that are awarded to Flatwater Solutions for the DOC contract.

Flatwater Solutions actively supports DOC’s opportunities CONUS and OCONUS.

Flatwater Solutions has a mid-Atlantic project manager who lives in Maryland and supports a large portion of businesses in their busiest region. Flatwater Solutions’ other managers and our Maryland-based manager help support all other projects CONUS and OCONUS.

Flatwater Group is a government contracting division of Ho-Chunk, Inc., an economic development corporation owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Ho-Chunk, Inc.’s mission is to provide longer-term economic self-sufficiency and job opportunities for the Winnebago Tribe.

Learn more about Flatwater Group at Flatwater Group website.

Mohawk Networks, LLC is proud to announce its acceptance into the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program. The HUBZone Program is a federal contracting support initiative designed to foster the growth of small businesses in historically underutilized business zones, including Tribal territories. The program is administered by the SBA, with the objective of allocating a minimum of 3% of federal contract funds to HUBZone-certified companies annually. Networks’ acceptance into the program serves as an extra level of certification that will enhance the company’s federal contracting endeavors. This certification also builds upon the 8(a) status the company previously obtained in 2021, further advancing its position in federal contracting.

“Mohawk Networks’ HUBZone certification represents a milestone in the company’s evolution as both an incubator for technical expertise and a growth catalyst in revenue diversification, which will further support our long-term strategy of building a federal contracting business that will have a generational impact for our community,” expressed the Company’s General Manager, Allyson Mitchell. Mohawk Networks continues to operate as a full-service Internet Service Provider (ISP) for both new and existing customers, providing high-speed Internet, video, and VoIP (voice) services. “Our entire team remains committed to the mission of providing broadband access with high reliability and availability to the community of Akwesasne.”

The Tribally-owned company is overseen by a seven-member Board of Managers with diverse areas of expertise in information technology, economic development, and leadership. “With HUBZone certification and 8(a) status, Mohawk Networks strengthens its influence on local development, job creation, and community empowerment. We manage infrastructure, and keeping our community connected is paramount. The Board anticipates leveraging these designations to contribute to our community’s socio-economic progression, aligning with our mission to connect communities, drive progress, and continuously invest in our workforce,” expressed the Board Chairman, Marvin Phillips.

For more information on Mohawk Networks go to Mohawk Networks website.