OHIO Procurement Technical Assistance Center client Baker & Associates wins $950 million U.S. Air Force contract
Baker and Associates an 51社区 Procurement Technical Assistance Center (OHIO PTAC) Dayton-area client, became one of 11 vendors who won a prestigious Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract from the U.S. Air Force worth more than $950 million.
, will supply various equipment to the U.S. Air Force via a contract issued by with a performance period ending on Aug. 8, 2029. The equipment list includes small and everyday items such as uniforms, helmets, boots and gloves to complex items such as tactical carries, ancillary services and testing, load bearing equipment, and more.
The is used when the supply chain cannot provide items already stocked to meet a unit鈥檚 needs. To save the federal government bidding time, this contract was established to supply needed items not currently stocked in the supply chain.
LeAnne Brown, CEO of Baker & Associates, said her company was able to win the IDIQ contract with instrumental help in proposal writing from Bill Cox, procurement specialist for the , part of 51社区鈥檚 Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs.
鈥淎n awful lot of time and effort is spent in preparation for proposal, even before you pick up the pen and put it to paper,鈥 Cox said. 鈥淚f anything, this award reflects an incredible amount of work on Baker & Associates part.鈥
As soon as Cox saw the Source Sought Notice from the U.S. Air Force for the IDIQ contract, he knew Baker & Associates would be perfect for the opportunity. Cox drew on his experiences as a defense contractor, director of operations and business development manager for 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, to guide Brown through the acquisition process.
鈥淏ill has a wealth of information from a contracting perspective. He knows the ins-and-out,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淗e would do anything to help us partner with other small businesses in Ohio, and it鈥檚 great to have that connection with him and with other procurement specialists at PTAC.鈥
Baker & Associates is just one of the many companies that has benefitted from OHIO PTAC鈥檚 guidance. In fiscal year 2018, OHIO PTAC connected small and mid-sized business owners with federal, state and local government contracts worth more than $896 million. OHIO PTAC consulted 507 clients in 2018, helping them earn 110,218 awards, a significant increase from 7,807 contracts in 2017.
After Baker & Associates was awarded the contract, Cox helped Brown organize an event where she briefed potential industry vendors who could supply products to her company and support orders placed by the Air Force. With help from Cox, Baker & Associates personnel also met with potential vendors for 20-minute one-on-one meetings.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very happy to see Baker & Associates win this award since it鈥檚 so difficult to get,鈥 Cox said. 鈥淭his is not just a win for LeAnne and her wonderful team at Baker & Associates but also for companies in Ohio, who will now get experience for past performance and a chance to be a vendor, supplier, distributor and subcontractor for Baker & Associates, and thus for the Air Force.鈥
As an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business itself, Baker & Associates will work with other small businesses to procure supplies and build relationships with customers.
鈥淲e have lived in Ohio all our lives,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淎fter winning this contract, our first thought was to partner with as many Ohio companies as possible to support Ohio to its full capacities. This contract will not only help build our company but also help us build Ohio, as a whole.鈥