In the face of ever-increasing competition, have you felt the pressure to expand your client base? While connecting with new customers may not be as easy as it sounds, a statewide program that began in 1985 is helping more and more businesses bridge that gap.

Through the Utah Procurement Technical Assistance Center or PTAC, the state offers no-cost consulting services to small- and medium-sized businesses interested in exploring their potential with government agencies. These agencies range from local and regional municipal governments to state and federal entities—creating local, national and even international market access.

The results? Utah businesses having been winning government contracts consistently for several years including the creation or retention of 7,800 Utah jobs in 2015 alone.

Specific market opportunities are showcased through ongoing statewide business outreach events. One such event was the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground Open House held at the Salt Lake Community College Gail Miller Conference Center November 3.

Nearly 130 small business leaders attended, representing engineering, manufacturing, research and development, technical services, consulting, construction, roofing and metal industries and more. Representatives from large prime contractors, the U.S. Small Business Administration, General Services Administration and USTAR were also on hand.

The draw was a requirements forecast and informative Q&A session with top agency executives. Attendees were highly appreciative of the information presented, the high-level of speakers and the opportunity to meet face-to-face with executives and staff.

Through a contract awarded, LSI is a partner with the PTAC Team to expand program service, again, at no cost to businesses. For more about PTAC services, including a calendar of upcoming events, visit http://business.utah.gov/programs/ptac/.

To register for an outreach seminar, contact Chuck Spence at 801-538-8655 or cspence@utah.gov, or Laurie Pless, LSI, at 801-525-5370 or lpless@lsiwins.com.