Virginia Procurement Technical Assistance Center (Virginia PTAC)

The Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) was authorized by Congress in 1985 and provides matching funds through state and local government and non-profit organizations to establish Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) regionally dedicated to free and low cost assistance to businesses who want to participate in the government procurement process, whether federal, state, or local. Having locally run PTACs allows for flexibility and customization of each program to the needs of area businesses.

The Virginia PTAC is administered by George Mason University, the regional sponsor, and covers a significant portion of the state ranging from Northern Virginia down through Fredericksburg, Williamsburg into the Hampton Roads area, Chesapeake, Central Virginia into Richmond past Charlottesville and as far west as Roanoke. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, PTAC offers multiple locations and partner with local public and private organizations to offer counseling and training close to clients. Its program is a member of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC), a nationwide network of nearly one hundred centers in North America.

Virginia PTAC’s mission is to “Help business do business with government”, both federal and state/local. The services cover the full range of information, from the very basics for newcomers (FAR, FBO, SAM, DSBS, and more) to WOSB, SDVOSB, GSA schedules application, 8(a) certification, and more. Virginia PTAC helps the clients understand how to analyze and respond to RFPs, the advantages of priming and subcontracting opportunities, and assist with more intricate company-specific challenges including pricing and compliance questions.