SDDC achieves goals with support of small business.When Mark Gross bought Oak Grove Oak grove may refer to
Oak Grove is a common name for several places in the United States of America. Software in 2001, times were tough for computer-related firms. Gross, an Army veteran, took a close look at his new Raleigh, N.C.-based firm--a small business company. "They were doing product and software," said Gross. "It was mostly propriety pro·pri·e·ty n. pl. pro·pri·e·ties 1. The quality of being proper; appropriateness. 2. Conformity to prevailing customs and usages. 3. proprieties The usages and customs of polite society. software." These outputs were suffering in the dot-com crisis. Worse, Gross found the firm did not have a single federal contract. In addition, he found the company was not on the General Services Administration The General Services Administration (GSA) was established by section 101 of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C.A. § 751). The GSA sets policy for and manages government property and records. Schedule for federal agency purchases. Gross looked closer at his new company. "I looked at the product to see if it was competitive," said Gross. "I determined it was not. It was dated. "It was not focused on specific technology." Gross aimed a new direction for the company. His new focus was on software systems in broad areas such as transportation and intelligence. Within two years, Gross's firm had 15 government projects going--many are small business contracts and some are not. Many of the contracts were with the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. In the last year, Oak Grove earned multiple SDDC SDDC Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (formerly Military Traffic Management Command) SDDC Single Data Device Correction contracts. Currently, the firm has 19 contract employees working alongside SDDC employees. The firm helps manage SDDC's Worldwide Port System, Global Freight Management and Cargo and Billing automated au·to·mate v. au·to·mat·ed, au·to·mat·ing, au·to·mates v.tr. 1. To convert to automatic operation: automate a factory. 2. systems. "In this business it is hard work," said Gross. "The hard work helps you get the breaks. It is a lot of hard work, understanding who the customer is and networking." Gross was one of 60 small business firm representatives who attended SDDC's Small Business Conference-part of the SDDC Training Symposium symposium In ancient Greece, an aristocratic banquet at which men met to discuss philosophical and political issues and recite poetry. It began as a warrior feast. Rooms were designed specifically for the proceedings. on March 22, in Denver, Colo. The small business representatives were briefed on SDDC's $76 million in small business contracts and $307 million in subcontracting contracts. Frank Giordano, director, SDDC Contracting Center, told small business representatives to visit the command's headquarters. "Come in and show us what you can do," said Giordano. "I'll get the program people together--the smart folks. You give your pitch. It's an excellent tool." Giordano suggested that small business owners should network with big and small firms. "Market your capabilities with passion," said Giordano. Additional advice to small business owners came from Bill Lucas Bill Lucas (1936 — May 5 1979) was the first black General Manager in Major League Baseball. His official title was Vice President of Player Personnel, but owner Ted Turner gave him all the duties of a General Manager. , Deputy to the Commander. "There are a lot of opportunities to be prime contractors in SDDC," said Lucas. "There are also a lot of subcontracting opportunities. "We have on the order of $500 million in ocean liner ocean liner Large merchant ship that visits designated ports on a regular schedule, carrying whatever cargo and passengers are available on the date of sailing. The first liners were operated in the North Atlantic, notably by Samuel Cunard of Britain, beginning in 1840. services. With Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, it's even larger. I think there's a lot of (subcontracting) opportunity there." "The Army supports small business opportunities," said Maj. James Blanco Blanco (meaning the color white in Spanish) is an adjective often used in Spanish surnames. Below is a list of famous people and places associated with the word. , assistant to the director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. "We will be the premier small business organization in the federal government," said Blanco. There are even additional contracting and subcontracting opportunities in recent months, with ongoing efforts to rebuild Iraqi infrastructure, he said. |
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