Title: An act relating to statewide procurement of technical assistance.

Brief Description: Studying the statewide procurement of technical assistance.

Sponsors: Representatives B. Sullivan, Wallace and Morris.

Brief History:

Economic Development, Agriculture & Trade: 1/17/06, 1/18/06 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AGRICULTURE & TRADE

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by Representatives Linville, Chair; Pettigrew, Vice Chair; Kristiansen, Ranking Minority Member; Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Bailey, Blake, Buri, Chase, Clibborn, Dunn, Grant, Haler, Holmquist, Kilmer, Kretz, McCoy, Morrell, Newhouse, Quall, Strow, P. Sullivan and Wallace.

Staff: Tracey Taylor (786-7196).

Background:

The Defense Logistics Agency, on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, administers the Department of Defense Procurement Technical Assistance (PTA) programs. The PTA Centers are a local resource available at no or nominal cost that can provide assistance to business firms in marketing products and services to the federal, state and local governments.

The Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) provide: computerized bid match services; interpretation of solicitations; assistance with government registrations and certifications; training and seminars; marketing assistance; and assistance in locating the necessary documents for solicitations.

Summary of Bill:

A statewide procurement technical assistance services pilot project in Snohomish County is created. The pilot project will end June 30, 2007. The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development must report to the Legislature by January 1, 2007, the results of the pilot project, including the number of businesses served, contracts written, the monetary value of contracts, and a plan for sustainable and ongoing funding.

Appropriation: The sum of $50,000 from the State General Fund to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: The Snohomish County Economic Development Council's (EDC) PTAC is a success, matching vendors and providers with federal contracts valuing approximately $40 million last year. Other states not only have PTACs statewide, but they also provide state financial support. The return on investment for PTACs is probably the best of economic development programs. Instead of having to navigate over 3,000 federal government procurement websites, businesses only need to log-in through the Snohomish County EDC's PTAC, and everyday the system searches bid requests to find matches, and electronically mails (e-mails) them straight to the business. The bids can be from local or federal offices or any other location the business indicates it is interested in. This bill allows the Snohomish County EDC's PTAC to work statewide to demonstrate the potential in other locations.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Representative B. Sullivan, prime sponsor; and Representative Wallace.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.