Dr.
Beverly Scott, General Manager/CEO, RT, enthusiastically encouraged
small business participation |
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How to do business Regional Transit
July 29, 2004
Over 80 attendees participated
in the "How to do Business with RT" conference on July
29, 2004, at the RT Administrative Facility. The small businesses
represented included construction companies, security, computer/network,
food service, transportation equipment suppliers and other vendors.
Dr. Beverly Scott, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer for
RT, opened the event by explaining the importance of small businesses
in our communities and the wide variety of services and items
they supply for RT. She enthusiastically encouraged small business
participation and advised small businesses to team with other
businesses, both large and small, to pursue RT contracts that
they could not otherwise support entirely on their own. Attendees
were pleased to get the opportunity to network with the RT leadership
and contracting staff and greatly appreciated their passion for
working with small business.
Selling to agencies like RT requires the small
business owner to understand the agency's specific buying methods,
their requirements and the individuals who set the requirements.
Fernando Barcena, Senior Procurement and Disadvantaged Business
Enterprise (DBE) Administrator at RT, explained how the RT purchasing
staff is very open for questions before bids, quotes, or proposals
are to be submitted. He also admits that, once the bid packages
are submitted, it is too late for changes. Not filling out the
forms properly, he states, will eliminate a proposal from being
considered. The bids, quotes, and proposals must be responsive
and responsible to be considered. Mr. Barcena can advise bidders,
who were not selected, why their bids/proposals did not win the
contract award, so that they may be more competitive in future
solicitations.
The afternoon session focused on CalTrans' Disadvantaged
Business Enterprise certification program. RT, as well as the
other California transportation agencies, use CalTrans Directory
of DBE certified firms. The Federal Technology Center (The FTC),
RT's small business outreach partner, has counselors available
to provide FREE assistance to California small businesses that
need help with the DBE certification process, or any other government
contracting issues. Call us at (916) 334-9388.
For more information about Regional Transit,
visit them online at: www.sacrt.com
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