KALAMAZOO ? The Southwest Michigan Technical Assistance Center, which helped regional companies win $33 million in government contracts a year ago, became part of Southwest Michigan First on Jan. 1.
The TAC, now housed at the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center in the Western Michigan University Business Research & Technology Park, became a victim of budget cuts at Western Michigan University?s Haworth College of Business. TAC joined WMU in 1999 after operating for 14 years as part of the former CEO Council and the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce.
At the University, the program was funded through grants and donations that come in above and beyond the general operating budget. Those funds dried up, however, and the university was not able to shift TAC under its general operating funds, which face major cutbacks as well.
WMU provides about 28 percent of TAC’s funding, funding that now comes from Southwest Michigan First. Another 50 percent comes from the U.S. Department of Defense and the remainder from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
One of 12 TACs in Michigan and 89 nationally, the center serves about 180 companies each year from Allegan, Berrien, Cass, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties. Center Director Mike Black said his bid matching, proposal assistance and contract guidance services remain free. He?s also helping businesses find work with the government, not just grants.
Some 29 percent of the companies using TAC?s services end up with government contracts, Black said. About 110 of those companies are serious about working with the government, and their success rate is around 47 percent. Last year, TAC clients reported landing $33,345,000 in government contracts with TAC?s help.
Southwest Michigan First Vice President of Business Services Jill Bland says she and her staff have often referred companies to the TAC during retention calls. Bringing the center under her organization’s umbrella advances the goal of creating a one-stop shop for area businesses. As companies examine whether they can afford to keep their operations in Southwest Michigan and in the United States, she said, government contracting is one more place to look to increase, or at least maintain, their revenue stream.
