This month, the U.S. Small Business Administration, under the leadership of President Biden and SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman, kicked off our Build America, Buy American initiative with a focused month of action to highlight our commitment to America’s small businesses, entrepreneurs and startups.
Here in Oregon, we have an incredible opportunity to support our small businesses and help them grow and thrive. Late last year, Congress passed the President’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) committing $1.2 trillion dollars to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and strengthen American global competitiveness.
Oregon expects to receive more than $5 billion over the next five years to fix highways and bridges and invest in public transit, airports, broadband and public utilities. SBA and our partners are leading efforts to help coach, train, certify and prepare entrepreneurs, including those with ties to manufacturing sectors, for opportunities soon to be available through these projects.
Many small business owners entering and navigating government contracting believe it is terribly complicated and daunting. SBA and its resource partners are here locally to break it down and guide businesses through the process.
If you are a small business interested in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law opportunities, you need to know about the Government Contract Assistance Program network of Oregon. They provide one-on-one counseling assistance, help you get certified for various programs and even help match your business with the agencies that procure your products and services. You can reach GCAP through their website at gcap.org or visit the SBA Portland District Office website to contact someone in our office.
Another benefit of reaching out to us is we can help small businesses explore other revenue growth opportunities, such as exporting. Many companies eligible for government contracts focused on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law may also be good candidates to explore this path for growth. Exporting is a way to grow revenue and diversify customer bases. Here at the SBA, we have a national network of advisers that can provide small businesses with technical assistance, working capital financing, export stimulus grants and even specific research on different markets.
North River Boats in Roseburg, founded in 1976, is an excellent example where the pairing of government contracting, with exporting, can create increased revenue opportunities. North River is one of the largest heavy-gauge aluminum boat manufacturers in the U.S. and has a diversified customer list that includes the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Trinidad Pilots Association, Authority Canal de Panama, and dozens of state and county municipalities. From “pilot boats” to “force protection,” documented passenger vessels or charter fishing, the needs of no two customers are alike.
This is the opportunity before potentially multiple thousands of small business entrepreneurs. President Biden laid out his vision to open more doors to federal contracting with an ambitious goal: increase the share going to small and disadvantaged businesses by 50% by 2025.
Buying from small and disadvantaged businesses will leverage the federal government’s purchasing power to reestablish domestic supply chains and American-made products — using market growth opportunities to strengthen our nation’s industrial base. At the same time, many of these businesses are well positioned to participate in the $80 billion global trade economy.
Today, we are more committed than ever to ensuring the federal government and consumers and businesses from other countries shop small to help our nation build back better following the pandemic.
For more information on SBA’s programs and services please visit sba.gov and remember to follow us on Twitter @SBAPacificNW.
