Client Experience Archive
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Microlap Technologies, Inc.
Microlap was established by the federal government as the Turtle Mountain Ordnance
Plant, with the production of jewel bearings beginning in 1952. The name was changed
in 1973 to the William Langer Jewel Bearing Plant. In 1996, the plant was privatized
and renamed Microlap Technologies, Inc.
This company is a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-precision industrial components
made from synthetic ruby, sapphire, ceramic, carbide, and other hard materials. Microlap
offers standard products and can custom manufacture to your exact specifications (Source)
As a long running company, they use services available to them to make them bigger, stronger, and smarter. This is one reason they turned to the no-cost advising services of the ND APEX Accelerator.
“At Microlap Technologies, Inc company, we were thrilled to work with APEX and experience the high level of service and expertise they brought to the table. From the moment we reached out for assistance, APEX was able to provide immediate support and guidance, demonstrating their deep knowledge and expertise in the field of government contracting,” says Tom Neameyer, President and co-owner.
Mr. Neameyer appreciated the guidance through their entity registration in SAM, the opportunity to learn more about government procurement, instruction on resources available, and attend webinars, workshops & procurement fairs. With the assistance of ND APEX, he created a plan of action to improve the company’s position in marketing to prime contracts and government agencies.
“ND APEX were truly a valuable partner in helping our company achieve success, and we were grateful for the opportunity to work with such a skilled and dedicated team. Whether our company needed help navigating the complex world of procurement, developing a plan of action to increase our chances of winning contracts, or simply needing guidance and support, APEX was there to assist us every step of the way. We are extremely grateful for their help and highly recommend their services to any company looking to succeed in the government contracting space. Throughout the project, APEX worked closely with Microlap Technologies Inc to ensure that they were meeting their needs and exceeding their expectations. Microlap provided regular updates on their progress and were transparent about their challenges. In the end, the project was a huge success.”
Tom Neameyer, President / Co-Owner
Learn More About Microlap Technologies, Inc.
Derheim, Inc.
In 1991, Troy Derheim started his hot tub rental company, Derheim, Inc. Doing Business As “My Aquatic Services”. Since that time, he has grown his company into a design, sales, construction, and service company specializing in commercial and residential pools, spas, and specialty aquatic products. In 2019, he sought the no-cost services of the North Dakota APEX Accelerator to assist his company in determining eligibility to expand into government contracting.
For the past five years, ND APEX has assisted Troy and his team with their company
entity validation and registration in SAM for federal contracts, ND Bidder List registration
for state contracts, shown ways to search and find solicitations, made agency introductions,
provided ideas to expand government contracting, and the Derheim team members have
participated in various workshops. Services provided by the APEX team included registrations,
solicitation exploration, proposal development, B2G marketing, and process navigation.
By developing a strategic plan for government contracting, the ND APEX team helped
Troy expand his business and secure contracts. The APEX team provided a [trustworthy]
and comfortable environment for Troy to ask questions and learn about the intricacies
of government contracting. Additionally, ND APEX offered access to valuable resources
like Govology and Defense University Acquisition (DAU) and educated Troy on various
aspects of government contracting and the market.
Together, the ND APEX team and Troy explored new ways for My Aquatic Services to engage
with government agencies and expand their product and service offerings. Bid match
was utilized to receive solicitations and provide feedback on marketing materials
such as capability statements and the company website. Additionally, Troy participated
in webinars and procurement fairs, further solidifying his understanding of government
contracting.
Navigating complex regulations like the FAR and DFAR can be daunting, but the ND APEX
team supported Troy throughout the process. In Troy’s own words, “They [procurement
specialists] provided a ‘road map’ for success as a government contractor.” The ND
APEX team is proud to have played a role in Troy's achievements and look forward to
witnessing the continued growth and success of My Aquatic Services.
As a veteran of the US Army, Operation Desert Storm, he was interested in selling
to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to improve water therapy for recovering
veterans. As some are aware, the VA is first required to purchase from qualified service-disabled
veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB). ND APEX worked with Derheim to apply and
receive his certification as an SDVOSB.
“The value of APEX is unmeasurable. They are a fantastic group that truly shows how
government should work. These individuals stretch every dollar giving as much as a
client is willing to take. I’ve never had a question go unanswered; I’m extremely
surprised this is not a for-profit organization. They treat clients as valued investments
in their future. They are a great asset, and their services are much appreciated!”
says Derheim.
Troy understands that winning a contract is not the only thing, but you must follow
through with excellent service and continued communication to support the government
market sector. Plus, you need a road map to provide a checklist to be a successful
government contractor, which the ND APEX provided. APEX assisted with a course of
action and no-cost bid match services to be successful; Troy understands using experts
in the government sector to achieve his company’s goals in this market.
Derheim said, "Their ND APEX help is instrumental in our success. The staff is fantastic
and is great to deal with. We would be at a great loss without their support. It’s
a resource that is greatly appreciated!”
Troy Derheim, owner of Derheim, Inc; DBA: My Aquatic Services
Learn more about My Aquatic Services
Damajha Systems
“I am at a loss for words to seriously describe how fortunate I am to have come in contact with ND APEX this team.” Based out of Fargo, Damajha Systems, is a 100% certified set-aside, minority, service-disabled veteran owned small business that delivers service-oriented problem-solving innovations to federal, state, and local municipalities. Damajha Systems is a direct OEM authorized partner that helps with the goal of OSANG Healthcare, in which they work to create high quality products and deliver them to customers at the highest level of standards. The team at Damajha Systems is led by De Lorenco L. Jackson, a logistics and service leader himself.
Jackson has been able to utilize the no-cost resources of the ND APEX to grow his business. Jackson said, “In trying to execute partnerships with many different types of medical laboratories, testing laboratories, or in-vitro diagnostic substance manufacturing laboratories it has been, and still remains practically impossible.” This frustration brought De to seek the services of the ND APEX.
Damajha Systems has taken advantage of the ND APEX expert advisors, a variety of webinars, bid match service, and education resources. The APEX team made recommendations to understand an agency’s purchase history, team, research to target agencies, and to have patience to work the process. Jackson’s work resulted in the company receiving a $7 million federal contract.
Jackson stated, “I have, as a result of resources and or informative webinars provided by the entire conglomerate of APEX services, become a much more informed business owner. To me it means nothing more than a direct path to success. I can't, for lack of a better explanation, give more praise for ND APEX. Thank you very much for all that you do.”
As Jackson notes, frustration is a common thread in government contracting for companies to break through and win your first contract. Instead of going in circles and getting nowhere, locate services that are in place to assist your business.
“The ND APEX personnel have been extremely attentive to providing all necessary resources and properly assisting with my small business concerns. The resources catered to a pathway that created ways to engage target agencies correctly.”
De Lorenco L. Jackson
Learn More About Damajha Systems
EverSpring Inn & Suites
Located in Bismarck, ND EverSpring Inn and Suites provides accommodations, meals, and other services, to government personnel from various agencies, including defense agencies, throughout the central region of North Dakota. They have used several of the North Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center (ND PTAC) services. The ND PTAC representitives assisted EverSpring’s from getting educated on government contracting to creating marketing plans. Mike Motschenbacher, general manager at EverSpring Inn and Suites, emphasized that “The staff at the ND PTAC [APEX] has been a huge help assisting with government contracts and keeping my business up to date in SAM and WAWF.”
Through the help of the ND PTAC [APEX] EverSpring Inn and Suites has been able to receive multiple awards. Because of these awards, Mike has able to retain two jobs and generate an additional three more. The service that EverSpring took advantage of the most was the no-cost guidance they received when registering for SAM and WAWF. Motschenbacher noted, “Getting set up in SAM and WAWF is difficult. The staff at the ND PTAC [APEX] has been wonderful in getting my account set up and maintaining it every year. Without PTAC [APEX], it would take me several hours to do this. It has been a huge help to me and my business.”
Mike Motschenbacher, General Manager
Learn More About EverSpring Inn & Suites
Greenstone Construction
Founder and President of Greenstone Construction, Justin Lindteigen, passion for construction began at an early age. He spent endless hours in his Grandpa’s woodworking shop when he was little. After his time in the North Dakota National Guard and Iraq, Justin brings military discipline, respect, and integrity to every project.
Since 2014, Greenstone Construction has been using the North Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center (ND PTAC) services and guidance. “We are always looking for new contracting opportunities and the PTAC bid match helped our team identify multiple contract opportunities for our businesses to succeed. PTAC helped us identify a project opportunity to build a new communications tower of the North Dakota National Guard,” Justin explained.
With the help of ND PTAC, Greenstone Construction was able to secure contract awards. Aside from just using our bid match services, Greenstone has received ND PTAC assistance and them through their SAM registration, researching government markets, navigate through regulations, and have opened doors to other procurement and contract officers.
Justin Lindteigen, Owner
MonDak Portables
MonDak Portables provides portable restroom rentals for a variety of different occasions like worksites, public and community gatherings, sporting events, and parties. Aside from just portable restroom rentals, they also provide portable handwashing stations and heated trailers.
Since becoming a client in 2017, Dave Kleppe, ND PTAC program manager, has been able to help MonDak Portables receive close to $1.5 million in Federal awards. These awards have allowed them to retain twenty jobs and generate an additional three. Rick Rogers, the owner of MonDak Portables, described his experience with ND PTAC as,
“We were looking to get into government bidding and had done our research and were still very confused on where to start. A business associate of ours told us about the ND PTAC office, so we researched them out and ran into Dave Kleppe in the Bismarck office. He helped us get registered in SAM and showed us bid match and we started looking for opportunities that matched our business. From there we found the opportunity we needed to bid on the WAFB contract and were awarded the 2-year contract.”
Rick Rogers, Owner
Razor Consulting Solutions
Razor Consulting Solutions was founded by Carla Schwarzenberg and Eric Mauch in 2010 focusing on professional services. From project management to process automation and much more, Razor Consulting Solutions provides a wide range of innovative planning and operational solutions.
Darin Perius, from Razor first contacted Cathy from the ND PTAC office in May of 2018 to assist with CAGE code and SAM registration issues. Razor Consulting was forming a new Joint Venture and needed to ensure all registrations were correctly identified in SAM. Since then, ND PTAC team has been able to help navigate some of the inevitable questions that arise when working on specific certifications and contracting.
“The assistance the ND PTAC has provided us has been instrumental in our ability to successfully win government contracts,” says Darin Perius, Government Contracts Manager.
Razor is certified as an SBA 8(a) business as well as Native American Owned Business and a Women Owned Business by the WBENC. These designations in federal contracting assist in leveling the playing field with other similar companies, and allows them to grow.
Most recently, they have been awarded the contracts to provide food services for The North Dakota National Guard Camp Grafton Training Center, and to provide Non-Clinical Case Management for the North Dakota National guard in Bismarck.
“On several different occasions, we’ve needed help answering complex government contracting questions and the ND PTAC has been extremely helpful in finding the answers to those questions,” said Perius,
The company has grown considerably over the years, being recognized by Inc. Magazine as North Dakota’s fastest growing company in 2016.
“We are very appreciative of the hard work and support we’ve received from so many professionals along the way,” Perius noted. “It is exciting to look ahead to many more opportunities to work with the ND PTAC as we continue to grow as a business.”
Venone Public Relations
"I first learned about the North Dakota PTAC office while attending a government contracting workshop in Minot. I had already secured a federally-funded State contract at the time, but that was after three years of blindly responding to RFP’s. The assistance and guidance that I received from Dave Kleppe and Cathy Lindquist has been instrumental in helping us navigate all aspects of government contracting as well as assist us in managing the contracts after they were awarded.
Dave and Cathy have an incredible wealth of knowledge in both the federal sphere and the local agencies in North Dakota, providing us with insight that we would not be successful without. As a team, they have helped us to find answers and solutions from billing and invoicing, to the development of our capabilities statement, and more. Without the support of the PTAC office, Venone wouldn’t be as successful as we are today."
Kelly Richardson, Founder
Martin Mechanical Design
Over the course of the past twenty years, Martin Mechanical Design has been trusted with several high-profile mechanical engineering projects across the United States. Brian Martin, the president of the company, has become a leader in the industry and is one of the most well respected and trusted mechanical designers in the nation. Altogether, Martin Mechanical Design’s staff has an outstanding 100 years of expertise within the industry for education, government, hospitality, and several other projects.
Martin Mechanical Design is known for focusing on efficiency and long-term cost when it comes to their clients; this ensures that every project they complete is on-time and on-budget. The ND PTAC has felt lucky to work with such a skilled and successful client to expand their business even further.
Since becoming a client in 2018, the ND PTAC has been able to help assist Martin Mechanical Design with all aspects of government contracting. Natalie Perhus, their marketing coordinator, shared that, “Everyone at the ND PTAC was very helpful and we appreciate their services very much.” They’ve taken advantage of our no cost bid match service to receive solicitations, received guidance through federal contracting sites, received feedback on proposal development, and had aid in the development of their capability statement.
“It is so helpful to have a contact with government knowledge that I can reach out to in times of confusion,” Perhus noted, “Cathy has been extremely helpful and made my life easier when dealing with government proposals.”