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America's Seed Fund Community Resources
America's Seed Fund awards non-dilutive funding to startups and small businesses to develop technology and chart a path toward commercialization. How do innovators and founders learn about America's Seed Fund? Most often it's through their entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) - the accelerators, incubators, investors, labs, and other programs that help them along their journey.
This site is designed to support the entire innovation ecosystem - the ESOs that support entrepreneurship and the innovators (startups and small businesses) - building technology that is critical for America's economic prosperity, global competitiveness, and national security.
If you click the link and scroll down, you can sign up for the newsletter!
Innovative Solutions Needed!
Discover a variety of innovative challenges,where you can participate and share yourown creative ideas to potentially win majorfederal rewards. There are countless differentand unique opportunities to participate in! Click the link below to learn more.
Interview With Khalil Mack, Director of APEX Accelerators
“I think APEX Accelerators ...take a lot off of the CO’s plate, helping create that perfect match between vendor and buyer”
VAO recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Khalil Mack, director of APEX Accelerators (formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Centers) for the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Busines Programs (OSBP). The interview focusted on the myriad ways of his teams of 90-plus support centers are boositing American entrepreneurship, establishing stronger supply chains, and connecting companies with government counterparts. Read the full article!
DHS Science and Technology Request
DEFENSEWERX (DWX), in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate, is searching for innovative capabilities to address DHS challenges. Our North Dakota businesses might have the solution!
Submit your technology for DHS S&T's review and the potential to help secure our Nation. Technology Submission Form
SAM.gov News
Lapse in SAM Registration Disqualifies Government Contractor from Contract Award
The Court of Federal Claims (COFC) recently interpreted FAR Clause 52.204-7, which requires offerors to register in the System for Award Management (SAM), to indicate that even a slight lapse in a contractor’s SAM registration status could disqualify them from potential award.
The Case Before the Court
COFC recently granted a preliminary injunction in Myriddian, LLC v. U.S., No. 23-443 (Fed. Cl. May 23, 2023) staying performance of a contract solicited by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide methodologies that ensure consistent coding of Medicare and Medicaid claims under the National Correct Coding Initiative program. The solicitation indicated the procurement was a negotiated procurement under FAR Part 15 and required all offerors to comply with its terms and conditions to be eligible for award. Most importantly, the solicitation included FAR 52.204-7, which reads, “an Offeror is required to be registered in SAM when submitting an offer or quote, and shall continue to be registered until time of award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract, basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchasing agreement resulting from this solicitation.”
About SAM.gov
SAM is 100% free to all users. Contact an APEX advisor for assistance with SAM registration.
Don’t make the mistakes that cause delays with your entity registration in SAM.gov. The Federal Service Desk (FSD) shares seven reasons entity validation documents are rejected learn more.
The IAE facilitates the federal awards processes in multiple online systems, including the SAM. Those systems are used for registering to do business with the federal government, listing contract opportunities, capturing contractor performance, viewing contract data, searching assistance listings, reporting subcontracts, and learn more.
Connecting The Dots Newsletter
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization has created a newsletter so you can explore and receive regular updates on our small business office resources and services, learn more about procurement and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law opportunities, and read about other small business programs and success stories.
Regional News
Notice To Contractors
All prime contractors who wish to bid on North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) construction projects must prequalify with this office at least 10 working days prior to the bid opening in which you would like to bid. Prequalification is required annually and runs from July 1 each year through June 30 of the following year.
Online prequalification can be completed on our website.
- Enter your company name as you want it to appear on bid reports, contracts, etc. It should also be the same as on your ND contractor’s license.
- Enter both mailing and physical addresses if they are different.
- Enter phone and fax numbers as you want them to appear on the Qualified Contractors list on our website.
- Before submitting your prequalification, please verify that all uploaded forms and documents are complete and legible. Do not attach documents/information that is not required or requested. All documents should be updated from prior year.
- Acceptance/bid capacity rating letters will be prepared and posted on your online prequalification page after it has been approved. You will receive an email notice when the letter is posted. Once the prequalification is approved, your company will be added to the current Qualified Contractors list on our website. Assigned bidder ID numbers are included in letter.
- If you use bonding company limits, it is your responsibility to attached it to your prequalification.
They will be processed in the order they are received. Current prequalifications will be extended until the renewals are approved as long as the renewal has been submitted prior to bidding on work after July 1. We anticipate most of the renewals will be completed and approved by September 1.
SUBCONTRACTOR REGISTRATION
Contractors who wish to work on NDDOT projects as a subcontractor only can register online or submit a Subcontractor Registration Request form to this office. The form can be found on our website and it can be submitted by fax or email. Prequalified contractors do not have to register to work on NDDOT projects as a subcontractor. Subcontractor registrations are due annually and expire each year on December 31.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact this office.
Jeanne Morehouse
NDDOT-Construction Services
E-Mail jmorehouse@nd.gov
Air Force GBSD Program
The Department of the Air Force’s new weapon system, the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, has officially been designated the LGM-35A Sentinel. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall approved the designation for the system that modernizes the ICBM leg of the Nation’s nuclear triad. “Our Nation’s nuclear deterrent force, two legs of which is operated by Airmen, has quietly provided a strategic security shield for decades,” Kendall said. “All that time, the Department of the Air Force has kept the watch; always vigilant and ready. The name Sentinel recognizes the mindset that thousands of Airmen, past and present, have brought to the deterrence mission, and will serve as a reminder for those who operate, secure, and maintain this system in the future about the discipline and responsibility their duty entails...”
North Dakota Secretary of State
Most businesses must be registered and in good standing with the Secretary of State. Secretary of State registration and reporting requirements vary by business type. Since state agencies must ensure that vendors have complied with the Secretary of State and Business License requirements stated in the solicitation, learn additional information when it comes learning how to bid.
Cybersecurity
The TikTok ban now applies to federal contractors. A new acquisition regulation released on June 2, 2023 bans contractors from using the popular social media app on any device used for official business. The White House directed agencies to get TikTok off their networks in February.
The new contracting rule applies to devices regardless of whether they are owned by the government, the contractor, or the contractor’s employees, including phones used as part of a "bring your own device" program. It does not apply to a personally owned phone that is not used in the performance of a contract
Contractual Remedies to Ensure Contractor Compliance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Clause 252.204-7012
Important information about contractor cybersecurity requirements for companies doing business with the Department of Defense. If you have a contract containing Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clause 252.204-7012 “Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting”, contracting officers are required to verify, prior to award, the contractor has the summary level score of a current NIST SP800-171 DoD Assessment for that system posted in SPRS. See a copy of a DoD letter dated June 16, 2022 that further discusses the requirements.