“The Tacoma offices of the U.S. Small Business Administration have something, or rather, someone, new to offer entrepreneurs and small businesses. His name is Kevin Michael, a commercial marketing representative for the SBA, and a valuable resource for small businesses seeking entry into the realm of procurement marketing.Michael provides procurement counseling assistance to small businesses and prime contractors. His job is to link the small business with prime contractors who have a need for the small company’s products or services. The SBA also assists small businesses in becoming government suppliers and contractors.Michael works with large corporations such as The Boeing Company helping to match them their subcontracting needs with small businesses, and to audit and review their small business programs required by government contracts. Should a prime contractor be non-compliant with government requirements, Michael helps them locate small businesses that can provide the products or services they need.Working with small businesses to help them understand and benefit from procurement programs is another of Michael’s job duties. He works to help small businesses overcome their fear and ignorance of government and corporate procurement processes so they can profit from a market they previously had left untapped. Michael can counsel small businesses at the Tacoma Business Assistance Center, or on-site at their office location.Another facet of his position is to conduct training programs to educate the small business community about procurement opportunities. An upcoming seminar features a hands-on session on how to utilize the SBA’s Pro-Net, an Internet-based database of information on over 171,000 small, disadvantaged, and minority and women-owned businesses.Pro-Net is used by federal and state government agencies as well as prime and other contractors seeking small business contractors, subcontractors and partnership opportunities. A small business can post themselves on the Pro-Net listings for free and can link their listing to their own web site to help market their products and services.Michael is available at the Tacoma BAC by appointment most Fridays. The Tacoma BAC is located at 1101 Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. For information or an appointment, call 253-274-1288.”