b'Business Development Meet TentCraftTentCraftinTraverseCitymanufacturesoutdoormarketingTentCrafttookadvantageofourmanyservicesandthe elementssuchaspop-uptents,customstructures,flags,expertiseofthePTACstafftoswitchgearsmid-streamand signage, and event solutions for businesses, popular brands,withoutwarning,saidCathyFairbanks,NorthwestMichigan and agencies across North America. In 2017, TentCraft decidedPTAC Regional Director. I am glad we already had a relationship to look at opportunities for sales to the government and thewith them and they reached out to us.It was rewarding to play Northwest Michigan Procurement Technical Assistance Centera small part in responding to the pandemic.(PTAC) helped them do that.With the assistance from the PTAC and TentCrafts successful The PTAC provided invaluable information on registering inpivottogovernmentsales,thecompanyweatheredthe the various systems (and kept us from making mistakes), gavepandemic and jobs were retained. Since March 2020, TentCraft us examples of capability statements, helped us format ourhasbeenawardedover$2millioninfederalgovernment government page on the TentCraft website, as well as createcontracts (Source: USASpending.gov.)ourowncapabilitystatement,saidMattBulloch,TentCraft President. For more information about TentCraft, go to Tentcraft.com.When the COVID-19 crisis hit in 2020, and demand for its custom- Our work with the PTAC has shown us printed tents disappeared, TentCraft had to pivot to keep itsthat there is a world of opportunity for us employees working. The company recognized a critical need for portable, quick-deploy tents and shelters to support medicalto seize. We look forward to continuing to testing and containment, and emergency response activities.work with the PTAC to bid on government TentCraft quickly realized that selling to the government is rifecontracts as they become available.with government-specific rules and regulations and complicated stepsandprocedures.Becauseoftheexistingrelationship, Matt Bulloch, TentCraft PresidentTentCraft turned to the PTAC for assistance.The PTAC collaborated with TentCrafts supply chain manager and sales team and provided support and technical assistance including information on regulations and guidelines; contact information for agencies (and large prime contractors)in need of emergency supplies; assistance responding to solicitations from the Veterans Administration and FEMA; bid-match services focusedonCOVIDresponsesupplies;informationonGSA Schedules; market research and procurement history; help with government-specific marketing material; and assistance with government registrations. In 2020, the PTAC recorded nearly 100 hours of counseling hours time assisting TentCraft, Inc.The PTAC has been helpful researching new opportunities, saidBulloch.Theseefforts,withthePTACsguidance,gave us an enormous amount of credibility with the VA when we worked with their individual hospitals and regions on COVID-19 screening products and mobile infirmaries.BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT / NETWORKSNORTHWEST.ORG 23'