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Graceland Fruit Makes $4.5 Million Sale With Help From PTAC

FRANKFORT, MI – Graceland Fruit in Frankfort is selling $4.5 million worth of dried cherries to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Northwest Michigan Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), hosted by Networks Northwest, helped the company make the sale. Graceland, a producer of dried fruits, including cranberries, cherries, blueberries, and apples, has sold products to the USDA since 2001. But this spring they were notified of the bid just two weeks prior to the deadline so they contacted the PTAC for assistance.

Graceland officials say a USDA Bid is a very important part of their business and PTAC was able to assist them with submitting the bid on a moment’s notice. PTAC staff reviewed bid documents and helped Graceland create, review, and finalize the bid while they were submitting it electronically.

Graceland officials say “the peace of mind and ease of contacting PTAC relieved a lot of stress and PTAC service is a vital part of successfully being able to submit bids to the USDA.”

The dried cherries Graceland sold to the USDA will be delivered to various locations from July 1, 2019 through September 30, 2019.

The Northwest Michigan Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) helped businesses earn over $79 million in government contracts during 2018. Nearly 400 jobs in the northwest Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula were created or sustained due to those client contract award dollars.

The Northwest Michigan PTAC is based in Traverse City and serves businesses in the northwest Lower Peninsula and the entire Upper Peninsula. The PTAC provides no-cost technical consulting, training, and marketing services aimed at assisting companies with obtaining and performing under local, state, and federal contracts. PTAC’s services include personalized one-on-one counseling, bid match notifications, contracting and subcontracting assistance, pre- and post-award assistance, and more. PTAC offers assistance through all stages of government contracting.

This procurement technical assistance center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency. This PTAC is funded in part by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and is hosted by Networks Northwest. To learn more about PTAC’s services, visit nwm.org/ptac.

Our Township greatly benefits from Network Northwest's experience, depth of knowledge and understanding. Because they work with so many diverse communities in our ten-county region they understand the local land-use issues and are already working on solutions by the time we realize we need some help.
- Susan Odom, Chair, Suttons Bay Township Planning Commission