{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-sba-commerceri-team-up-to-help-ri-small-businesses-compete-for-more-government-work", "Reed, SBA, CommerceRI Team Up to Help RI Small Businesses Compete for More Government Work", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/05/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0PROVIDENCE, RI \u2013 The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is partnering with the CommerceRI and its Procurement Technical Assistance Center to provide free counseling and training programs to the Rhode Island small business community on various aspects of federal, state and local procurement.\r\nThe co-sponsorship agreement was signed this morning by SBA Regional Administrator Seth Goodall and John (JR) Pagliarini, CommerceRI Chief of Staff, and SBA resource partners Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) and the RI Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and is effective immediately.\r\nFifteen workshops are included in the series and will cover topics ranging from marketing to the government, GSA schedules and Construction contracting for the Federal Government.\r\n\u201cThe SBA, CommerceRI, and PTAC are joining forces to provide even more effective managerial, technical, and contractual assistance to small businesses here in Rhode Island.\u00a0 The programs they offer can help companies looking to do business with the federal government, especially with the Department of Defense.\u00a0 I commend these organizations for working together to help local businesses pursue new contract opportunities, and ultimately help generate new jobs and a stronger economy.\u00a0 We want to ensure that more Rhode Island companies like Pilgrim Screw can compete and succeed,\u201d said US Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Armed Services Committee who has championed the PTAC program through his career and helped authorize $35.7 million for PTACs across the country in the latest National Defense Authorization Act.\r\nWorkshops will be held around the state to encourage more small business owners to get involved in government contracting.\u00a0 \u201cThis co-sponsorship agreement outlines how the SBA and CommerceRI will work to reach the business community and provide assistance in marketing, veterans\u2019 verification and cost and pricing methods,\u201d said Marcel Valois, Commerce RI Executive Director.\u00a0 \u201cWe know that this will be a springboard for many opportunities in Federal, State and local contracting,\u201d added Valois.\r\n\u201cSBA welcomes the opportunity to work with Bristol officials and our resource partners to bring these workshops and counseling opportunities to small businesses,\u201d said Seth Goodall, SBA Regional Administrator.\u00a0 \u201cThe workshops will be presented by instructors with a wealth of subject knowledge and I urge small business owners and managers to take advantage of these session.\u201d\r\nThe workshop series is also cosponsored by the Center for Women & Enterprise and the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center.\r\nAll workshops are open to the public and preregistration is required.\u00a0 To view the list of workshops and to register online, visit www.riptac.org/training or call PTAC at (401) 278-9173.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-sba-commerceri-team-up-to-help-ri-small-businesses-compete-for-more-government-work"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.3410210851579905, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}