Opportunity is Knocking

Last week, Del Mar College hosted “The Big Event”.  The seminar featured topics related to our region’s Booming Oilfields, International Trade, and Government Contracting. 

Experts addressed Eagle Ford Shale and anticipated regional impact.  State Representative Todd Hunter spoke about his intent to bring the cruise ship industry to Corpus Christi.  Sandy Sanders, Deputy Director of the Port of Corpus Christi, talked about huge projects that are underway, including the La Quinta Trade Gateway Terminal Project and preparations to ready the Corpus Christi Ship Channel in preparation of the Panama Canal widening and deepening.

With all this opportunity and activity around us, businesses should be positioning to get their share of the pie.  That’s where Del Mar’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) came in.

PTAC representatives provided information about how to register with the U.S. government and be considered for projects.  They discussed procurement systems and how to search for government project opportunities.  They also arranged for groups such as the Small Business Administration (SBA) to discuss programs geared towards helping small and disadvantaged businesses compete in the federal procurement market.  Representatives from local, federal, and municipal entities were also present, all willing to offer small and local businesses a hand. 

“The Big Event” affirmed that no matter what your industry, big happenings in our region translate to significant opportunity for all of us.

All this great, but useless, unless we do something with it.  So the “Big Question” now becomes: With so much opportunity knocking, will our small and local businesses answer?