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The Tar Heel Newsletter - North Carolina District Office - October 2019 Thomas A. Stith III Takes Over as SBA North Carolina District Director Thomas A. Stith III was sworn-in as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) North Carolina District Director during a ceremony on September 30, 2019. In this role, Stith will oversee an office that drives economic development by assisting local entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. He will also direct the implementation of SBA programs related to accessing capital, business advising, and government contracts. “I look forward to working with the North Carolina SBA team, our state resource partners, and the small business owners of the Tar Heel state,” said Stith. “Moving forward I plan to reaffirm our relationship with current clients and want to ensure aspiring small business owners are aware of the SBA’s resources.” Last fiscal year the SBA North Carolina District backed over $675 million in loans to small businesses and over 16,000 entrepreneurs were trained and counseled through SBA’s resource partners. The district office also witnessed more than $2.2 billion in contracts awarded to North Carolina small businesses. Stith comes to the SBA from The Michael Thomas Group, a consulting firm he co-founded to advise clients seeking business development opportunities in the public and private sectors. He worked with clients to improve their understanding of and ability to perform marketing, government relations, strategic planning, and internal assessment functions. Stith also recently served with Rivermont Capital, where he was a senior advisor in the areas of investment, development opportunities, and investor relations. Immediately prior, he was the president of a state-of-the-art toxicology lab and health care consulting function at LJP Lab. In this position he had corporate responsibility for profit/loss, strategic planning, market development, operations, human resources, and state/federal relationships. Stith also served as Chief of Staff to Governor Pat McCrory from 2013 to 2017 and a City of Durham councilman from 1999 to 2007. A native of Durham, North Carolina, Stith is a graduate of North Carolina Central University earning a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. 2020 National Small Business Week Award Nominations The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its 2020 National Small Business Week Awards! For more than 50 years, National Small Business Week has celebrated the inspiring achievements of America’s small businesses and the countless contributions they make to their local communities, and to our nation’s economy. Please take a moment to visit sba.gov/nsbw to nominate a deserving small business owner in your area. SBA Awards given in celebration of National Small Business Week from May 3-9, 2020 include the following: Small Business Person of the Year One from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Small Business Exporter of the Year Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery: Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recover Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer Federal Procurement Awards: Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors) 8(a) Graduate of the Year Awards to SBA Resource Partners: Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year Jody C. Raskind Lender of the Year Small Business Investment Company of the Year All nominations must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. EST, Jan. 7, 2020. All nomination packages must be hand delivered or mailed to the nearest SBA Office. Email submissions of SBA Awards forms will not be accepted as they contain personally identifiable information (PII). For more information contact: Gregory.Grevelding@sba.gov or at 704-344-6588 Cybersecurity for Your Business Please join the SBA and Mark Haupt to learn important best practices on how to make your business safer and more secure online. This FREE one-hour webinar is for anyone concerned about: Threat types such ransomware, mal-ware and phishing and other types of online attack methods aimed at your business As well as identifying and understanding, which business assets cyber criminals want. The impact of losing your personal confidential data Learning how to protect your assets with solutions such as pre-breach readiness, analytics, IT network risk testing and continuous advanced threat monitoring among others Responding quickly to minimize impact and implementing an action plan Benefits of having proper cyber security protection Next steps in determining your exposures and needs Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST Cost: Free Register North Carolina Veterans Small Business Forum Come meet with the SBA and local business resource organizations on Friday, November 8 at the North Carolina National Guard Joint Force Headquarters at 1636 Gold Star Drive Raleigh, NC for a vetearns small business forum. Learn how to leverage federal business certifications (VOSB, SDVOSB, WOSB, 8a, SB, SDB, and HUBZone) for potential sole and single source contracts available to you as veteran business owner. Learn how to develop your roadmap for business success Network with veteran business owners and business resource organizations. Lecture topics will include: Intro to Government Contracting Certifications Access to Capital SBA Programs Active Duty, Veterans and Spouses are invited to attend. Date: Friday, November 8, 2019 Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm EST Cost: This event is FREE but registration is required Register More information can be founds at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/north-carolina-veterans-small-business-forum-tickets-76068191007 Mentor Protégé Conference The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Business Development will host its 5th Annual Mentor-Protégé Conference in Arlington, VA at the Double Tree Hotel on November 12-13, 2019. The conference will give small and large businesses access to information on the laws, rules, and regulations that govern the SBA’s Mentor Protégé Programs to include the new program for all small businesses. The event will offer an opportunity to meet top level executives that lead federal contracting and small business programs, and will provide matchmaking for potential mentors and protégés. Register More information can be found at https://www.sbampp2019.com/ Global Perspectives on Technology Commercialization The Small Business and Technology Development Center in Raleigh, NC is host for this half-day networking event. Attendees have the opportunity to learn about: Non-dilutive funding sources with international ties Identifying equity investors outside the U.S. Successful local tech companies with international trade Licensing vs partnering with a foreign company State and federal resources to help your business grow internationally IP protection issues to consider Attendees can also meet with selected speakers one-on-one and network with fellow entrepreneurs. Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST Location: RTP Foundation 12 Davis Drive RTP, NC 27709 Register More information can be found at http://www.sbtdc.org/events/techsymposium/index.htm Federal Contracting System Updates:(BETA.SAM.GOV & DUNS) FPDS Transition to Beta.SAM.gov - October 25, 2019 The FPDS reports have been developed, the admin reports are in progress. Data is being verified to ensure the report results are the same as the corresponding reports in the FPDS system. Users can: Execute 34 Contract Data report Select or enter report criteria to refine the report data Have 12-year report time span instead of 5-year in FPDS. The data ceiling is raised from 30,000 rows to 150,000 rows. As an example, the FY2018 Small Business Report that is now available on the FPDS site be moved to beta.SAM.gov The report can be accessed under the Reports tab: FPDS Reports Upcoming Changes to DUNS – December 2020 The U.S. Government is moving to a new Government-owned Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) which will ultimately become the primary key to identify entities throughout SAM, other IAE systems, and downstream Government systems. The DUNS will be phased out as the primary key to identify entity records within SAM In accordance with procurement and Federal assistance regulations, the Government requires a public-facing, unique entity identifier (UEI) for both domestic and international entities to be available for use in Government-wide systems. SAM registration involves the creation or assignment of that UEI which is necessary to identify newly registering entities, entities updating their registration, all existing active entity registrations, and active entity exclusions. Starting in December 2020, the DUNS number will no longer be the official identifier for doing business with the U.S. Government. The SAM Managed Unique Entity Identifier will map to existing codes such as CAGE, TIN/EIN, and previously-assigned DUNS. During the transition to the new Entity Validation Services provider, the Government will receive continued service from Dun & Bradstreet to maintain award reporting, and the DUNS will continue to be issued alongside the SAM Managed Unique Entity Identifier. Agencies cannot overwrite the DUNS field with the SAM Managed Unique Entity Identifier. For historical purposes, DUNS will continue to be available for awards made prior to the transition to the SAM Managed Unique Entity Identifier. An announcement has been posted in the Federal Register to give notice about the new UEI which includes the final technical specification for the identifier standard. Contract Bonds & Surety Bond Guarantee Webinar Learn how to obtain contract bonds up to $10 million! Date: Friday, October 25, 2019 Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST Dial-in: 1 (202) 765-1264 Access Code: 421111631# or Join Skype Meeting Access webinar up to 10 minutes prior to start time. Click or copy & paste access link into browser to attend. Instructions for connecting to audio will be presented on screen. Hosted by: North Carolina and South Carolina District Offices Karen Hoskins, Lead Lender Relations Specialist (704) 344-6381 karen.hoskins@sba.gov Frank Anderson, Lender Relations Specialist (803) 253-3018 Frank.anderson@sba.gov Export Your Business to the Next Level with SBA By Ashely Bell SBA Region IV Administrator Exports are a central part of America’s economic growth. With 95% of all consumers living outside of our country, our nation’s businesses have an opportunity to reach two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power through international trade. Through innovation and modern trade agreements, entrepreneurs have an opportunity now more than ever to focus their attention on the value of trade and the benefits of exporting. Today’s international business environment provides exponential growth opportunities for any small business owner. The SBA has several resources to help entrepreneurs navigate doing business outside of the United States. Whether a business is located in an urban or rural setting, the SBA may assist from marketing, to seeking global clients, to financing an export deal. One great resource located across the Southeast are the SBA’s Export Finance Managers. These export specialists work hand in hand with the Department of Commerce and Ex-Im Bank to ensure the tools and resources are available to any entrepreneur to succeed in exporting. If someone is purchasing your good or service within the U.S., then there is a great chance consumers in another country will purchase as well. Learn more about how SBA resources and partners may assist you with exporting online here. Today, trade represents 58% of the world’s $80 trillion economy. The SBA wants to help you be a part of that percentage. One way our agency boosts small business export-related activities is by providing competitive grants for entrepreneurs accessing international markets. The grant program is called the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), and the SBA recently awarded $18 million to 41 state international trade agencies that successfully competed for funding. The SBA partners with each STEP grant winner to provide helpful resources to assist small businesses with engaging in trade activities, such as joining foreign trade missions, accessing expertise to design international marketing campaigns, and participating in training workshops to name a few. This program demonstrates how the SBA collaborates with states to best deliver the tools you need as an entrepreneur to succeed. Several of the STEP grants have been awarded to states across the Southeast (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee), with nearly $2.5 million in funding. To learn more about the STEP grants, please visit here. We look forward to helping you grow your business and take it international. To learn more about what is happening in your neighborhood, please follow us on twitter @SBASoutheast. Follow us on Twitter! @SBA_NC SBA North Carolina Lending Activity SBA North Carolina Lending Activity SBA North Carolina District Office 6302 Fairview Road, Suite 300 Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: (704) 344-6563 http://www.sba.gov/nc Follow us @ SBA_NC
The Tar Heel Newsletter - North Carolina District Office - October 2019
Thomas A. Stith III was sworn-in as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) North Carolina District Director during a ceremony on September 30, 2019.
In this role, Stith will oversee an office that drives economic development by assisting local entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. He will also direct the implementation of SBA programs related to accessing capital, business advising, and government contracts.
“I look forward to working with the North Carolina SBA team, our state resource partners, and the small business owners of the Tar Heel state,” said Stith. “Moving forward I plan to reaffirm our relationship with current clients and want to ensure aspiring small business owners are aware of the SBA’s resources.”
Last fiscal year the SBA North Carolina District backed over $675 million in loans to small businesses and over 16,000 entrepreneurs were trained and counseled through SBA’s resource partners. The district office also witnessed more than $2.2 billion in contracts awarded to North Carolina small businesses.
Stith comes to the SBA from The Michael Thomas Group, a consulting firm he co-founded to advise clients seeking business development opportunities in the public and private sectors. He worked with clients to improve their understanding of and ability to perform marketing, government relations, strategic planning, and internal assessment functions.
Stith also recently served with Rivermont Capital, where he was a senior advisor in the areas of investment, development opportunities, and investor relations. Immediately prior, he was the president of a state-of-the-art toxicology lab and health care consulting function at LJP Lab. In this position he had corporate responsibility for profit/loss, strategic planning, market development, operations, human resources, and state/federal relationships.
Stith also served as Chief of Staff to Governor Pat McCrory from 2013 to 2017 and a City of Durham councilman from 1999 to 2007.
A native of Durham, North Carolina, Stith is a graduate of North Carolina Central University earning a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its 2020 National Small Business Week Awards!
For more than 50 years, National Small Business Week has celebrated the inspiring achievements of America’s small businesses and the countless contributions they make to their local communities, and to our nation’s economy.
Please take a moment to visit sba.gov/nsbw to nominate a deserving small business owner in your area.
SBA Awards given in celebration of National Small Business Week from May 3-9, 2020 include the following:
All nominations must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. EST, Jan. 7, 2020. All nomination packages must be hand delivered or mailed to the nearest SBA Office. Email submissions of SBA Awards forms will not be accepted as they contain personally identifiable information (PII).
For more information contact: Gregory.Grevelding@sba.gov or at 704-344-6588
Please join the SBA and Mark Haupt to learn important best practices on how to make your business safer and more secure online.
This FREE one-hour webinar is for anyone concerned about:
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST Cost: Free
Come meet with the SBA and local business resource organizations on Friday, November 8 at the North Carolina National Guard Joint Force Headquarters at 1636 Gold Star Drive Raleigh, NC for a vetearns small business forum.
Learn how to leverage federal business certifications (VOSB, SDVOSB, WOSB, 8a, SB, SDB, and HUBZone) for potential sole and single source contracts available to you as veteran business owner.
Learn how to develop your roadmap for business success
Network with veteran business owners and business resource organizations.
Lecture topics will include:
Active Duty, Veterans and Spouses are invited to attend.
Date: Friday, November 8, 2019 Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm EST Cost: This event is FREE but registration is required
More information can be founds at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/north-carolina-veterans-small-business-forum-tickets-76068191007
The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Business Development will host its 5th Annual Mentor-Protégé Conference in Arlington, VA at the Double Tree Hotel on November 12-13, 2019.
The conference will give small and large businesses access to information on the laws, rules, and regulations that govern the SBA’s Mentor Protégé Programs to include the new program for all small businesses. The event will offer an opportunity to meet top level executives that lead federal contracting and small business programs, and will provide matchmaking for potential mentors and protégés.
More information can be found at https://www.sbampp2019.com/
The Small Business and Technology Development Center in Raleigh, NC is host for this half-day networking event. Attendees have the opportunity to learn about:
Attendees can also meet with selected speakers one-on-one and network with fellow entrepreneurs.
Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST Location: RTP Foundation 12 Davis Drive RTP, NC 27709
More information can be found at http://www.sbtdc.org/events/techsymposium/index.htm
FPDS Transition to Beta.SAM.gov - October 25, 2019
Upcoming Changes to DUNS – December 2020
Learn how to obtain contract bonds up to $10 million!
Date: Friday, October 25, 2019 Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST
Dial-in: 1 (202) 765-1264 Access Code: 421111631# or Join Skype Meeting
Access webinar up to 10 minutes prior to start time. Click or copy & paste access link into browser to attend. Instructions for connecting to audio will be presented on screen.
Hosted by: North Carolina and South Carolina District Offices Karen Hoskins, Lead Lender Relations Specialist (704) 344-6381 karen.hoskins@sba.gov
Frank Anderson, Lender Relations Specialist (803) 253-3018 Frank.anderson@sba.gov
Exports are a central part of America’s economic growth. With 95% of all consumers living outside of our country, our nation’s businesses have an opportunity to reach two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power through international trade. Through innovation and modern trade agreements, entrepreneurs have an opportunity now more than ever to focus their attention on the value of trade and the benefits of exporting. Today’s international business environment provides exponential growth opportunities for any small business owner.
The SBA has several resources to help entrepreneurs navigate doing business outside of the United States. Whether a business is located in an urban or rural setting, the SBA may assist from marketing, to seeking global clients, to financing an export deal. One great resource located across the Southeast are the SBA’s Export Finance Managers. These export specialists work hand in hand with the Department of Commerce and Ex-Im Bank to ensure the tools and resources are available to any entrepreneur to succeed in exporting. If someone is purchasing your good or service within the U.S., then there is a great chance consumers in another country will purchase as well. Learn more about how SBA resources and partners may assist you with exporting online here.
Today, trade represents 58% of the world’s $80 trillion economy. The SBA wants to help you be a part of that percentage. One way our agency boosts small business export-related activities is by providing competitive grants for entrepreneurs accessing international markets. The grant program is called the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), and the SBA recently awarded $18 million to 41 state international trade agencies that successfully competed for funding. The SBA partners with each STEP grant winner to provide helpful resources to assist small businesses with engaging in trade activities, such as joining foreign trade missions, accessing expertise to design international marketing campaigns, and participating in training workshops to name a few. This program demonstrates how the SBA collaborates with states to best deliver the tools you need as an entrepreneur to succeed.
Several of the STEP grants have been awarded to states across the Southeast (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee), with nearly $2.5 million in funding. To learn more about the STEP grants, please visit here.
We look forward to helping you grow your business and take it international. To learn more about what is happening in your neighborhood, please follow us on twitter @SBASoutheast.
6302 Fairview Road, Suite 300 Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: (704) 344-6563 http://www.sba.gov/nc Follow us @ SBA_NC