To establish and maintain an apex accelerator to serve as a resource for business entities, including newly started business entities, to obtain procurement technical assistance

The Monterey County Business Council, Inc. received a cooperative agreement award of $384,844.08 from the Office of the Secretary of Defense under the Procurement Technical Assistance For Business Firms program (CFDA 12.002), effective July 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026. Under this award, the awardee will establish and maintain an APEX Accelerator center to deliver free procurement technical assistance to businesses of all sizes, including newly started enterprises, throughout California. The center will provide professional, specialized counseling, training, and technical guidance to enable clients to identify contractual opportunities and successfully compete for government contracts with the Department of Defense, federal agencies, state and local governments, and their contractors.

The services delivered through this award are designed to strengthen the domestic supply chain by removing barriers to government contracting participation. The APEX Accelerator will assist business entities in understanding procurement processes, developing competitive proposals, and obtaining or performing under contracts, innovation and technology grants, and other federally funded instruments. These comprehensive procurement assistance services support the federal government's broader objective of fostering diverse business participation in federal, state, and local government contracting opportunities.

Procurement technical assistance means professional, specialized assistance provided to clients that enables them to identify potential contractual opportunities and obtain or perform under contracts, innovation and technology grants or contracts, and other federally funded instruments, with DOD, other federal agencies, state and/or local governments, and/or with federal, state and/or local government contractors.