Federal Cooperative Agreement Award Summary

The University of the Virgin Islands, through its Office of Sponsored Programs, received a $465,885 Cooperative Agreement from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, awarded July 1, 2026, with a completion date of June 30, 2027. This award funds the establishment and maintenance of an APEX Accelerator (Procurement Technical Assistance for Business Firms, CFDA 12.002) designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for business entities, including newly launched enterprises, seeking procurement technical assistance. The APEX Accelerator will provide free government contracting education and advisory services to help U.S. businesses, particularly those in the U.S. Virgin Islands, understand and successfully participate in federal, state, and local government procurement opportunities.

The award supports the University of the Virgin Islands' mission to strengthen the regional supply chain and foster economic development by delivering procurement assistance services to diverse businesses. As a minority-serving, non-profit educational institution and the only higher education institution in the U.S. Virgin Islands territory, UVI is positioned to leverage its existing federal contracting expertise and community engagement infrastructure to provide technical guidance on federal contracting processes, business development support, and educational outreach to prospective government vendors in the region.