Federal Cooperative Agreement Award Summary

The CAL Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation (HSU Foundation) received a $647,180.04 Cooperative Agreement from the Office of the Secretary of Defense under the Procurement Technical Assistance For Business Firms program (CFDA 12.002) to establish and maintain an APEX Accelerator center serving California. The award, effective April 1, 2026 through March 30, 2027, funds the delivery of free procurement technical assistance services to U.S. businesses of all sizes, including newly established enterprises, minority-owned firms, and those in underserved regions. The APEX Accelerator center provides comprehensive counseling, training, and technical guidance to help business entities navigate federal, state, and local government procurement processes, identify contracting opportunities, and develop competitive proposals for government contracts.

This cooperative agreement supports the Department of Defense's objective to strengthen the domestic supply chain by enabling broader business participation in government contracting. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution and research administration intermediary for Cal Poly Humboldt, the Foundation leverages its institutional expertise and community engagement infrastructure to deliver specialized procurement assistance services across Northern California and surrounding regions, contributing to the nationwide network of APEX Accelerator centers operating in virtually every state and U.S. territory.