The Oklahoma Bid Assistance Network (OBAN), is Oklahoma’s statewide Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP) resource provider network. PTAP providers are a local resource available at no cost that can provide assistance to business firms in marketing products and services to Federal, state and local governments.

The OBAN mission is to contribute to creation of jobs and expansion of the economy in Oklahoma by providing specific, valuable resources to Oklahoma businesses as a PTAP provider network.

The Oklahoma Bid Assistance Network is funded in part by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) under the Department of Defense Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP), the state of Oklahoma through the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE) and individual technology school districts in Oklahoma. OBAN Bid Assistance Coordinators are located within 16 technology school districts in the state. The OBAN Program management and administration is provided through a program office located at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education in Stillwater. The individual OBAN program sites are staffed with Bid Assistance Coordinators and support staff who offer marketing, technical consulting and training to businesses in the state, specifically:

• Government Registrations
• Identifying Bid Opportunities
• Forms, Specifications and Publications
• One-on-One Counseling
• Procurement Histories
• Seminars, Training Events and Workshops
• Specifications, Standards and Drawings
• Subcontracting Assistance
• State of Oklahoma Department of Central Services Purchasing

Tulsa Technology Center (TulsaTech) provides PTAP resources and services through the district’s Business and Industry Services (BIS) organization. The TulsaTech office is located at the Training Center, 3638 S. Memorial Drive, Tulsa.

Resources and Services Available

• Government Registrations
Companies positioning themselves to pursue and compete for government contracts at all levels must in most cases be registered with the applicable government agency. At the US federal level, registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is mandatory. Additionally, businesses will further certify their business status in the electronic Online Representations and Certifications (ORCA). Small businesses and businesses desiring to be recognized as small, disadvantaged and/or HUBZone status will need to register with the Small Business Administration (SBA). Registration with the State of Oklahoma Department of Central Services provides prospective vendors with notification of business and contacting opportunities. County and city/local agencies may also require vendor registration. The OBAN office can assist you in collecting the information you will need for CCR, ORCA, SBA and State of Oklahoma vendor registrations.
• Identifying Bid Opportunities
Identifying government bid opportunities can be very time consuming! Utilizing keyword search techniques and a robust provider of IT services, OBAN electronic bid matching scans a large, comprehensive list of local, state, DoD, other federal and global government agencies to provide a daily report of solicitations specifically matched to your company's product or service. Bid Match provides a wide variety of government bid opportunities, including those from the FedBizOpps database, the DLA internet bulletin boards (DIBBS), various other federal electronic commerce systems, state and local agencies, and foreign entities. To ensure that you see only those bids you are interested in, we will help you develop search profiles containing keywords, specific, applicable Product Service Codes (PSC/FSCs) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, and further limited by geographic area in which your company’s products/services can be provided.
• Forms and Publications
Government contracts/solicitations frequently refer to documents to explain rules and regulations that must be followed under the government contract at hand. We can draw on OBAN hardcopy and electronic resources if you are in need of a government form or publication. We additionally have access to a wide range of resources as a PTAP provider. Contact your local OBAN office for further assistance.
• One-on-One Counseling
One of OBAN’s most requested and utilized services is one-on-one business counseling. OBAN Bid Coordinators provide an opportunity for clients to address specific client issues, for example: applications and registrations, marketing strategies, bid preparation assistance, subcontracting opportunities, pre-award survey preparation, quality requirements, contract modifications, electronic commerce, and troubleshooting of existing contracts. Contact your local OBAN office for further assistance.
• Procurement Histories
OBAN Program Office in Stillwater provides Bid Coordinators with access to procurement history and technical data, if available, on National Stock Numbers (NSNs) and Part Numbers (P/Ns). This information is generally available on a short turnaround time and is free to the OBAN clients. Contact your local OBAN office for further assistance.
• Seminars, Training Events and Workshops
The OBAN Bid Assistance Coordinators frequently host training sessions to assist local companies in learning more about specific government procurement topics. Training programs hosted at other OBAN sites are also available to OBAN clients statewide. OBAN Coordinators and staffs also participate in regional and statewide events related to government contracting providing keynote, breakout session presentations and Q&A sessions. Event schedules are maintained on the OBAN website, www.okbid.org.
• Specifications, Standards and Drawings
Government contractors are frequently in need of specifications. OBAN provides access to many government specifications, such as Military Specifications and Standards, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Standards, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards, and Aerospace Industries Association of America/National Aerospace Standards (AIA/NAS) documents. Inquiries for specifications from OBAN clients are processed in a timely manner through the OBAN Program Office in Stillwater with electronic copies provided same day if available in the OBAN files. Contact your local OBAN office for further assistance.
• Subcontracting Assistance
Providing services on a subcontract basis with a federal government Prime contractor is an excellent opportunity for many small and medium size businesses. The Federal Government has a legislated policy that small, small disadvantaged, 8(a) certified, 8(a)women-owned small, HUBZone, veteran owned, and service disabled veteran owned concerns shall have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in the performance of Federal contracts. Additionally, federal prime contractors who receive contracts valued at $550,000 (or $1,000,000 for construction) are required to carry out this policy in the awarding of subcontracts to the fullest extent consistent with the efficient performance of the contract. Tips for marketing to prime contractors:
• Do your research! Search prime contractor web sites and learn where you fit in. Since these companies are so large, you need to understand what areas of what companies can utilize your products/services. This will avoid time spending marketing to divisions that cannot utilize your products/services.
• Fill out and submit vendor registrations. Most prime contractors have areas on their web sites for potential vendors to register and become an interested supplier. Be sure to complete the registration prior to making contact.
• Locate and contact the Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO). SBLOs assist small businesses in doing business with their organization, their contact information is typically available on their company web site.
• Utilize SUB-Net. If you are construction contractor, refer to the Small Business Administration Subcontracting Network (SUB-Net) for current opportunities: http://web.sba.gov/subnet/search/dsp_search_option.cfm.

There are a number of other ways in which the OBAN program can assist companies in pursuing subcontracting opportunities, both locally and at the national/international level. Contact your local OBAN office for further assistance.

State of Oklahoma Department of Central Services Purchasing

The State of Oklahoma Department of Central Services manages the procurement of goods and services for most state agencies subject to specific dollar values. The DCS maintains a website for central purchasing at www.ok.gov/DCS/Central_Purchasing/index.html that includes construction and also goods/services requirement that may be viewed and downloaded. The site additionally provides links for prospective vendors to use to register with the DCS as a vendor for the Commodity Class or Classes that are applicable to the company’s business.

Contact Information:

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Tulsa Technology Center, Training Center

Physical Address:
3638 South Memorial Drive
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145-1327
918-828-5400
918-828-5429 FAX

Mailing Address:
PO BOX 477200
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74147