The Kentucky Procurement Technical Assistance Center (KYPTAC), an initiative of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC), has rebranded to Kentucky APEX Accelerator.
The rebrand comes as part of a larger move for the national Procurement Technical Assistance Program, which was previously housed in the Defense Logistics Agency and moved to the Department of Defense (DOD) in October 2022, according to a news release.
“Last fiscal year we helped Kentucky businesses secure over $2 billion in contracts through the Kentucky Procurement Technical Assistance Center. We’re proud to continue those services as the Kentucky arm of the new federal APEX Accelerators program,” KSTC President Terry Samuel said in the release.
KY APEX Accelerator is one of more than 90 APEX Accelerators around the country. The DOD-led program provides matching funds through cooperative agreements with state and local governments and nonprofit organizations for the establishment of what was formerly known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, now the APEX Accelerators, to provide procurement assistance.
The mission of the APEX Accelerators is to serve as the axis for existing and new business to strengthen the defense industrial base by accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains, the release states.
The KY APEX Accelerator offers free services to help Kentucky businesses win government contracts at the national, state and local level. The team provides statewide coverage through seven regional offices in Bowling Green, Covington, Elizabethtown, Lexington, Louisville, Morehead and Paducah, Kentucky.
Under the DOD, the offices' services have expanded to include assistance with cybersecurity; risks of foreign ownership, control and influence (FOCI); and protection of intellectual property.
“Our clients rely on our services to help them navigate the complex world of government contracting,” said KY APEX Accelerator Executive Director Nancy Brown in the release. “This change will help our clients succeed across an even wider range of contracting topics.”
In addition to consulting services, KY APEX Accelerator also partners with local and state agencies such as the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and KY Innovation to foster economic growth in Kentucky.
The group’s Construction Diversity Accelerator hosted in partnership with Turner Construction and the University of Kentucky is accepting applications through Jan. 27 for the spring 2023 cohort.
Those interested in free services from KY APEX Accelerator can click here to learn more.
