Volume 6, Issue 1 Fall 2007 Phone: 617-720-3300 Fax: 617-727-4527 M/WBE TALK Email: [email protected] Web: www.mass.gov/amp One Ashburton Place, Room 1017 Boston, MA 02108 This Issue... The Director’s Corner ..........1 The Director’s Corner About the AMP .....................1 AMP Board Hosts 3rd Annual Welcome to the AMP fall issue of the M/WBE Talk Legislative Breakfast ..........1 newsletter. The purpose of our newsletters is to SOMWBA Certified Vendor: bring the AMP community information that is valu- able and interesting. In addition, to highlight the Rapport International .................2 work and experience of certified vendors and de- FY07 AMP Kickoff ...............3 partment program coordinators. Certified vendors AMP Vendor Success: Global and coordinators alike are encouraged to submit Advanced Technology .........3 contributions. Here is a brief snapshot of some of Monsi Quinones, AMP Executive Director AMP Funded! .......................5 our services and activities planned for FY07 to speaks at FY07 AMP Kickoff “Meet the give you and idea of how you can participate. In- Vendor” Meeting State Energy Contract Gets formation for all our events are posted in the Pro- Creative with AMP Plan ......6 gram Services page on our website. (See “Directors Corner”, continued on page 6.) M/WBE Training Opportunity About the Affirmative Market Program Historical Perspective M/WBE Advanced The Commonwealth’s Affirmative Market Program (AMP) was established by Executive Training Order 390 to promote equality in the state contracting market by ensuring the full par- will take place on ticipation of minority and women owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) in all areas of January 18, 2007 state contracting including construction, design, goods and services. Housed within the Operational Services Division, the Affirmative Market Program’s (AMP) mission is to in- From 9:00—1:00 p.m on crease business opportunities for M/WBEs and diversify our workforce. the 21st Floor of One Program Benefits Ashburton Place,Boston. • Stimulates economic growth Registration can be made from the Affirmative Market • M/WBE Capacity Building Program Services page on • Job creation for the local community our website: www.mass.gov/ • Assits small and disadvantaged businesses amp • Supports Massachusetts vendors • Educates and empowers M/WBEs to ensure their participation in public contracting (See “About The AMP” continued on page 4.) 3rd Annual AMP Legislative Breakfast The AMP Business Advisory Board will be hosting the Third Annual AMP Legislative Breakfast on Wednesday, Novem- ber 29, 2006 in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss implementing AMP Initiatives, M/WBEs at the procurement table, AMP successful partnerships, funding support for resources, AMP success stories and a general legislative discussion. The AMP Advisory Board encourages M/WBE’s, and State Departments to attend this breakfast. If you would like to attend, please R.S.V.P. to Janet Santa Anna, AMP Board at [email protected]. Page 2 M/WBE TALK Doing Business with the State from a SOMWBA Cer- tified Vendor’s Perspective— Rapport International Wendy Pease 978-443-2540 [email protected] www.rapportintl.com Year 1 Jamie Crespo, Creative Director of DIVERSO, a SOMWBA –Certified mar- Wendy Pease, Executive Director from Rapport International (www. keting company, provides an overview rapportintl.com), a company offering foreign language services, completes of his company at the “Meet the Ven- SOMWBA certification paperwork and starts calling into agencies to sell dor” segment of the October AMP translation services. No luck, even though the company is SOMWBA certi- Coordinators meeting. fied. Finding the right people to talk to is time consuming and difficult. In September 2005, Wendy attended the AMP kickoff event and heard how all the agencies want to support small businesses and women-owned busi- nesses. That pumps her up, so she approaches the first table in a confi- dent mood. Sorry, you are not on the State Translation Contract, we can’t use you. Table 2 – same story. And so on…. Until, someone points out Tess Francisco, the contracting manager for the State Translation Contract. Wendy approaches her with hopes of getting on the Contract but learns that the contract does not reopen for two years. Tess did suggest that she "Not everything talk to printers on the State Contract and become a subcontractor. Wendy returns to the office and starts cold calling the printers on State Contract – that is faced can to no avail. Frustrating year for winning MA State business even if Rapport be changed, but is SOMWBA certified. nothing can be Year 2 changed until it Blue Cross Blue Shield contacts Rapport International for a translation as- signment as part of meeting their AMP bidding requirements. Wendy is faced." learns that BCBS found Rapport International through the SOMWBA certifi- cation listings. Hooray! OCR, a research agency, calls Rapport International for a survey translation ~ James Baldwin for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to be translated into Spanish again to meet AMP requirements. OCR also found Rapport International from the SOMWBA certification listing. Hooray again! AMP 2006 Kickoff event arrives and Wendy thinks it might not be worth attending this year, but after an email from Tess Francisco with an invita- tion to sit at her table during the presentations, Wendy decides to go. The event is successful for a few reasons: 1. Tess updates that the contract renewal is opening at the beginning of the year. 2. Wendy and Gerald Scott from the Department of Mental Retardation recognize each other from the AMP Training event and he recommends key contacts for Wendy and 3. Wendy knows to ask and thus receive from agency representatives for printer names for subcontracting opportunities. 4. Monsi Quinones sched- ules Wendy to present Rapport International’s services at the monthly AMP “Meet the Vendor” meeting in January. A great and very productive morn- AMP Coordinators and members of the ing spent at the AMP monthly Coordinators’ meeting. AMP Business Advisory Board meet at the October AMP Coordinators meet- Lesson learned so far – Procuring State of MA business, even if you are ing. SOMWBA certified business can be a slow but worthwhile process. And YES, the SOMWBA certification and the AMP representatives help you lots if you know the right questions to ask. Don’t quit. Volume 6, Issue 1 Page 3 AMP FY07 Kickoff another success The AMP FY07 Kickoff took place in the Great Hall of the State House on Tues- day, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Over 250 attendees participated. Executive Director Monserrate Quinones presented special awards to numerous departments for their AMP Benchmark Achievements. In addition, special AMP awards were presented to vendors, and individuals who have helped make the pro- gram a success. Guest speakers included Senator Bruce Tarr and Representative Ted Speliotis, both of whom received a Special Recognition Award along with Janet Senator Bruce Tarr speaks at Santa Anna for their individual efforts in enhancing the AMP. the FY07 AMP Kickoff Meeting In continuing with the success of past kickoffs, the second half of the event was used as a networking forum—allowing M/WBE’s to meet and exchange busi- ness cards with State Prime contractors, the AMP Advisory Board, Procurement Managers from the Operational Services Division and AMP Coordinators, represent- ing over 35 State entities. “There is no point at which you can AMP Success from A Vendor’s Perspective—Global say, "Well, I'm Advanced Technology Inc. successful now. I might as well Global Advanced Technol- supplies. To find a new awarded three state con- take a nap." ogy, Inc. (GATI), incorpo- customer base, GATI began tracts. Since then, GATI rated since 1995, had exploring public sector con- has provided additional ~ Carrie Fisher been SOMWBA and DBE tracting opportunities and services including resolu- certified since 1997. GATI placed a phone call to tion of security control is- main focus prior to 2003 Monsi Quinones, the Direc- sues that had been prob- was the provision of engi- tor of the Affirmative Mar- lematic for one state neering and management ket Program. GATI became agency for 18 months. services to Telecommunica- a part of the AMP Business Shirley believes that tion, Networking and Fault Mentoring Program and “Working with the Com- Tolerant Computing indus- was assigned a mentor, monwealth takes tenacity tries. Pat Vacca from New Eng- and patience but GATI was land Office Supply. Monsi fortunate to work with In September 2003, Shirley and Pat worked closely Monsi, who has great ca- Young, the President of with GATI on identifying pacity for endless support GATI, realized that due to business opportunities, and encouragement. While the significant downturn in reading and reviewing re- the road up front is not all the telecommunication and sponses submitted to Com- rosy, it was a great start. networking industries, GATI monwealth bids by GATI, Building from the Common- Members of the AMP Advisory had to refocus and develop developing a marketing wealth contracts, GATI now Board present Representative Ted a new customer market in strategy and explaining the offers Real-Time Automatic Speliotis with a Certificate of order to survive and remain Commonwealth’s contract- Target (Threat) recognition Recognition at the FY07 AMP a viable business. GATI ex- ing system.