The biggest customers

The government buys a lot of stuff merchandise as well as services but most Nevada businesses have neither the time nor inclination to wade into the government procurement process.

A fast-growing agency of the state government looks to get more federal contracts flowing to Nevada companies, both large and small, and a good piece of that growth is likely to come to northern Nevada.

The Procurement Outreach Program operated by the Nevada Commission on Economic Development isn't much of a bureaucracy itself.

Its annual budget runs about $650,000, and its staff of six operates offices in northern and southern Nevada.

But Rick Horn, director of the program, says state officials view development of more private-sector contracts with government as an important piece of strengthening Nevada's businesses.

"The more markets we can put these small businesses into, the more competitive they're going to be," he says.

Government agencies, meanwhile, are likely to get better prices when there's more competition for their contracts.

The way to get more businesses into the chase for government work,Horn says, is straightforward: "We're there to do the types of things that these businesses don't have the time or resources to do."

Such as continually monitoring government calls for bids whether it's a local government looking for landscape help or a Defense Department request for a major piece of hardware and letting Nevada companies know when something of interest comes up.

Such as sponsorship of networking events where government purchasing officers can meet businesses owners who want more government contracts.

Such as providing background about government purchases what did the agency buy last time around, what did it pay, who was the vendor that help Nevada businesses shape their bids.

Such as helping small business owners learn how to properly submit the paperwork to win government jobs.

Another big piece of the Procurement Outreach Program's work, Horn says, is helping major companies find small business partners.Many major contracts, he notes, require that a percentage of the work be subcontracted to companies owned by women or minorities.

The state agency also helps link up small businesses that might be too small on their own to handle big government jobs.A recent victory: A $76 million contract to a group of smaller companies in southern Nevada who will handle public relations for the Air Force Reserve.

This contract for services rather than merchandise is particularly intriguing to state officials.

"We love the service contracts because they employ a lot of people,"Horn says.

Nevada businesses as well as government agencies that work in the state are getting the message.

The Procurement Outreach Program numbers about 800 companies among its clients.

And Horn points to a conference that his agency sponsored with the Bureau of Land Management last summer as a good example of how the system can work.

The BLM brought together firefighting contractors, everything from big outfits to companies that are little more than one guy with a chainsaw, and explained how they can win contracts.

And from that session, the BLM came away with an extensive database of potential contractors.

The state agency also is working with venture capital groups to match federal research and development grants with fledgling technology companies in Nevada.

Whether the industry is high-tech defense work or low-tech firefighting, the approach recommended by Horn remains the same.

"You've got to be proactive," he says."You can't sit there and wait for someone to walk through the door."