Chamber Unveils Procurement ‘Dream Team’ to Help Members Land Government Contracts

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce has assembled a “dream team” of experts to help its members land local, state and federal government contracts – a $5 billion market in New Jersey alone. The three experts, Henry Savelli, Michelle Hermelee and Patrick Guidotti, totaling 70 years experience in government contracting, provide hard-to-find knowledge to give business owners a competitive edge in the complex world of government procurement. “Things have dried up for many companies that have been doing business in the private sector, and they are looking to government for new business,” said Hermelee, founder of Mercerville-based BH SKY Associates. “We can help.”

For companies hungry to beef up their bottom lines, the government is the place to go. The state government puts out about $2 billion in contracts per year – and an additional $3 million in contracts are issued by the state’s 566 municipalities and 574 school districts. Further raising the stakes is the tens of millions of dollars in stimulus money New Jersey is spending over the next few years.

Still, for many business owners, public contracts remain a mystery. Many say they aren’t aware of impending projects and don’t know how to bid for the work. “Through education and training, we help them navigate the bureaucracy and the paper work,” said Savelli, president of Henry Savelli & Associates in Trenton. “ We lift the veil off it.”

Savelli spent 30 years in government contracting and he maintains contacts with purchasing directors and agents at all levels of government. He retired in 2001 as assistant director of the state Treasury’s Division of Purchase and Property, where he managed the Purchase Bureau, the organization that awards state contracts.

Once businesses learn the intricacies, the public contracting process is more accessible than many believe, said Guidotti, president and owner of Robinsville-based PJG Consulting, which specializes in helping companies procure construction contracts. “The bid process enables firms to have opportunities regardless of their size,” said Guidotti, who previously held several management positions within the state Division of Building & Construction and the state Department of Commerce. “The difficult part is navigating the agencies and of course the intimidating paper work involved.”

New Jersey state government, under a set-aside program, strives to purchase 25 percent of its products and services from the small business market – a market it defines as companies with 100 or less employees or annual revenues of $12 million or less. “I encourage small businesses to get certified, which gives them the opportunity to bid on these set-aside contracts,” said Hermelee, who has more than ten years of experience helping businesses procure and negotiate government contracts with both federal and state agencies. “Getting certified also puts them in the state database, which allows both government agencies and prime contractors to find them.”

The dream team members, who call themselves The Contract Connection, say just about any business can become a government contractor. Federal, state and local governments put out bids for a wide variety of goods and services, such as concrete; computer consulting; exterminating services; food; heavy machinery; janitorial services; light bulbs; office furniture; publishing services; road work; transcription services; soap; uniforms; vehicles and much more.

Initial Consultation

An initial consultation with The Contract Connection, available to all business owners, will determine if companies have the potential to become government suppliers. If the business then hires The Contract Connection team as a consultant, Chamber members get a 10 percent discount on their billing rates. For a free consultation, call Salina Pazdan at (609) 989-7888 ext. 152, or e-mail her at salina@njchamber.com. “For many companies, this can open up a whole news vista of opportunities,” Savelli said.

Clients of The Contract Connection will learn to identify new opportunities; secure a GSA contract; market their products to government; find out who in government to contact; and learn how to produce effective bid applications. Clients also get assistance in obtaining a certification for being a small business, a minority-owned firm or a women-owned company.

The pursuit of government contract work becomes critical during a down economy, said Carol Gabel, vice president of business development for the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “In a recession, Chamber members and other businesses that didn’t previously pursue government contracts because of the paperwork and uncertainty, are more apt to try,” Gabel said. “We are here to help them find additional avenues of business, especially during these tough times.”