By Katie Labovitz
Sharon Hopkins, Director of the Appalachian Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), is a one-woman show who can provide a small business in the region with the necessary assistance in order for it to successfully secure government contracts, even in our present economic state.
Operating out of Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, Hopkins provides free assistance to businesses in 17 eastern and southeastern Ohio counties that are looking to service or sell their products to the local, state or federal government. PTAC offers its clients one-on-one help with finding bids for potential jobs, obtaining available certifications, and acting as a reference source or counselor.
During her time as PTAC Director, Hopkins has become involved with Patriot Medical Supplies, a Service Disabled Veteran owned small business in Bridgeport, Ohio which now distributes medical equipment and supplies for the Department of Veteran Affairs, in addition to hospitals and other health care facilities.
Founded in 2005 by Owner/Director Michalle Jendrusik and her colleagues, Patriot Medical Supplies started off as strictly a DME (or “Durable Medical Equipment”) company. Their business offers a variety of products, ranging from hospital beds and wheelchairs to bathtub benches and nutrients used during tube feeding (available at http://www.patriotmedicalsupply.com). The Patriot Medical Supplies team is passionate about providing all of their clients with the highest quality products possible.
After two years in, the owners of Patriot Medical Supplies decided they wanted their business to get involved with government contracts. A search for assistance in the process of obtaining said contracts led Jendrusik to PTAC and to Hopkins.
Hopkins helped the founders of Patriot Medical Supplies through registration and certification processes in order to procure government contracts starting on January 1, 2008. Since then, the Patriot Medical Supplies has been working with government as well as DME clients.
Though working with PTAC has alleviated some stresses of dealing with the government, Jendrusik commented that sometimes it is hard trying to convince various manufacturers to allow Patriot Medical Supplies to add their products to their Federal Supply Services contract. Over time, she hopes to increase the number of goods they can provide and be able to build relationships with more Veterans’ Affairs organizations.
Through it all, Jendrusik continues to be thankful for all the help she and the business have received from Hopkins and PTAC. “Sharon has been a valuable mentor to us with all her knowledge and expertise,” she said. “The complexity of selling [medical supplies] to the government would have been overwhelming without her guidance.”
Even in this time of economic turmoil, small businesses like Patriot Medical Supplies play a vital role in society. Government contracts are available for businesses that can fulfill those needs – PTAC can help. For more information about PTAC in our region, please visit http://www.ohio.edu/ptac/.