Assistance and Consulting

The APEX Accelerators program, formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP), under management of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), plays a critical role in the Department’s efforts to identify and assist a wide range of businesses enter and participate in the defense supply-chain. The program provides the education and training to ensure that businesses become capable of participating in federal, state, and local government contracts.

Protégés can get valuable business development help from their mentors in several areas, including guidance on internal business management systems, accounting, marketing, manufacturing, and strategic planning, financial assistance in the form of equity investments, loans, and bonding, assistance navigating federal contract bidding, acquisition, and the federal procurement process, and much more.

America’s Seed Fund provides technology-focused entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses with funding to develop their ideas and a pathway to commercialization. Powered by a network of federal agencies, entrepreneur support organizations, and the Small Business Administration (SBA), America’s Seed Fund advances federal missions and fosters a culture of innovation in the United States.

The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS) develops and maintains defense-specific acquisition rules and guidance. It works alongside and expands upon the government-wide Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), adapting federal procurement standards to the highly specific, security-focused needs of the military and defense sectors.