Foundation awards grant to GACO
CALIFORNIA – The Sarah Scaife Foundation awarded a grant of $125,000 to California University of Pennsylvania to support the University’s Government Agency Coordination Office (GACO) through Sept. 30, 2009. With this funding GACO will assist area businesses in all aspects of federal, state, local and corporate contracting and subcontracting. GACO is a procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) that provides advice, assistance and support to businesses interested in selling their products/services to the government.
GACO services include providing notifications of federal, state and local government contract and subcontract opportunities, assisting with bid preparation, providing specifications and standards data, obtaining technical data from internet sites, supplying past procurement information for products, educating companies on eBusiness processes, and providing one-on-one counseling to help companies enter into this market. GACO also provides its clients with government contract training through seminars and workshops and through its annual procurement fair.
“We have been very fortunate for the support the Sarah Scaife Foundation has provided our GACO program. Their generosity in funding our economic revitalization efforts in western Pennsylvania since 1985 is important to regional businesses. It allows GACO to continue to assist companies in all aspects of government contracting. We are deeply appreciative of the Foundation’s continued support,” Dr. Angelo Armenti, president of California University, said.
“For 23 years the GACO staff has helped many businesses become successful government contractors. During that time regional businesses received more than 27,305 contracts totaling over $2,010,370,075. The tremendous partnership we have with the Sarah Scaife Foundation has made this possible. We will continue to educate businesses in government contracting procedures, eBusiness processes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) and the new programs being implemented by the government,” Deborah S. Wojcik, GACO director, said.
GACO’s main office is located on California University’s campus and two satellite offices are in Pittsburgh and at Slippery Rock University. All three offices offer full service government contracting assistance support to area businesses.
Businesses interested in obtaining additional information about GACO’s services can call Wojcik at 724-938-5881 or access http://www.cup.edu/advancement/gaco.