California Resources and Training

THE PREVIOUS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND MARKET ASSESSMENT GAVE US DIRECTION AND THE NEW PROGRAM FOCUS WHICH IS TO DEVELOP A PATHWAY FOR SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES TO ACCESS CONTRACTS FROM THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY BASED PLATFORMS. USING TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS HAS BEEN A KEY COMPONENT OF CARATS PROGRAMS FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS. THE NEW PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO MERGE PREVIOUS PROGRAM PRIORITY MANDATES WITH THE APPLICATION OF NEW PROGRAM FOCUS AND APPLIED TECHNOLOGY. CARAT ALSO DEVELOPED STRATEGIC COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH TWO KEY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD ENHANCE OUR OUTREACH TO TARGETED SMALL BUSINESSES AND FACILITATE CONTRACT FINANCING. CUSTOMIZED THE TRAINING PROGRAM COMPONENTS CONSISTING OF SIX ON-SITE TRAINING SESSIONS. THE TRAINING SESSIONS INCLUDED THE TOPICS OF 1) CONTRACTS OPPORTUNITIES 2) INDIVIDUAL COMPANY ACCESSIBILITY PROFILE 3) EFFECTIVE CAPABILITY STATEMENT 4)BUSINESS COMPLIANCE AND BEST PRACTICES 5) CONTRACT FINANCING 6) CYBER SECURITYSECURED A PARTNERSHIP WITH A MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO UTILIZE THEIR PROPRIETARY BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TOOL SMALL BUSINESS PRO.DESIGNED AN INTERVIEW AND ON-LINE SCREENING TOOL TO RECRUIT SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.ATTENDED STATEWIDE SMALL BUSINESS CONFERENCES OF ETHNIC CHAMBERS, SMALL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS MEETINGS, BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, AND SMALL AND MINORITY VENDOR MEETINGS TO MARKET THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND RECRUIT BUSINESSES THAT MET THE SELECTION CRITERIA. DEVELOPED A PARTNERSHIP WITH COMPANY THAT HAD AN ELECTRONIC OUTREACH AND DATA BASE OF MINORITY SMALL BUSINESSES INTERESTED IN CONTRACTING