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Defense Procurement Assistance Center at NJIT Celebrates 15 Years Offering $1.6 Billion in Economic Activity Assistance to New Jersey Small Businesses
At DPTAC, small businesses including those run by women and minorities can receive help from professionals on procuring lucrative government contracts. The help is available throughout New Jersey at free monthly workshops and in free personal consultations. Center personnel run these sessions to teach participants how the government buys and what tools are available to give their businesses an edge. "I know of no stronger program at NJIT than this one because it has measurable results and impressive statistics," says NJIT President Saul K. Fenster. In the year 2000, the DPTAC garnered over 1,506 separate contract awards from government agencies for its use. Such awards resulted in $121 million in federal and state prime and subcontract awards, all of which filtered back into the state's economy. "I'm proud to say that of the $121 million, $103.3 million was awarded to firms owned by minorities and/or non-minority women," says DPTAC director and Ridgewood resident, Dolcey Chaplin, an attorney. Since 1989, when DPTAC began tracking statistics for only women and minority owned firms, over $307 million in Department of Defense contracts have been awarded. Although the DPTAC main office is located in Newark, the center operates satellite offices in Trenton, Mount Holly and Atlantic City. "Since the inception of DPTAC 15 years ago," adds Fenster, "the center has created $556.3 million in contract awards, $1.67 billion in economic activity and since 1986 almost 17,000 jobs." The President made his remarks during a recent signing of a new annual cooperative agreement between NJIT and the Department of Defense to support DPTAC. DPTAC has recently helped the following women build their businesses. The women are available for in-person or telephone interviews. Photographs are also available. Contact Sheryl Weinstein, 973-596-3436, for more information. Betty Manetta, of Argent Associates, Edison, a former AT&T employee, set up her own warehousing business. She is a Bernardsville resident and Hispanic. Maria Yglesias, Rabin Gloves Company, Newark, lives in Basking Ridge. Her business focuses on distributing work gloves and safety equipment. Yglesias, who is also Hispanic, owns another company called M&M Development, a developer and builder of moderate income housing. Ritu Shegal, Insap Computing, Cherry Hill, recently won a major subcontract for $1 million with Computer Sciences Corporation. Judy Martino, GSP Solutions Inc., Parsippany, is a graphic artist, who recently set up her own print manufacturing firm. For more information about the center or the certification process, contact Chaplin (973-596-5807). NJIT is a public, scientific and technological research university
enrolling more than 8,800 students. The university offers bachelor's, master's and
doctoral degrees to students in 80 degree programs throughout its six colleges:
Newark College of Engineering, New Jersey School of Architecture, College of Science
and Liberal Arts, School of Management, Albert Dorman Honors College and College of
Computing Sciences. The division of continuing professional education offers adults
eLearning, off campus degrees and short courses. Expertise and research initiatives
include architecture and building science, applied mathematics, biomedical engineering,
environmental engineering and science, information technology, manufacturing, materials,
microelectronics, multimedia, telecommunications, transportation and solar astrophysics.
Yahoo! Internet Life magazine cites NJIT as a "perennially most wired" university.
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