COLORADO WINS FEDERAL PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER

 

Gov. Bill Ritter announced today that Colorado has won an award for a new Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to help local businesses land government contracts and increase economic opportunities.

 

The award, through the U.S. Department of Defense, will allow for the creation of a statewide procurement program to assist Colorado's small businesses obtain contracts with federal, state and local governments. It will be based out of Colorado Springs with satellite workers providing additional coverage throughout the state.

 

"Colorado's small businesses form the backbone of our economy," Gov. Ritter said. "Bringing a PTAC to Colorado is critical for our small business community, especially since Coloradohas such a significant federal government and military presence. This center will allow for all of Colorado's small businesses to get fair and equal access to do business with the government, at a time when there is much work to do to get our economy moving again."

 

The Procurement Technical Assistance Program was authorized by Congress in 1985 in an effort to expand the number of businesses capable of participating in the Government Marketplace. There are now 93 PTACs in states around the country. Nationwide, businesses working through a PTAC were awarded contracts totaling $14 billion during the most recent procurement cycle, creating or retaining 334,000 jobs nationwide.

 

As an example of how a PTAC can benefit a specific state, the Alabama PTAC helped businesses there land 4,258 contracts worth $5.4 billion over the past three years, creating 123,185 jobs.

 

The Colorado PTAC will help equip thousands of businesses statewide with resources to help them compete for federal, state, county, and municipal procurement opportunities. The federal government requires that nearly one quarter of all its procurement contracts be awarded to small businesses, including disadvantaged businesses.

 

The application process for a PTAC included a multi-year effort involving numerous entities, including the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Institute for Civic Achievement Inc. based in Glenwood Springs, and many other businesses, organizations and volunteers across the state.

 

RAMP METERING PROJECT UNDERWAY AS PART OF THE RECOVERY ACT

 

        DENVER— A safety and mobility project is underway through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), which will install four ramp meters in various locations across the Denver metro area.  The $1 million project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and will benefit communities in Adams, Douglas and Jefferson counties.

        "Ramp meters are signals used during peak travel times to control the flow of traffic onto Interstates or freeways in order to prevent congestion and help improve the flow of traffic," said CDOT Traffic Engineer Steve Hersey.  "The new ramp meters we are installing will help reduce accidents and improve mobility in four highly traveled areas."

        Ramp meters will be installed on the following ramps:

• Sheridan Boulevard to westbound US 36
• 84th Avenue to northbound I-25
• Kipling Parkway to eastbound C-470
• Yosemite St. to westbound C-470

        The project will also install a new automated traffic recorder on the ramp from northbound I-25 to Thornton Parkway.  The automated traffic recorder will record daily traffic counts and will help CDOT identify traffic volume trends at this location.

Throughout the project, motorists can expect shoulder closures and various single lane closures on the ramps and corresponding highways.  Work may take place Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Lane closures on Interstates or freeways can take place Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.  Delays are possible and alternate routes are advised. For weekly lane closure information please visit http://www.dot.state.co.us/TravelInfo/CurrentCond/index.cfm and click on "Denver Closures."

Colorado Boring Co. of Fort Collins, CO is the contractor for this $1 million project which is scheduled to be complete in early September 2009.

        In all, Colorado will receive more than $400 million for transportation projects and $103 million for transit projects.  For more information about how Colorado is putting the Recovery Act to work, visit www.colorado.gov/recovery.  For a list of CDOT's Recovery Act projects, visit www.dot.state.co.us/arra.

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10 AM TODAY: COLO. ACHIEVES HISTORIC EDUCATION-REFORM MILESTONE

 

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

 

10 a.m.            Gov. Ritter will take part in a historic education-reform milestone when the state's K-12 and higher-education governing boards agree on what knowledge, skills and behaviors high school graduates must have in order to enter college and to be ready for the 21^st century global workforce. Colorado will become the first state in the country with fully aligned standards from pre-school to college. This also will be the first time in Coloradohistory the State Board of Education and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education have met in a joint session. This is the most significant accomplishment to date from 2008's Senate Bill 212, the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids. Location: State Capitol, House Committee Room 112.

 

1:15 p.m.        Gov. Ritter will join U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood for a groundbreaking ceremony for a $32 million Recovery-Act funded project that will repave nine miles of C-470 and portions of a 26-mile bike path. This is one of the largest Recovery Act-funded transportation projects in Colorado. Location: C-470 andAlameda, along South Rooney Road. Directions:  From C-470, exit at West Alameda Parkway and head west. Turn right (north) on South Rooney Road and go about ¼ mile.  Event will be on the right at the trail head. Parking alongside South Rooney Road.

 

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Bella Energy installs solar system on Colorado State University Engineering Building

Boulder, CO 2009 - Bella Energy and Colorado State University, using funding from the Governor's Energy Office, installed a solar electric system on CSU's Engineering Building to reduce their overall environmental footprint. The solar panels overlook the university's Plaza as a clearly visible demonstration of CSU's commitment to sustainability. The Governor's Energy Office provided about a third of the solar system's overall construction costs from the state's 2009 Solar Rebate Program, which offers rebates of up to $15,000 per system for small businesses.CSU supplemented the GEO grant with federal rebate money it received from other energy efficiency projects. The grant program includes 32 Colorado cities, utilities and non-profit partners and is administered by the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (CoSEIA).   The roof mounted 18.9 kilowatt solar system is expected to produce more than 25,000 kilowatt hours per year of clean energy from the sun, and will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the Engineering Building by 18.3 metric tons per year.   Jim Welch, President of CoSEIA and CEO of Bella Energy said "Clearly CSU is committed to making the university community sustainable and takes seriously its role as a leader in creating the Governor's New Energy Economy. Students will see that renewable energy is part of their energy future."   "It's a valuable learning experience for students and it supplements our recent efficiency upgrades including installing new fluorescent lights, a closed loop-chilled water system and a CO2 demand ventilation system," said Carol Dollard, Energy Engineer for CSU's Department of Facilities Management. "We plan to install additional systems on campus that will produce more significant amounts of power."   Over the expected 30+ year life of the solar system, the cost of electricity from the grid will rise, increasing cost savings every year. The system will protect CSU against the uncertainty of future energy costs.   "The project happened very quickly because GEO funding had to be spent. Contracting and design work only took a few months and Bella Energy's mounting framework was fabricated offsite in their shop in only a few weeks. Bella Energy installed the system on the roof in a week," continued Dollard.

TUESDAY: COLO. ACHIEVES HISTORIC EDUCATION-REFORM MILESTONE

 

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

 

10 a.m.            Gov. Ritter will take part in a historic education-reform milestone Tuesday when the state's K-12 and higher-education governing boards agree on what knowledge, skills and behaviors high school graduates must have in order to enter college and to be ready for the 21^st century global workforce. Colorado will become the first state in the country with fully aligned standards from pre-school to college. This also will be the first time inColorado history the State Board of Education and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education have met in a joint session. This is the most significant accomplishment to date from 2008's Senate Bill 212, the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids. Location: State Capitol, House Committee Room 112.

 

1:15 p.m.        Gov. Ritter will join U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood for a groundbreaking ceremony for a $32 million Recovery-Act funded project that will repave nine miles of C-470 and portions of a 26-mile bike path. This is one of the largest Recovery Act-funded transportation projects in Colorado. Location: C-470 andAlameda, along South Rooney Road. Directions:  From C-470, exit at West Alameda Parkway and head west. Turn right (north) on South Rooney Road and go about ¼ mile.  Event will be on the right at the trail head. Parking alongside South Rooney Road.

 

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FORTUNE 500 COMPANY ANNOUNCES 600 NEW JOBS IN COLO. SPGS.

Affiliated Computer Services Inc. (NYSE: ACS), a Fortune 500 company, announced today it will be expanding operations in Colorado and adding 600 jobs at a new facility near Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

 

"ACS' decision to locate these jobs in Colorado Springs proves yet again that this is a great state to do business," Gov. Bill Ritter said. "This announcement is a testament to our efforts to create a business climate that fosters growth and expansion throughout Colorado, even in these tough times. We thank ACS for its decision to expand in Colorado and will continue to support its growth in the state."  

 

Texas-based ACS has been a leader in the customer care industry for more than 20 years, with more than 34,000 agents in 142 customer care centers around the world. The company is investing $3 million in a new 34,000-square-foot customer-care center and is hiring customer care agents, trainers, managers, and supervisors. Candidates can apply online at www.acs-inc.com.

 

ACS' decision follows other recent job-creation announcements, including by DaVita Inc. in Denver, Hexcel Corp. inWindsor, Charles Schwab Corp. in Centennial, Leitner-Poma in Grand Junction, Abound Solar in Longmont and Ascent Solar in Thornton.   

 

According to the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp., ACS' expansion and hiring is the eighth job-creation announcement for the community this year, and the largest for the area since 2006. 

 

"Colorado Springs has a highly skilled workforce, some of whom are experiencing the downside of the current economy," said Mike Kazmierski, president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corporation. "This is excellent news for a large number of our workforce and for our city."

 

ACS, a global FORTUNE 500 company with approximately 74,000 people supporting client operations reaching more than 100 countries, provides business process and information technology solutions to world-class commercial and government clients. The company's Class A common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ACS."

 

TONIGHT: GOV. RITTER TO SERVE AS GUEST CONDUCTOR FOR MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR

 

Monday, June 29, 2009

 

9 a.m.              Gov. Ritter will deliver opening remarks to bank executives from Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming at the 2009 Five-State Bankers Association's Convention. Location: Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1750 Welton St., Denver.

 

10 a.m.            Gov. Ritter will proclaim today as "State Capitol Life Safety Project Day" to thank and honor the various companies and individuals for their work on the Capitol Life Safety Project, which modernizes the State Capitol. Location: State Capitol, Governor's Office.

 

7 p.m.              Gov. Ritter will serve as guest conductor for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for part of tonight's performance at Red Rocks. Location: Red Rocks Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison.