John DiGiacomo and James L. Kleckner: Authors of Winning Government Contracts
John DiGiacomo is the director of the Rock Valley College Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) in Rockford, Illinois. He started with the center in 1982 when there were only 12 clients. Today he counsels and assists over 400 companies from 13 counties in Northwestern Illinois. The PTAC offers a variety of services to help companies do business with the government at the federal, state and local levels. The center's clients have received over $400 million in contract awards.
Before joining the PTAC, John worked as an independent consultant dealing with both domestic and international companies doing business with the federal government, resulting in more than $70 million in contract awards. To keep his clients informed, he published a quarterly newsletter and wrote articles about government contracting. His experience includes public relations, marketing, new product development and grant writing. While employed by a Rockford-based HMO, John brought over $1.4 million in federal grant money to the organization.
John also has the hands-on experience of a small business owner. He owns a residential and commercial furniture and design store, with annual sales of $1 million.
John is a member of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). He served on the local Rockford Chapter's Small Business Committee and Membership Committee. Through membership in the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC)--formerly AGMAS--he stays current on government acquisition trends. He is a certified contracting assistance specialist (through APTAC) and a certified business specialist (CBS) through the Illinois Small Business Development Association of which he is also a member. He received the APTAC Betty McDonald Member Achievement Award in 2003 and the APTAC Outstanding Project Award in 2001. John is co-author of the national award-winning book, Win Government Contracts for Your Small Business
John DiGiacomo
Rock Valley College/PTAC
3301 North Mulford Road
Rockford, IL 61114-5699
815-921-2086
jdigiacomo@rvc.cc.il.us
http://wingovcon.com
Co-author Jim Kleckner is a private consultant specializing in federal government procurement and small business. Previous to starting his own consulting business, for 34 years he was part of various federal procurement activities.
Jim is a former buyer and staff officer in the Procurement Policy Office of the Headquarters U.S. Army Weapons Command in Rock Island, Illinois. Thereafter, he served as a small business specialist at Defense Contract Administration Services Region (DCASR) Dallas.
In 1978, he assumed the role of associate director of small business, DCASR Chicago. His program responsibilities included management of the Small Business Program for 14 states. Jim was also the grants officer for the DOD Procurement Technical Assistance (PTA) Program which included 22 PTA Centers in the 14-state region. During his many years of service, Jim assisted hundreds of small businesses win over $100 million in federal contracts.
He is a member of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC)--formerly AGMAS--and the Illinois Small Business Development Association (ISBDA). He is certified by the ISBDA as a certified business specialist and by APTAC as a certified contract assistance specialist. He currently serves as national secretary and chairman of the Program Manager Training Committee for APTAC.
Government Contracting Assistance
2168 Spaulding Avenue
West Dundee, IL 60118-3521
847-426-7003
jim@wingovcon.comhttp://wingovcon.com
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