The Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC) in conjunction with Bowie State University has launched a Center of Excellence (COE) for 8(a) Government Contracting. The center is designed to help further BIC 8(a) program graduates with business development.
The center has come about as a way of providing graduates with some next steps after graduating from the BIC’s exciting and award-winning 8(a) Accelerator program.
The Center will offer a wide array of 8(a) contracting programming. Graduates are welcome and invited to participate in as much programming as they wish which will help them to grow their business and contracting opportunities. Some program options to choose from will be mentorship, market/business intelligence, and procurement capture.
Angie Duncanson (formerly with the Maryland Women’s Business Center) was hired on August 14, 2023, as the Program Manager for the center. Angie says she is “thrilled to be a part of this new venture and to be working with the Bowie BIC.”
As stated, this center is in conjunction with Bowie State University. Its purpose is to expand the Bowie BIC 8(a) Accelerator Program model through America’s HBCU network. The 8(a) COE is a place where HBCUs and 8(a) firms can collaborate to pursue federal procurement opportunities that advance efforts in research and development, entrepreneurship, and workforce development.
We want this center to:
- Provide an environment where HBCUs and 8(a) firms can collaborate to successfully compete for and win federal contracts.
- Develop the capacity and institutional knowledge needed to build new partnerships and secure future external funding to support ongoing efforts in emerging technology, research and development and workforce development.
- Generate pathways forward to create entrepreneurial career on-ramps for students and faculty, provide connective exposure to emerging technologies, and develop entrepreneurial communities at HBCUs that have greater economic and social impact.
We hope graduates, as well as HBCUs, will take full advantage of our center that’s been launched to help them further their economic business development through government contracting. For more information about the COE contact Angie Duncanson at angie.duncanson@bowiebic.com.
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About Bowie Business Innovation Center
Bowie BIC is an award-winning hub for business acceleration located at the Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community on the campus of Bowie State University, the oldest historically Black college or university (HBCU). In Maryland.
Technology companies, women-owned businesses and government contractors in Prince George’s County, MD access key business scale-up resources at Bowie BIC, such as customized business support, professional counseling, mentoring and competitively priced office and collaborative workspace. Bowie BIC’s 8(a) Accelerator program is one of its signature business support initiatives. A Maryland nonprofit organization, Bowie BIC was the first business accelerator to locate on the campus of an HBCU in Maryland.
For more information: www.bowiebic.com.
