In 2021 the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Specialists (APTAC) created APTAC University to provide onboarding and instructional training for new APEX (PTAC) counselors. The program is broken down into 4 levels or ‘grades’, each of which comprises between 16-30 hours of learning time. In addition, projects are required at each level.
On November 7, 2023, DeShana Hall, a Contract Specialist with the Northwest Louisiana APEX Accelerator became the first person to graduate from this prestigious training program. Hall received this recognition at the APTAC Conference in Washington DC.
“On her one-year anniversary as a Contract Specialist with the Northwest Louisiana APEX Accelerator (formerly PTAC), I was proud to see Ms. DeShana Hall formally recognized as the first APTAC U graduate at our Fall 2023 APTAC Conference,” said Dr. Gayle Flowers, APEX Program Manager.
Since 1987 the APEX Accelerator (formerly NWLA PTAC) has been providing no-cost one-on-one business consulting to businesses in the 10-parish region of Northwest Louisiana. These services are provided through a contract between the Greater Shreveport Chamber and the US Department of Defense. APEX Contract Specialists work with local businesses to prepare them to bid for local, state and federal government contracts.
“We’re delighted but not surprised that DeShana was the nation’s first APTAC U graduate,” stated Dr. Timothy Magner, President of the Greater Shreveport Chamber. “She has been both driven and focused since she joined our APEX Accelerator, and this recognition just one more example of the energy and effort she puts into serving her clients.”
For information about the Northwest Louisiana APEX Accelerator and their assistance with government contracting, contact Dr. Gayle Flowers, Director, at: [email protected].