NMTC

Council Joint Venture Initiative

The National Minority Technology Council has spent over a decade studying the feasibility of forming a strategic alliance that allows for large procurement opportunities. This initiative will serve to increase minority procurement opportunities for Federal, State, and Commercial entities. The focus is on "Big Deals" through aggregation both of company capabilities and geographic presence.

These efforts are directed to both spur interest in market growth through partnership and to create a Council member program that is relevant and profitable to member companies. The Council has developed a new paying member class that includes voting rights on the District level. This follows our District Strategy to create local events that not only establish the Council on the local level but allows new members to participate in programs to better expose their company to perspective clients.

The strategic alliance will first take the form of a GSA Contractor Teaming Arrangement info on GSA CTA with minority technology companies located across our 40 Districts. Program information will be made available upon request. Membership dues and benefits will be posted by December 1st 2011.

We are currently analyzing potential alliance partner strengths and weaknesses to better create strategies for accommodating management styles, preparing appropriate partner selection criteria, understanding a partner's motives for joining the alliance, and addressing resource capacity gaps that may exist for each partner.

Expect more information in 2012.

Our beginnings: In 1999 Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore announced that he "is working with the private sector to create the nation's first Minority Technology Council. The Council will coordinate efforts with minority-owned technology business and existing regional technology councils across the state." Press Release. This was the first government announcement of the Council. Shortly after our Council Founder and Chair, Karl Cureton, was invited to speak as a panel guest for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) on the Digital Divide. The Council has worked over the last decade with State, Federal Officials, and Corporate Executives to develop parity for minority suppliers in the IT marketplace. The Council has now formed a historic partnership of Minority companies ready to leverage their qualifications and reach.