Norcal APEX Accelerator
KBeverages, LLC
“Norcal APEX Accelerator has granted me the ability to review Government procurement opportunities, apply for them, and feel confident that we can fulfill the obligation. [Their] continued and unwavering support has truly assisted in taking the business to another level.”
| KBeverages is a vending machine supplier operating out of Richmond, CA. Undeterred by the challenges of being a minority-owned small business, CEO Tu’Liisa Miller was motivated and prepared to reach the dream of being her own boss. Once KBeverages was established and in a good position to grow, they began looking towards government contracting to open a new revenue stream. After working with other resource partners, KBeverages connected with Norcal APEX Accelerator in April 2023 for assistance with local contracts they wanted to bid on. |
challenges
KBeverages had an IFQ they were interested in, but first they needed to review the certifications they qualified for, apply for them, and complete their registrations with local, state, and federal vendor sites to make the most of the opportunities. Once these items were in order, KBeverages had to learn how to market their services to government agencies, find relevant solicitations to bid on, and learn how to be a responsive and responsible bidder. They also had to develop the skills and tools to craft a winning proposal. Many skills are needed to be successful in government contracting, but with their dedication and diligence, KBeverages would surpass any challenge.
actions
Once KBeverages met with their counselor, they hit the ground running by reviewing the IFQ and determining that they needed to reach out to the Contracting Officer (CO). While reaching out, KBeverages took great initiative to research other opportunities and learn what they would need to bid properly. This involved beginning their WBE/MBE Supplier Clearinghouse and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certifications and registering with the local county vendor sites. With Norcal APEX Accelerator in their corner, KBeverages was encouraged to expand their market and complete their federal System for Awards Management (SAM) registration. All the while, KBeverages was fine-tuning their marketing skills by frequently searching for new opportunities on SAM and Cal eProcure as well as reviewing webinar recordings of Norcal APEX Accelerator events.
results
Motivated towards their success and connected with their local resource centers, KBeverages obtained their WBE certification and maintained active registrations on Cal eProcure and SAM.gov. In addition to being able to expand their business from a single machine to 24, KBeverages was awarded 2 contracts from the CA State Department of Rehabilitation totaling over $117,000. KBeverages continues to work with Norcal APEX Accelerator to support these contracts and assist with opportunities in the future.
If you have more questions, please contact us at info@apexnorcal.org or (707) 267 – 7561
