Apply for Assistance

Before you begin the application, please check to make sure you qualify for Norcal APEX Accelerator services:

  1. You must be interested in receiving assistance with government contracting topics. 
  2. You must own or be the employee of an existing business that is ready to make sales or preform services.
  3. Your business must have a location in our service area. The counties we serve are:
  • Del Norte
  • Humboldt
  • Shasta
  • Siskiyou
  • Trinity
  • Mendocino
  • Sonoma
  • Napa
  • Solano
  • Marin
  • Contra Costa
  • San Francisco
  • Alameda
  • San Mateo
  • Santa Clara

We unfortunately cannot assist with grant applications (with the exception of SBIR/STTR).

Apply for Norcal APEX Accelerator Services

Service area includes the California counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Marin, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara

Not in our service area? Find your local APEX Accelerator

Not ready to contract yet? Connect with your local SBDC

Clients or potential clients should be aware that there are many websites that look official but will charge for their services. In general, if a website URL ends with “.gov” it is probably safe to assume it’s a legitimate government website. It the URL ends in “.com”, please beware; you may have to pay for services rendered by the site.

Are you ready for government contracting?

Before pursuing government contracting opportunities, first consider the investment in time and resources your company needs to enter the government marketplace. Asking yourself these questions will help you determine if government contracts are right for your business.

Are you an established business?

Government contractors are required to meet all criteria necessary to do business within their region, including abiding by all regulatory and licensing requirements. If you do not have a business license, you are not ready to sell to the government. Do you have sufficient financial resources and cash flow to handle current obligations as well as those you would encounter under a government contract? Insurance and, where required, surety bonding are essential if planning to do business with government agencies.

Do you have a business plan that includes government contracting?

Small businesses need to properly align their business plan to address the specifics of the government market.

Can you afford to sell to the government?

It can take longer to receive payment for government work — sometimes up to 45 days or longer after the work is completed. Can you cover your overhead until the payment arrives?

Does your company have a history of sales?

If you do not have an established business with a history of sales, you may not be ready to sell to the government. Past performance is one of the main factors agencies analyze when determining who to do business with.

Have you done the necessary market research to determine the government’s demand for your product or service?

If you have met the above criteria, you should do proper market research and analysis to determine if the government buys your product or service, and which agencies purchase the service and/or item routinely.

Consider starting with local agencies and identify subcontracting opportunities that can help you obtain a past performance record with the government. Research which agencies or departments you need to target your sales towards? Norcal APEX Accelerator can help with more in-depth market research once you are ready.

Is your company e-commerce capable? Do you have a website? 

Having a website is important and doing business with the government may require e-commerce to win and perform on contracts.

One-on-One Counseling


Our Procurement Specialists have 241 years of experience, combined. That’s 34 years on average! Our specialists can help you determine if your company is ready for government opportunities and how to best position yourself to succeed. Our expertise covers local, state, and federal government contracting.

FREE – available to clients only

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Custom Bid Matching


If you sell it, the government probably buys it. Our Procurement Specialists will help you identify the best keywords to optimize your visibility and set you up with a customized daily email to access federal, state, local, and subcontractor opportunities catered to what you sell and where you sell it.

FREE – available to clients only

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Trainings, Webinars, and Other Resources


We have a great number of resources, articles, links, handouts, webinar recordings, and much more, to help you decide if government contracting is for you, how to take your first steps, and how achieve success in the government marketplace. Keep your eye on our calendar for upcoming live events too!

FREE – available to everyone

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If you have more questions, please contact us at info@apexnorcal.org or (707) 267 – 7561

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