UTSA Procurement Academy helps local businesses secure $6M in government contracts

The program was developed with support from U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro, who secured nearly $600,000 in funding for the initiative and attended its launch in 2023 to provide customized training to help San Antonio small business owners navigate the complex public contracting process. The program is managed by the Jude Valdez Institute for Economic Development (IED) at UTSA, and participants receive training from IED experts in the SBDC Center for Government Contracting and the APEX Accelerator.

Susannah Munro, director of the APEX Accelerator, has served as a curriculum developer and instructor for the academy.

"Government contracting is challenging due to strict regulations, complex processes and strong competition," said Munro. "The UTSA Procurement Academy provides students with practical training, expert insight and resources to navigate and succeed in this environment."

The 10-week program includes guidance for securing both state and federal contracts as well as finance skill-building. Students study online modules on the platform Govology, complete weekly homework assignments and join weekly virtual meetings, where they can learn from each other's experiences.

"You build comradery with each other, so you can ask your peers questions about problems that you haven't solved yet. We would have 30-40 people on a call, someone would ask a question, and you'd get 30 responses," Munro added.

Since its inception, the Procurement Academy has been in high demand, with three cohorts of entrepreneurs graduating between September 2023 and June 2024.

Jessie Figueroa is the founder and CEO of Core Innovations, a technology consulting firm that designs and implements custom solutions for growing businesses. He graduated from the academy in December 2023 and proceeded to secure a subcontract with Texas A&M IT in March 2024.

"Government procurement is a highly complicated process with so many components that are unclear for a new business," said Figueroa. "This academy is a navigator on a business map that has provided clarity and direction on what to do and where to go next. It is like the 'Siri' for business directions."

Core Innovations is currently in the process of securing another subcontract under the Texas Department of Information Resources.