The Oklahoma Bid Assistance Network Celebrates 20th Anniversary

By Lauren Merryman
Oklahoma Department of CareerTech

Last year Oklahoma companies received more than $442 million in contracts and 7,844 jobs in Oklahoma were secured or retained with help from the Oklahoma Bid Assistance Network. This is a return on investment of $308 to $1.

On Feb. 22, OBAN, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, celebrated its 20th Anniversary. A presentation took place in the State Capitol rotunda.

OBAN helps companies locate new business opportunities through local, state and federal government agencies and connect with other CareerTech services. Clients not only find new business, they master government buying, receive technical help and meet successful contactors through workshops, seminars and team events, according to Carter Merkle, program manager.

“OBAN helps companies, large and small, contract for a wide variety of products and services,” Merkle said. “We provide training, one-on-one counseling and partner with other organizations to assist companies in bidding for valuable contracts.”

With the recent opening of two additional bid assistant centers at Moore Norman Technology Center and Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center, Choctaw, OBAN is now located on 16 technology center campuses statewide.

The state CareerTech office provides OBAN coordinators with resources and tools necessary to work with the individual companies.

For additional information on OBAN visit www.okbid.org or call Shelley Dawson at 405.743.5571.