Posted on: Tuesday, July 20, 2004

ISLAND VOICES
Support abounds for small businesses

The Stryker brigade will bring in millions of dollars of new federal money to Hawai'i's economy, and many local companies will benefit.

According to Andy Poepoe of the Small Business Administration's Hawai'i office, Hawai'i is exceeding national goals for small business by more than 90 percent. This is testimony to the efforts of the Small Business Administration in concert with the Department of Defense to prepare businesses to vie for jobs. Of the DOD contracts, 50 percent are going to Hawai'i firms. But this needs to be improved.

Peter Koziol of Actus Lend Lease said that in working with Group 70, they have been so impressed that they hope to have local small businesses work on some of their Mainland projects. This is the benefit of giving local companies exposure to national firms.

At Actus, of the 22 new jobs created, all have been filled locally. Work is designed to support small businesses. More than 500 small businesses have already registered. Because it is aware of the cost of insurance and bonding, Koziol said, Actus can help small businesses that may be relatively new.

Thad Bond of Hawai'i Military Communities (Forest City Enterprises and C.F. Jordon) is developing the Navy housing privatization and is also actively supporting small-business participation. Based on the plans, those who live in adjacent areas should see neighborhoods enhanced with these new developments. Being a community-conscious company, it stated that it is committed to buying locally even when the cost may be slightly higher.

Hawai'i has a great opportunity to demonstrate its small-business talents to the nation through military contracts. Small businesses must take the initiative to find out about these opportunities and actively pursue them through the training and educational programs provided in the community. The Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i is here to facilitate this by providing educational programs and directing firms to resources in the community. Permitting Forum and Employment Law seminars as well as the Legal Tool Kit for Small Business series are designed to support small businesses.

All three firms involved in the military housing projects are actively soliciting Hawai'i's small-business participation. Now our business community must do its part and gear up for this challenge to participate in this economic boom.