By Lee Platt, CEO,
Avening Management and Technical Services, LLC
Increasingly, the Federal Government demands pencil-sharpening, belt-tightening and a “do more with less” approach, both internally and from their support contractors and suppliers. Also, perhaps more than ever, clients expect contractor support staff to be highly qualified, experienced, motivated and capable of providing the level of service necessary to operate and maintain sensitive and mission-critical systems and programs. This means that support contractors must constantly maintain a delicate balance between cost, client satisfaction, company culture, employee compensation and service delivery.
Once we understand our clients’ requirements and expectations, at AveningTech our primary focus is on our people. Starting with recruiting and selecting the best candidate for each position, we make a significant investment in employee retention by offering competitive compensation packages and providing a supportive company culture that allows our employees to succeed and thrive. We work hard to make our people feel empowered, trusted and valued so they can concentrate on customer satisfaction.
Each member of the AveningTech management team has over 30 years’ experience in technical service delivery which includes managing people, programs, budgets, schedules and back-office functions, as well as success navigating the complexities of the Government procurement process. While this experience is significant, we know that it’s not enough to ensure success in today’s competitive marketplace.
In 2014, AveningTech was involved in a number of initiatives that will have already had a positive impact on our ability to succeed and expand. Here are some of the highlights:
1. Participation in the Small Business Administration (SBA) Emerging Leaders Initiative.
Sponsored by the SBA, this initiative provides training to executives and owners of high-potential small businesses to encourage and support entrepreneurial success. Through a seven-month period, we received training across a broad scope of topics, and had the opportunity to interact with business and government leaders and mentors who freely offered advice, encouragement, constructive feedback and support.
2. Attendance at the Veterans Institute for Procurement (VIP).
This program is the first in the country to provide business training to Veteran-owned companies that are pursuing business in the Federal Government. Funded by the Montgomery County Chamber Community Foundation, and supported by a number of Federal Agencies and corporate sponsors, this 3-day program provided us with training and tools that will help increase our ability to win and execute Government contracts.
www.wipp.org