He gets 400 e-mails a day. He's on his cell phone 4500 minutes a month. And he's talkin' business, not whiling away the hours.
Obviously the fire and security systems business is good for Rod Davis, co-founder of the two-year-old Integrity Systems, Ltd. in St. Louis.
"Integrity Systems, Ltd.'s mission is to provide the highest, dependable quality of safety and security systems in the federal government, homeland security industry, state and commercial sector and security systems market," according to the company's Web site (www.integritysystemsltd.com).
Safety and security systems are vital components of building infrastructure and are subject to strict maintenance and monitoring requirements.
"They are difficult and expensive to maintain or replace," says Davis. "We cover the market providing a vital, cost-effective fire and security-systems service for our clients."
Integrity offers contract packages for the maintenance, inspection, testing, service, installation, integration and repair of all models and types of safety systems and associated equipment.
"We are focused on contracting with federal, state and local government agencies to meet their fire and security needs," explains Davis.
To help Davis and his business focus on its government customers, Integrity Systems taps into a readily available source of expertise in the field of government contracting. That source is Rich Fyke, business counselor with the St. Louis office of the Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Center (MO PTAC), which is affiliated with the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers (MO SBTDC) and the University of Missouri's Extension business development programs.
Fyke provides Davis with leads on security needs from agencies at all levels of government, focusing on contracting requests from federal government offices.
"Integrity Systems' strategy has been to penetrate the federal government market, specifically the Department of Defense, for contracting opportunities," says Fyke. "They also have a GSA (U.S. General Services Administration) schedule contract for facilities maintenance and management."
When Fyke began assisting Davis they first discussed the various facets of government contracting. MO PTAC provided information on the GSA schedule contracting process and gave counseling on areas related to the firm's status as a service-disabled veteran-owned business. Fyke also developed a search criteria profile on the firm and provided bid-matching services.
"As a result of the bid-matching program, Integrity Systems now relies almost exclusively on MO PTAC as its primary source for the location and identification of potential federal government bidding opportunities," explains Fyke.
And what has all this effort in government contracting yielded for Davis and Integrity Systems? Thus far, Davis' company has succeeded in obtaining six government contracts totaling $10.8 million, according to Fyke.
"Shortly after starting my business I contacted Sen. Talent's office to find out how I could go about seeking federal government business," recalls Davis. "His office put me in touch with MO PTAC. Obviously they pointed me in the right direction, because my firm's relationship with Rich and MO PTAC has led to a significant amount of business for my company."
And because of the impressive success the firm has achieved, Integrity Systems will represent MO PTAC at the second annual Client
Showcase and Legislative Breakfast Thursday, Feb. 9, in the State Capitol Rotunda in Jefferson City.
At that event hosted by Missouri Small Business Development Centers (MO SBDC), Davis and representatives from more than a dozen other outstanding Missouri companies will meet with legislators to discuss their products and services. They also will be recognized for their contributions to the economic development of the state of Missouri. Recognition from MO SBDC will be accompanied by legislative resolutions presented by each company's district state senator and state representative.
For more information on the services of the MO PTAC program, call Rich Fyke at 314-621-7280 or e-mail him at fyker@missouri.edu
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