Inspiration
struck retired Army officer Patrice Manuel in 2002 when she decided
to fill a unique niche in the Kansas City area: offering advice on
organizational development and homeland security.
Manuel, with years of military experience as a chemical officer and
project manager, started the consulting firm P/Strada to help business
firms, government agencies and non-profit groups surmount problems
related to these two seemingly disparate issues.
"The combination of the two was more fluid than most people
would think," says Manuel. "In project management or organizational
development, we assist with strategic plans, schedules, coordination
and assessments. In homeland security, we assist in the development
of operational plans, emergency management, coordination and assessments.
"The similarity is in the planning, management and organizational
development, which may not be common to most, but we have been able
to apply the best of both in the development of solid business practices."
Yet all the expertise in organizational development and homeland
security can't cover all the bases, even in a company so firmly focused
on its objectives. Manuel found that help sometimes comes in handy,
especially when that help can contribute to identifying and attracting
targets for business.
P/Strada's help came in the form of Donna Leonard, procurement specialist
with the Missouri Procurement Technical
Assistance Center (MO PTAC) in Kansas City, an affiliate of the
Missouri Small Business Development Centers (MO SBDC) with the University
of Missouri.
During her three-year relationship with P/Strada, Leonard has helped
the company explore government contracting opportunities and understand
the requirements for doing business with government agencies. Among
the recommendations Leonard proposed was creating a computerized search
profile of key words and government codes to pinpoint government contracting
opportunities appropriate for P/Strada. Leonard instructed company
personnel on federal, state and local government registrations. She
also helped clarify government solicitations and explained how the
company could best respond to them.
Results are encouraging. With MO PTAC's help P/Strada won a subcontract
on a $9.4 million project at Fort Leavenworth. A four-year, $2 million
project at Fort Leonard Wood, engaged the services of the company
in training, management and leadership development. And P/Strada also
has landed a six-figure subcontract with the Local Area Emergency
Operation of the state of Missouri. Other clients of this growing
consulting firm include the Kansas City District of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, the GMAC Insurance Co. and the Kansas City Power
and Light Co.
 |
| Patrice Manual, left, and Bart Nichols of PStrada,
display their award of recognition from the business development
programs with their MO PTAC counselor, Donna Leonard. |
"Donna's professionalism and expertise have been critical in the
integration of governmental awareness to P/Strada," says Manuel. "We
could not have moved this fast with the same amount of confidence
without her."
And because of the government contract successes the company has
achieved, P/Strada represented MO PTAC at the first Client
Showcase and Legislative Breakfast Feb. 10, in the State Capitol
Rotunda in Jefferson City.
For more information on the services of the MO PTAC program, call
Leonard at 816/235-2891 Ext. 2 or e-mail her at leonardd@umkc.edu.
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