Government contracting can be overwhelming and time consuming, especially for a small business. The Oklahoma APEX (OkAPEX) Accelerator at Kiamichi Tech helps clients grow their business and find the right opportunities to increase revenue through contracts with government agencies. 

Shannah and Jerry Arthur opened Bushwackers Land Clearing in Durant in 2010. Looking to grow their new business in its early stages, they knew that bidding and being awarded contracts with government agencies might be a beneficial and sustainable revenue source. Jerry had been employed with Kiamichi Tech prior to opening Bushwackers, so he was aware of government contract bid assistance through OkAPEX (formerly known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Center or PTAC).  

For nearly 10 years, Ron DeGiacomo, the OkAPEX Accelerator Coordinator, has helped Shannah and Jerry do business with government agencies. 

“It is a mountain of information just to get registered as a federal contractor and understand how to bid on contracts,” said Jerry. “Ron helps us navigate what seems like a foreign process and helps us make sure we find the right opportunities that fit best with our business capabilities. He really is like an interpreter into the world of government contracting.” 

In the early stages of this partnership, DeGiacomo helped register Bushwackers Land Clearing as a federal contractor and tailored a profile to highlight the company’s capability and the services they perform. This profile is used to match the client with bid opportunities on buying agency bid sites. DeGiacomo helps keep those registrations up to date and sends daily emails to the company that lists any open bids that align with Bushwackers’ services.  

Bushwackers has received multiple contracts with federal agencies since working with OkAPEX, with over $2.6 million awarded on two prime vendor contracts alone.  

On their most recent award, Bushwackers received an end-of-contract evaluation that Jerry explained was meant to track how well his company met the requirements of the contract.  

“This type of feedback is very beneficial to us because it can influence future contract award decisions with federal agencies,” said Jerry. 

Jerry also shared the adage, “Pleasant people make doing business more enjoyable.”  

“Ron makes this process pleasant. It is always enjoyable when working with the right people,” he added. 

Bushwackers Land Clearing provides cost effective land clearing and brush grinding services in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and surrounding areas. Their environmentally conscious approach keeps soil disturbance to a minimum and never leaves brush piles to burn. To date, they have expanded their team to 19 employees, furthering their economic impact in the region. 

Learn more about Bushwackers at bushwackerslandclearing.com. Learn more about the Oklahoma APEX Accelerator and government contracting at ktc.edu/okapex.