CHICAGO – Building on his State of the State commitment to grow the homeland security industry in Illinois, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the launch of the Homeland Security Procurement Technical Assistance Center at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn that will specifically help Illinois businesses compete for public sector homeland security contracts.  Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Deputy Director Matthew Summy announced the Center’s efforts to focus especially on the homeland security marketplace.  This year, the federal government will spend an estimated $29 billion on discretionary homeland security purchases, and the new Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) will play an integral role in helping Illinois companies bring this business to the state.

“Many Illinois businesses play a critical role in keeping our cities, states and country safe, and, by leveraging our resources, we can provide additional resources to our state’s businesses to help them grow.  I’m determined to assist Illinois companies of all sizes to compete in and meet the needs of both business and government as we work each day to keep men and women in our country and around our world secure,” Gov. Blagojevich said.

Illinois has twelve existing PTACs that consult with businesses to bring federal and other public contract opportunities to the state; the existing PTAC infrastructure will be used to heighten the state’s access to this growing industry, with the Center at the College of DuPage specializing in procuring business in the dynamic homeland security marketplace.  This specialization will allow the College of DuPage’s homeland security PTAC director to focus exclusively on homeland security issues to develop intricate knowledge, stronger relationships and to track trends in this rapidly changing industry.  The homeland security PTAC will feature a specialized in-take process, business opportunity listings, relevant training sessions, conferences and forums, and ongoing relationship building with federal agencies through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO) Bureau of Homeland Security Market Development.

“The College of DuPage is the perfect place to launch the new Homeland Security PTAC because of the strong history of innovation in our region and the ongoing role that Gov. Blagojevich knows we’ll have in keeping our world safe.  We appreciate his vote of confidence as we support his ongoing efforts to build the homeland security industry in Illinois,” said Joyce Abel, Executive Director of Business, Professional and Continuing Education at the College of DuPage.

“Gov. Blagojevich created the vision to foster the homeland security industry in Illinois, and this is just one piece of his ongoing strategy to support and recruit businesses engaged in protecting the public.  The Homeland Security Procurement Technical Assistance Center will give Illinois businesses a leg up in competing for federal homeland security dollars and, ultimately, helping companies to grow and create the jobs of our future,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.

Since its launch in February 2005, DCEO’s Bureau of Homeland Security Market Development has actively engaged Illinois’ business community that already is known for contributions in today’s security-conscious marketplace.  Among its efforts, the Bureau has supported Illinois businesses with employee training to keep pace with new technologies and skills, held CEO roundtables to engage business leaders about the state’s ongoing role in the post-9/11 world, and hosted a market development forum that featured national experts for the Illinois business community to learn about new products and technologies needed to keep our nation’s food supply secure.  Additional market development forums will be held throughout the state in 2005, with the next forum to discuss market opportunities in the information technology and electronic sectors on October 13th in Champaign.

Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history.  Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges.  Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses.  It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.