Keeping Money Local: How Valley Sierra SBDC Is Opening the Door to Contracting for Stanislaus County Small Businesses

Winning a government contract is not easy. Miguel Preciado, who manages the Contract Ready program at Valley Sierra SBDC, will be the first to tell you that. There are bid submissions and pre-bid conferences, certifications and compliance requirements, and digital platforms that don’t always cooperate when a deadline is hours away. And for a small business owner who is already doing everything, managing operations, serving clients, handling finances, navigating the world of procurement can feel like an entirely different job layered on top of the one they already have.

That is exactly why the program exists. And why Stanislaus 2030’s investment in it matters. Made possible through ARPA funding and delivered in partnership with Stanislaus County Workforce Development, this program is changing what is possible for local small businesses.

A Trusted Partner for Small Businesses

The award-winning Valley Sierra Small Business Development Center promotes the development, growth, and success of small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs throughout Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties. Part of the national America’s SBDC network and the largest provider of small business assistance in the country, the Valley Sierra SBDC offers no-cost, confidential business consulting to entrepreneurs at every stage, from someone with a business idea and a dream, to an established company ready to compete for larger opportunities.

In 2025 alone, Valley Sierra SBDC helped create 203 new local jobs and launch 49 new ventures, while unlocking over $6 million in capital investments across Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties. Within that broad portfolio of services, Stanislaus 2030 saw an opportunity to go deeper on one of the most underdeveloped frontiers for local small businesses: procurement and government contracting.

From a Service Line to a Dedicated Program

Before Stanislaus 2030’s investment, procurement assistance was one thread woven into a larger fabric of SBDC services. The funding changed that entirely.

“Stanislaus 2030 helped the procurement assistance we provide to grow from being a part of all of our services to having a separate dedicated program,” Miguel explained, “bringing on an additional member to the team and ensuring that businesses are always moving toward contracting opportunities.”

That shift also made something else possible: direct, proactive connections between small businesses and the purchasing managers and procurement officers at agencies and institutions who actually need what those businesses offer. The funding allowed the SBDC to bridge the gap between business owners and buyers, not just making introductions, but staying in the room until opportunities became reality.

The results speak for themselves. Since the program launched, the Contract Ready initiative has provided 238 hours of assistance to 84 unique clients, helping them secure $8.7 million in government and private contracting opportunities.

What Getting Supplier Ready Actually Looks Like

The program meets businesses wherever they are. Some arrive with documentation largely in order and just need help navigating a specific bid or platform. Others need more foundational work, clearing up tax history, building financial records, sometimes hiring staff or securing a facility before they can realistically compete for larger projects.

The team stays with businesses through every step. And sometimes, through setbacks too.

Robert Runyan, owner of Friends + Family, a local construction and building services company, knows that experience firsthand. After going through the full contracting process and being awarded a project, Friends + Family encountered an unexpected post-award requirement from the agency that made it impossible to proceed with the contract at that stage. It was a hard moment for a business that had put in the work to compete and win.

But Robert didn’t walk away. Instead, he went back to work, addressing each requirement methodically and building the capacity his business needed. That persistence paid off. Friends + Family has since gone on to win multiple state-level contracts, building a track record and credibility that positions the business strongly for the future. Robert is now preparing to apply for a significantly larger opportunity that could allow him to expand his operation and bring on additional employees.

It is the kind of story that captures what the Contract Ready program is built to support, not just helping businesses win the next opportunity, but helping them become the kind of company that keeps winning.

“Securing the contract is such a huge milestone,” Miguel reflected. “For a multi-year contract, you know that funding is coming. It gives you peace of mind. And it puts something on your business resume, proof that you did the work and delivered.”

Bringing Buyers and Businesses Into the Same Room

One of the most tangible investments the program has made is the revival of the Procurement Expo, an in-person event that brings purchasing managers, procurement officers, and local small businesses together. The last time Valley Sierra SBDC hosted one was 2018.

The impact was immediate and the numbers tell the story: 53 unique businesses attended the expo, 18 agencies and resource organizations participated in the vendor fair, and 10 advisors from across the Central California SBDC network took part in a train-the-trainer session designed to build regional procurement expertise.

Two businesses that attended had worked with the SBDC previously. The team already knew their strengths and which agencies they should target. Those conversations moved fast: one business walked away actively pursuing a new contract opportunity, and the other secured a contract directly from a connection made at the event.

The expo also became a regional capacity-building moment. A procurement specialist from a San Diego SBDC sister center, someone who has helped businesses secure over $1 billion in contracting opportunities over her career, led the advisor training. The goal was clear: make sure that every advisor, regardless of which center a business owner walks into, is focused on one thing, helping that business get awarded.

A County Pilot That Went Regional

What started as a Stanislaus County pilot has earned statewide attention. Through the California Office of the Small Business Advocate’s Small Business Opportunity Program, Valley Sierra SBDC secured additional state funding to expand the Contract Ready program across the Central California SBDC network, a direct result of the credibility and track record built with Stanislaus 2030’s support.

The expansion means more eyes on more opportunities across a broader geography. When a local agency closes its procurement window, businesses in the program now have access to a wider pipeline across neighboring counties and regions. And the next frontier, private contracting, is already in focus, with Stanislaus 2030 and Next Street’s anchor institution interviews laying the groundwork for recurring engagement between local businesses and the private buyers who need them.

Why It Matters

When a Stanislaus County small business wins a contract, the money stays local. The owner who understands the community, employs neighbors, and is invested in the region’s future is the one doing the work.

“When a business is local and able to be awarded those projects,” Miguel said, “it allows them to be more sustainable, ensures they don’t have to close or lay off personnel, and gives them the opportunity to access consistent funding that helps them secure future opportunities as well.”

$8.7 million in secured contracts. 84 businesses served. A program that started here and is now expanding across Central California. And a business owner who faced an unexpected setback, kept going, won multiple state-level contracts, and is now preparing for something bigger than where he started.

That is what Stanislaus 2030 is investing in. Not just contracts won, but businesses that grow stronger every time they compete.

Valley Sierra SBDC is a Stanislaus 2030 grantee partner located in downtown Modesto, California. To learn more about the Contract Ready program and other no-cost business services, visit valleysierrasbdc.com.