Terri Bennett, program director for the Kansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at Wichita State University, was recently inaugurated as president of the national Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC).

Under Bennett’s leadership, the Kansas PTAC has helped Kansas businesses secure more than 800 government contracts amounting to more than $73 million in the past year. The Kansas PTAC provides its services with the aid of Pittsburg State University, the city of Wichita and Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas.

Bennett has been active in the area of government contract assistance since 1994. She formerly held a leadership role at the Heartland PTAC in Missouri before joining the Kansas PTAC in 2013. Bennett has previously represented APTAC at the national level, having served as president in 2007. She was also a member of the education committee and on the executive committee as secretary.

“It’s challenging, rewarding and humbling to be part of such a tremendous program that makes such a difference by helping businesses provide products and services for our country, particularly for our warfighters,” said Bennett.

Bennett attributes Kansas PTAC’s success to strong support from Wichita State.

“We are able to provide more in-depth training, counseling and services for our clients because of WSU’s commitment to innovation,” Bennett said, “and because WSU understands the importance of economic development, particularly for Kansas.”

The APTAC is a professional organization for PTACs nationwide. PTACs operate under the Department of Defense’s Procurement Technical Assistance Program. The organization’s membership includes 97 PTACs across the nation and its territories. The primary functions of these PTACs include assisting businesses in acquiring government contracts by providing training, procurement counseling and education on government procedures and requirements.