What’s happening in Kitsap’s economy? Check out KEDA’s Annual Meeting and other Programming

Kevin Dwyer | Posted on March 12, 2023 |

The goal of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, known as KEDA, is to foster a more diverse economy for West Puget Sound, which historically has been heavily dependent on military and government spending.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The Navy’s three bases in our county – at Keyport, Bangor (where a fleet of Trident submarines are located), and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton – employee thousands of people and pump millions of dollars into the economy on an annual basis.

Over the years, the organization has worked closely with the Navy and local governments and has made efforts to add new private sector businesses to the mix that could benefit from our region’s workforce, (mostly) affordable living and our proximity to Seattle and East King County finance and technology centers.

To learn more about what KEDA is up to and where it is headed in the next year or so, its Board of Directors invites the public to join it on March 30th from 11:30am – 1:00pm for its Annual Meeting and Economic Forecast Luncheon at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort & Conference Center. (Lunch service begins at 11 a.m.). Click here to register. Early Bird Registration ends today, March 12^th.

The annual gathering will feature economists Hart Hodges and James McCafferty, co-directors of the Western Washington University Center for Economic & Business Research, who will present an economic forecast.

Other highlights include:

KEDA’s 2022 Annual Report & 2023 Economic Strategy
Matchstick Lab Microbusiness Accelerator Spotlight
Economic Champion Awards

Other KEDA programs happening in the days and weeks ahead:

Are You Ready to Export and Grow Your Business? March 22, 2023 1-2 p.m. – In this webinar, the Washington Small Business Development Center, International Trade Team will help you assess if your business is ready to export and show how the SBDC and other resources can assist in the growth of your business through exporting. Click here to learn more & register.

This grant program will provide assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, and other qualifying businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic. Recipients/ Grantees will have until December 31, 2024 to use the funds. Application portal will open in March 2023. Click here to learn more.

PTACS are now APEX Accelerators – Your local Procurement Technology Assistance Center (PTAC) is part of a nationwide network of 90+ PTAC’s all funded, in part, by the US Department of Defense.

Recently, the program shifted administration from Defense Logistics Agency to the Office of Small Business Programs and with that shift came a new name of APEX Accelerator. Washington PTAC, an APEX Accelerator, will continue to provide no-cost procurement technical assistance to firms throughout Washington State who are interested in selling to federal, state, or local government agencies and primes.

Download 2023 Kitsap PTAC Schedule

2023 Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division – KEYPORT INDUSTRY DAY – Wednesday, March 14, 2023 – 10:00-3:30 REGISTER NOW

Do I Need Special Insurance to Work a Government Contract Involving Navigable Waterways?

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 – 8-10:00 REGISTER NOW

Wednesdays With the Deputies – Wednesday, March 29, 2023 – 10-11:30 REGISTER NOW

Federal Contracting Lexicon – Wednesday, April 12, 2023 – 3-41:30 REGISTER NOW

Visit their blog and also be sure to subscribe and read Washington PTAC’s newsletters for Biz Opps, government contracting news, and more!

*PTAC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement from the Department of Defense (DOD). The content of any written materials or verbal communications of the PTAC does not necessarily reflect the official views or imply endorsement by DOD. For more information, check out the following: Visit our blog and also be sure to subscribe and read Washington PTAC’s newsletters for Biz Opps, government contracting news, and more!

*Logo/image credits: KEDA