Small businesses vent to Rep. Israel on government contracting

It would be difficult to say that Mandeep Singh has problems understanding English or following instructions. The 42-year-old Dix Hills man has four master's degrees, is working on a doctorate in international economics and taught geography at Hofstra for a few years.

But when applying for military contracts for his Huntington-based medical-supply business, Healthram, Singh is flummoxed. "It's like going against a wall," Singh said Tuesday before a meeting in Hauppauge designed to help small companies do business with the federal, state and local governments.

"The information [the Defense Department] wanted they already had," said Singh "Why are they asking me for it again?"

Singh is not alone. Any number of business people have expressed frustration at dealing with government when trying to win contracts. Leslie Fastenberg is president of Old Westbury-based Ice-Qube, which sells disaster preparedness kits. "Finding my category within the government is a challenge" when trying to make sales, Fastenberg said.

A panel of experts was on hand to offer advice. Gina Slater Parker, president of Hempstead-based Black Women Enterprises, said small business must be persistent. Kathleen C. Koppenhoefer, general services manager for Suffolk County's purchasing office, stressed monitoring deadlines for submitting proposals.

Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington), who organized the session, mentioned several measures he has supported to streamline the process for small businesses, including tax cuts and making more loan money available.

The government contracting process "is cumbersome," Israel said. "It's got to be made more user-friendly."

Singh said that he hoped to gain greater understanding of the process at the meeting. "This is my last and final effort," he said of the session.