McCrory Administration Holds Graduation Ceremony For HUB's Gold STAR Contractors College | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Raleigh, N.C. — Governor Pat McCrory attended a graduation ceremony at the Executive Mansion for 11 participants of the North Carolina Contractors College. The college is conducted by the North Carolina Office of Small and Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB). This year's graduates were part of the Gold STAR program, which focuses on business development strategies that focus on preparing estimates and bids for specific state government construction projects.

    "We are proud of today's graduates who are equipped with the know-how and relationships to land state construction contracts," said Governor McCrory. "These graduates will help rebuild North Carolina infrastructure so we can better serve the people of our state."

    The 2015 NC Gold STAR Contractors College was held from February 3 to March 19, and covered topics that included:

• Developing a growth strategy for success with state government agencies
• State Construction Office new policies and expectations
• What capital project coordinators are looking for
• Bidding on projects in the UNC system
• Building a successful banking relationship
• Bonding construction projects, bond application process and various available bond programs
• Digital tools for productivity and documentation

    The HUB Office will assist, track and report on how today's graduates perform related to the program's Key Performance Indicators over the next year. The program's goals are for participants or state government to:

• Use the specific lessons learned within the college to target specific contracting opportunities
• Compete, win and execute contracts on a higher level of performance and at a higher rate of acquisition
• Fulfill the state's needs for HUB firms' growth, job creation and economic development, and extend its methodology to include small businesses
• Integrate continuous improvement, renewal and reinvention in the HUB Office and state government contractors

    "I believe the net result of the Gold STAR Contractors College will produce a win-win-win proposition for state agencies, prime and sub-contractors and the State of North Carolina. For today's graduates, their certificates of completion mark the beginning of a new road to success for their firms and job growth in our state," said HUB Executive Director Dennis English.

    For more information on the HUB Office and the NC Contractors College, please visit them online or call 919-807-2330.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov