The cost to the firm depends upon the size of the firm, its revenues and the dollar amount the firm has to put towards these programs. The maximum government portion of implementation is $75,000 and this is a 50/50 cost share program with the firm. That means that the firm can invest an additional $75,000 towards its improvement. All costs are discussed fully during the certification phase, which is provided free of charge.

Typically, the first two phases take from three to six (3-6) months to complete. The certification phase can take up to sixty days from when the petition is submitted to Washington. Once certification is received, the Analysis and Improvement Plan can take two to three months to prepare and submit depending on the complexity of the firm and the readiness of the needed information.

No! The application is completed by RMTAAC free of charge.

No; specific projects are outlined in the analysis and improvement plan written by the Project Manager who works directly with the principal contact at the firm (designated by the firm). Funds can be used to pay for outside industry experts to consult on a wide variety of projects. Grant funds cannot be used to purchase capital equipment or to subsidize employee salaries.

Yes; projects are specified in the Analysis and Improvement Plan and are implemented based on agreement of both the firm and RMTAAC.

No; designated projects should be completed at any time within two years from the start of the implementation phase, however projects are only started and completed based on the cash flow of the firm and the firm's comfort in moving forward.

Yes; funds can be used for on or off-site employee training, however cannot be used to subsidize any salaries.

Yes; funds can be used for ISO certification, and RMTAAC will cost share those with the firm. We will help pay for training, document preparation, and the pre-assessment audit.

No; capital equipment cannot be bought with grant funding.

Yes; new molds and tools can be developed and used in the design stage; however funds cannot be used for the actual end products.

Funds cannot be used to buy new software systems in full, however funds can be used to test programs and adapt existing software to fit the needs of your firm.

Funds can be used to develop new trade show displays but not to attend a trade show.

Established by Congress in 1974, Trade Assistance is a program under the Department of Commerce put in place to help American manufacturers who have been hurt by foreign competition. A group of non-profits, the eleven TAA centers throughout the US work with eligible firms in marketing, production, management and many other areas.

Firms receiving Trade Assistance have experienced the following benefits: improved business performance, monetary assistance for certain projects, an objective analysis of their firm as well as the competition, and ongoing support to improve business and profits.

U.S. manufacturers who have experienced a decline in sales and a decline, or impending decline, in employment or worker hours may be eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance. For the most accurate and up to date information on whether or not your firm qualifies for grant funding, Contact Us at contact@rmtaac.org or call 303.499.8222, ext 20.

Funds are not paid directly to the firm. Once an outside consultant is hired, the consultant is paid by both the firm and by RMTAAC.

An RFP (Request for Proposal) is prepared for each project by RMTAAC and sent to qualified consultants. The list of consultants can come from the firm and from RMTAAC. RMTAAC and the firm's principal representative review the applications and choose a consultant. A contract is signed and any party may terminate with written notice throughout the duration of the relationship.

Consultants bill 50% to the firm and 50% to RMTAAC. The consultant is paid by RMTAAC only once RMTAAC has received notification that the consultant has been paid by the firm.

No, RMTAAC and the central TAA office are prohibited from releasing any information to outside sources.

None of the information you provide is disclosed to any other federal, state or local agency. All proprietary and financial information is exempt from the Freedom and Information Act. When a firm is certified, the law requires that the firm name be published in the Federal Register. It is the only information that is released to the public without your consent.

The Cost Share Agreement you sign requires your firm to provide follow up information to Rocky Mountain TAAC for three years. A form will be provided to you to complete and sign. Only three items will need to be reported: (1) the current revenues, (2) the current employment level and (3) the total profits for the current year. This information helps to track the success of the program and will again not be shared with any outside party.

No, but for more information on that program, you can visit them on the web at http://www.doleta.gov/programs/factsht/taa.cfm or call 202-693-3560.

Contact Us today at (303) 499-8222 or (800) 677-3791, ext 20 or online at contact@rmtaac.org. You can also fill out a Request Form and someone will contact you as soon as possible.