BATON ROUGE (AP) — Lawmakers and business leaders are asking Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration to keep open a 25-year-old program that helps small businesses apply for federal government contracts.
The state investment needed to save the Louisiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center, known as PTAC, is small, about $185,000.
But PTAC supporters say they have been unable to get commitments from the Jindal administration, with time running out before the program will have to shutter its doors at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Rep. Walt Leger, the House's second ranking member, says PTAC has helped businesses get billions of dollars in federal contracts and created thousands of jobs.
Baton Rouge Area Chamber President Adam Knapp says if the center closes in February, Louisiana will be the only state not offering the small business services.
