Eastern Maine Development Corporation

Programs: Maine ptac program:the procurement technical assistance program (ptac) was set up under title 10, united states code, chapter 142 in maine. Ptac is a statewide program which offers procurement technical assistance services to maine businesses on issues related to government contracting. During 2017, maine ptac staff sponsored 36 outreach events, including training workshops, and participated in 14 non-sponsored outreach events. The program also provides one-on-one counseling and a bid match service to the 721 active clients and supplies them with relevant information about government contracting through newsletters, online training and a website www. Maineptac. Org. Clients assisted by the maine ptac have reported over 876 government prime contract awards valued at over $454 million and 294 sub contract awards worth over $16 million during 2017.

workforce services programs:emdc provided job training services to 764 low income adults and youth, migrant seasonal farm workers, dislocated workers and other targeted job seeker groups through a variety of federally funded programs during fiscal year 2017. These services are delivered at no cost to participants who meet the eligibility criteria for the following programs:1. The workforce innovation and opportunity act programs for adults, youth and dislocated workers in penobscot, hancock and piscataquis counties. 2. The national farmworker jobs program for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in state of maine. 3. National emergency grants for workers displaced by the closure of paper mills in the region including the great northern paper company in east millinocket in penobscot county, the lay-off of workers at lincoln paper & tissue in lincoln in penobscot county and the lay-off of workers at verso paper company in bucksport in hancock county as well as other long-term unemployed workers. Workforce development services provided included:o occupational skills training including individual training accounts (itas) used to purchase education and training courses from approved training vendors leading to educational degrees, diplomas and certifications needed for employment; ita's pay for tuition, books, fees, and other training costs. O on-the-job training (ojt) with selected employers who agree to train eligible workers for specific positions within their firms. Ojt contracts are negotiated with the employer with the cost of training reimbursed based on a pre-approved training plan. O work experience is a short-term work assignment with an employer designed to give a participant an opportunity to develop basic work skills and exposure to employability expectations. This is generally provided to youth or adults who lack recent employment experience. O basic education skills training including academic literacy, computer skills training, financial literacy skills, ged or high school diploma programs, english as a secondary language skills training and other academic tutoring services. O employability services such as career and educational assessment services, career counseling and planning services, work readiness training, job matching and job search services including referrals to job openings, interviewing skills training, resume development and other job search techniques. O supportive services including help with the costs of transportation, child or dependent care, housing, eye glasses, clothing and uniforms for work, relocation assistance for employment and other costs related to participation in job training.

business lending program:eastern maine development corporations (emdc) lending division is designed to provide existing or startup businesses with access to capital. Its objective is to create quality job opportunities and stimulate economic activity both in the direct emdc region and throughout the state of maine. Emdcs lending role is three fold: 1)to act as a secondary lender, partnering with banks and other private lenders to leverage capital for small businesses while taking a subordinate position on collateral,2) to provide direct access to capital to small businesses who might not yet be able to receive financing from traditional lenders,3) and to act as a statewide sba lender, utilizing government guarantees and the debenture market to provide larger capital purchases. This is all done through a variety of partnerships including: usda rural development (rd), finance authority of maine (fame), department of commerce economic development agency (eda), and the small business administration (sba). Emdc has several loan funds and offers financing for a wide variety of business needs, including: equipment, real estate, working capital, business acquisition and refinancing. Through our lending programs, emdc offers loans from $10,000 to $5,000,000. Since the inception of the program in the early 1980s, emdc has disbursed over $86 million to over 800 companies, leveraging over $271 million in other private and public funds, while creating and/or retaining over 8200 jobs. In fiscal year 2017, emdc:" provided 33 loans to 29 business," loaned $3,169,142 created /retained 48 jobs" leveraged an additional $4,858,495" provided capital in 7 of the 16 counties of maine

emdc provides other various resources and assistance to businesses and community leaders to ensure the future success of the eastern maine region. Such services include comprehensive planning (land use, transportation), technical advice, economic development guidance, solid waste management, cdbg administration, and grants administration. Emdc also offers business relocation assistance, business start up assistance, and other various business assistance programs and guidance.