Acadiana businesses can get help pursuing government contracts

Businesses in Acadiana can get help preparing for government contracting through Louisiana APEX Accelerator at UL Lafayette. The program’s website, checked September 16, 2026, says it provides assistance at no charge to Louisiana-based businesses, including help pursuing federal and state work.

UL’s August 25, 2026 statement offers one measure of that work: since 2021, the university said, the accelerator had helped 16 clients secure 136 NASA prime contracts and subcontracts with a combined value exceeding $51 million. Those are the university’s reported contract figures, not a count of new local employers or a parish-by-parish revenue total.

The distinction between a prime contract and a subcontract matters for a business looking for customers. APEX’s services page, consulted September 16, describes assistance both with government buyers and with companies that already hold government contracts. Its advertised research tools help businesses identify subcontracting opportunities as well as agencies buying directly.

The same page describes practical preparation: identifying markets, developing a short introduction and a one-page capability statement, and building a list of agency and prime-contractor contacts. APEX also offers assistance with proposals and registration systems. For state purchasing, it points businesses toward Louisiana’s bid-notification system and vendor profiles.

The program’s counselor directory, checked September 16, explicitly includes Vermilion, Lafayette, Iberia, Acadia and St. Mary among the parishes served. A business in any of those parishes can use that directory to find its assigned government-contracting consultant and discuss the work it is equipped to perform.

The NASA totals describe awards already reported by UL over several years. The service available to a prospective vendor is preparation and assistance; those past awards do not promise a contract to the next business that signs up.