House Appropriations hears federal grant overview for business assistance, defense supply chain and brownfields cleanup

The House Appropriations Committee on April 23, 2025, received a briefing from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development on federal grants that support small‑business contracting, defense supply‑chain assistance, export promotion and brownfields cleanup.

Committee members heard from Commissioner John Goldstein and Deputy Commissioner Brett Long of the Department of Economic Development, who described several federally funded programs the department administers or manages as fiscal agent.

The review covered Apex (formerly PTAC), a procurement technical assistance program that the presenters said is 65% federally funded and provides seven counselors around the state who help small businesses compete for government contracts. “It’s now called Apex because it’s meant to…an accelerator. And it really is like an accelerator for small businesses because sometimes…