"Bringing Rural America Venture Opportunities"

The BRAVO Program is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that establishes and utilizes partnerships of rural communities, Indian tribes, small businesses, private corporations, educational institutions and government organizations to bring jobs and contracting opportunities to rural areas—to people on the other side of the “Digital Divide.”

As a result of technological advances and inexpensive telecommunications, Information Technology (IT) work is often not dependent on geographic proximity to end users, making it well suited for performance in remote areas. Therefore, rural IT enterprises were BRAVO’s first participants.

This initiative is designed to advance the economic prosperity of entire rural communities, through helping tribal and other small businesses build competitive enterprises. BRAVO works with partners to explore ways to develop rural business capacity and to establish productive team relationships with IT corporations. BRAVO provides the practical resources and positive mentoring opportunities that increase chances for success.

BRAVO utilizes USDA and other Federal IT Procurement Opportunities to enhance rural business development. As the program continues to develop additional business areas, i.e. food processing, business and financial service areas and other requirements will become available for participation.

BRAVO projects are customized to enhance rural development and to improve the quality of life in all sections of rural America—opening the door to progress and economic viability.

A key component of the BRAVO program is practical business-driven teaming agreements between tribal and rural small businesses with large, experienced Federal IT contractors in mentor-protégé relationships. These pairs utilize USDA and other federal contract vehicles as well as prime and subcontracting opportunities.

BRAVO brings together stakeholders to collaborate on their mutual interest – “Business-Building.” Participants work together to devise and to implement methods for growing businesses and for increasing the number of jobs in their communities.

Tribes and other rural residents become key players in the economic arena. Tribes, rural small business, corporations, and government agencies develop approaches for capacity building. Every resident of a BRAVO community benefits from the economic development, business opportunities, job creation, job training and job placement generated by the program.

Federal agencies may award non-competitive sole source procurements with no maximum contract award thresholds to Alaskan Native and Tribally-owned 8(a) firms.

Contracting with federal agencies, presents a fertile business opportunity. BRAVO mentors are working with small businesses to provide the technical training and support they need—preparing them to engage effectively in federal contracting. BRAVO successes promote a sense of accomplishment in rural communities and inspires others.

BRAVO seeks to utilize the incentives and advantages of Historically Underutilized Zones (HUBZones) and Empowerment Zone (EZ) programs, as well as other SBA and Small Business Administration (SBA) programs.

BRAVO is a model of how the federal government can work with all customers, learn from them, and proactively devise solutions. Rural residents are not the only beneficiaries of BRAVO. The federal government gains access to cost effective goods and services, while evolving a constantly increasing “Vendor Pool.” USDA’s goal to increase both the availability and quality of rural jobs is being realized – as a result of BRAVO’s revitalization activities.

For additional information about BRAVO, please contact: