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International Trade Canada - Ottawa
After Hurricane Katrina, Judy Bradt provided us with an accurate, thorough overview of how the US government and state governments procure goods and services in disaster situations, with the Canadian audience in mind.
We didn't want Canadian companies wasting their time trying to sell anything they didn't know how to sell, and we didn't want them in the way of overburdened relief workers.
We needed to disseminate accurate information on how the US federal government procurement processes work (in disaster recovery situations); to manage expectations for Canadian industry interested in offering their goods and services for post-Katrina relief and rebuilding. And how you get paid – that no one gets paid up front. It's important for small companies with interesting technologies to understand procedures and payment processes.
Canadian companies would say, "We have just the thing; we're going to jump on a plane and go there, and the authorities will be so impressed that they'll just buy it."
We wanted to manage expectations, especially in the wake of the sums of money being quoted in the media as being spent on relief and reconstruction.
We were very successful in accomplishing that. The feedback we got from Canadian industry and other federal government offices that were fielding calls from Canadian companies – including PSEPC and DND –were laudatory about the report Judy did for us. They have a better understanding about the way this had to work.
We were able to use her extensive expertise of US government procurement "know how" and also US procurement "know WHO" – "Who are the key players?" Just as important – so that we could identify the right people in the right organizations for qualified Canadian companies to contact.
I enjoyed Judy's sense of humour! I always enjoy the speed and efficiency with which she works, and absolutely adherence to deadlines and the thoroughness in preparation and execution that makes her a pleasure to deal with. Not only does she "know how" and "know who," but she knows how to put it effectively in black and white.
She's always easy to reach, through email or by phone; she's constantly accessible. Often when you're dealing with larger companies, you have to go through layers to reach people. It takes longer to get things done. A sole proprietorship makes it very easy to deal with her.
Her extensive experience at the Canadian Embassy in Washington makes her extra knowledgeable about systems and processes of the US federal government but also of the Canadian government.
When I hire her to write reports, she always keeps in mind the needs of the Canadian audience. That's very valuable. Sometimes when working with a US contractor, you have to understand the Canadian viewpoint. She's worked for Canadian government in Washington, and is Canadian, and knows that. It's definitely a plus for us!
Judy not only "knows how," but "knows who."
With Judy you get dependability, speed, accuracy, and a great sense of humour. That's what people are looking for when they're looking for a contractor.
John Bonar, Trade Commissioner,
International Trade Canada, Ottawa
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