Comstor Comes To Aid Of Small 'Disadvantaged' VARs

The Chantilly, Va.-based distributor's Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) program provides technical and professional services as well as financial incentives to these solution providers and others qualifying for economic help, Comstor executives said.

"Some of these [SDB companies get a piece of the federal government [business now, but there are certain components that are over their head," said Brett Morris, vice president of sales at Comstor. "We are allowing them to go after business they couldn't get before or additional [business they couldn't swallow."

The program is for Washington-area solution providers, but Comstor expects to expand it to other metropolitan areas next year. About 20 percent of Comstor's revenue is government-related, the distributor said.

Through the new program, SDB solution providers have access to more than 2,000 certified technicians via Comstor's The Pro Shop professional services organization. Financial incentives include extended payment terms, additional product and training discounts, back-end rebates and co-op dollars for joint marketing programs.

Comstor offers professional services support to all its solution providers, but the SDB program seeks to tap into federal funds set aside to be spent with SDBs through the Small Business Administration.

"We have the expertise and resources internally [for SDB solution providers to leverage," Morris said. "What was missing was a way to put it into a program that is easily understood."

HCI Technologies plans to take advantage of the program almost immediately, said Rodney Martin, president and CEO of the $15 million Sterling, Va.-based solution provider.

"I have limited engineering staff, and a lot of times my people are in class. I can pick up the phone and say to Comstor, 'I need your help with a configuration and response' instead of pulling my guy out of class or having him work another six or seven hours after class to get it done. For me to get that type of help, it's invaluable," Martin said.

The engineering services are free, but if Comstor technicians are deployed, the solution provider will be charged, Martin said.

"We've also been through one set of [Cisco Systems training classes at a substantially reduced rate," he said.

Manufacturers such as Cisco, RSA Security and Tripwire are lending marketing support for the program, Morris said.

"It helps the small companies we're working with now by giving [the government the peace of mind of added strength working on their customers," said Jeff Barenz, SDB program manager at Comstor.