Luanne Millard

Luanne Millard serves as the USF SBDC Training Coordinator, playing a pivotal role in advancing small business development and workforce readiness across Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. While not a traditional contracting officer, she facilitates procurement-aligned training initiatives that connect small businesses with federal, state, and local contracting opportunities. Her work bridges the gap between business capacity building and government acquisition readiness, ensuring entrepreneurs understand compliance requirements, proposal development, and contract performance standards. She primarily supports acquisitions related to professional, scientific, and technical services, helping small firms position themselves as competitive vendors in public sector markets. Though no formal contractor relationships are established through direct award authority, Luanne collaborates extensively with small business development centers, SCORE chapters, and regional economic development organizations to cultivate vendor pipelines. She works closely with certified small businesses—particularly those owned by women, veterans, and economically disadvantaged individuals—to prepare them for government contracting through workshops, one-on-one counseling, and compliance guidance. Her influence extends to shaping vendor readiness rather than issuing contracts, making her a critical enabler of equitable market access. Luanne demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic inclusion, with all of her supported procurement activities aligned to non-set-aside, open competition pathways. While she does not administrate set-asides directly, she actively promotes awareness and eligibility for 8(a), HUBZone, and SDVOSB programs, ensuring participants are fully prepared to compete when such set-asides are utilized by actual contracting offices. Her approach emphasizes capability building over preference allocation, empowering businesses to succeed in open markets. Her primary focus lies in NAICS 541990—All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services—encompassing business consulting, workforce training, technical advisory services, and operational support. She specializes in helping small firms deliver educational, technical, and administrative services to public and nonprofit entities, with deep expertise in compliance, proposal writing, and performance-based contracting frameworks.