PORTCO Participates in Mentor Protégé Program to Amplify Employment Opportunities for the Disabled

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Suffolk Virginia July 20th, 2023 PORTCO, a leading nonprofit organization committed to empowering disabled individuals through employment and support services, is proud to be a pioneer participant in the Mentor Protégé Program. This newest initiative, operating under the esteemed AbilityOne umbrella, aims to foster collaborative partnerships between large businesses and non-profits, with […]

PORTCO / AbilityOne Partnership

In April 2000, PORTCO Inc, separated from the city of Portsmouth and became an independant entity. Since the reorganization, PORTCO has expanded its Federal Government Contract work.

These contracts are with the Department of Defense, GSA and NEXCOM through set-asides serving people with disabilties.  These set-asides, called AbilityOne (formerly JWOD) Contracts, are regulated by the Committee for the Purchase of the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped (CPBOSH).   CPBOSH authorizes NISH, a central non-profit agency, to liason between work centers and the federal government in the procurement of work opportunities for individuals with disabilities.  NISH also provides regulatory assistance to NISH certified work centers.   PORTCO became a NISH certified work center in 1994.

AbilityOne and PORTCO

The AbilityOne Program has had a positive impact on services offered through PORTCO.  Federal contract work performed through AbilityOne set-asides constitutes most of PORTCO’s contract revenue.   Currently PORTCO services are provided at these government sites:

  • Portsmouth Federal Building
  • Owen B Pickett Customs House
  • Portsmouth Naval Medical Center
  • NEXCOM Spply Headquarters
  • Hoffman Federal Courthouse
  • NEX Portsmouth Exchange