The alliance's strategic plan has five goals and 27 objectives. "We are working hard to try and bring additional workload into the state of Utah, but we're also trying to protect what we have and enhance the military value of our bases," Mayfield said.

Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, said there is "no question" that the program will yield results.

"Truly, the more we can bring the resources that are important to them (Hill Air Force Base) closer to them and make it more efficient and more effective for them, the big picture is that's good for Utah. ... It truly is critical that we try to connect the dots much better to keep the business at home," Killpack said.

Representatives in higher education, the chambers, state government, companies and others have an interest in seeing the program succeed, he said.

"It doesn't matter where these jobs come, as long as they're within the state. ... Any job we can create — I don't care if it's here; I don't care if it's out in the West Desert — we just need to bring them here, and I think this will give us the opportunity to do that," he said.

GOED's executive director, Jason Perry, noted that even Utah's smallest businesses can compete for government contracts. Utah's prime contractors and subcontracting companies receive $1.9 million in government and military contracts, "and we all know in this room ... this is just scratching the surface of the potential for our great state," he said.

The procurement technical assistance center, he said, will "show real results" in time for the next legislative session.

"This one-time money we received from the Legislature to do this very thing is a grand experiment, really," Perry said. "We are expected to do something great with these funds. I have no doubt, because of the people that are here in this room, we will do a lot of great work with these funds. The pieces of the puzzle are all together."

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