Our History

Procurment Learning for American Indian Nations & Societies (PLAINS) is a supporting non-profit to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED).  PLAINS operates an American Indian Procurement Technical Assistance Center (AIPTAC) through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Defense Logistic Agency (DLA).  The goal of the program is to provide contract identification and procurement assistance to American Indian owned businesses and tribal enterprises.  PLAINS was established in October 2005 and is located in Littleton, Colorado with offices generously provided by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.  PLAINS provides services to the Aberdeen and Albuquerque BIA Service Areas, covering the following states:  Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and certain tribes of Montana and Texas.   

PLAINS is a supporting non-profit to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED).  NCAIED also operates four other AIPTACs:  the Marketing and Procurement Services Program (MPSP), Northwest American Indian Development (NWAID), Pacific American Indian Development (PAID), and UIDA Business Services (UBS).  Each of these offices operates an AIPTAC, together serving over 350 tribes located in over 30 states. 

Under the DoD/DLA agreement, PLAINS provides American Indian owned businesses and tribal enterprises with prime contract or subcontract opportunities with DoD, other federal, state and local government agencies, and prime contractors. PLAINS seeks to extend its accomplishments to help more reservation Indians secure jobs in the defense and related industries, thereby decreasing unemployment and increasing the economies of the reservations serviced.

NCAIED was established in 1969 and is the first national non-profit organization, founded and directed by American Indians solely dedicated to developing American Indian economic self-sufficiency through business ownership.   NCAIED also manages three Native American Business Development Centers through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency.  For more information on NCAIED visit the website at www.ncaied.org.