Success Story: CG Coatings

Persistence Pays Off for CG Coatings

Location: Northern California | Solano County | Fairfield

Business Type: Painting and Restoration

Small Business Center: NorCal APEX Accelerator

Assistance Received: Technical assistance, networking, and government contracting support

Visit CG Coatings online

Gerardo Chavez, President of CG Coatings, founded this company to become a business owner and serve the communities he had already been working in. CG Coatings had already worked on a contract with Travis Air Force Base’s Aviation Museum but had been having some trouble connecting with other agencies and contracting officers. With the experience from their first contract and a focus on connecting with buyers, CG Coatings reached out to Norcal APEX Accelerator to support their government contracting goals.

With a successful contract under their belt, CG Coatings was eager to jump into networking and connecting with their next project. However, Norcal APEX Accelerator knew that a solid foundation would be a key component to their long-term success. While they already had their SAM account active, they needed to ensure it stayed up to date. They also knew that there were many opportunities outside of Federal contracting, which would require a separate registration on Cal eProcure.

CG Coatings was eager to obtain contracting certifications too, knowing that it would give them a truly level playing field in both state and federal contracting. In addition to these registrations and certifications, a major focus was finding out how to get their company in front of prospective buyers while increasing their own awareness of upcoming opportunities. They found a challenge that many Public Works companies find, as they often considered solicitations that required bonding and insurance. Gerardo knew that they would have to develop many skills to maintain long term success in the government market, but with Norcal APEX Accelerator in their corner, they felt ready to hit the ground running.

Eager to advance their business, CG Coatings met with Norcal APEX Accelerator regularly. Tackling updates to their SAM account and DSBS profile were top priority, alongside completing their registration on Cal eProcure. From here, they moved on to completing applications for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and CA SB certifications. While working through these registrations and certifications, CG Coatings also expanded their knowledge and networking skills by attending Norcal APEX Accelerator webinars and other partner events such as the Caltrans Contractors Bootcamp and Procurement Fairs.

They were able to network with local agencies like BART and VTA by attending their small business workshops as well. However, not everything went smoothly as they found themselves having trouble getting bonding and insurance on some of the projects they were interested in. Norcal APEX Accelerator was able to help them connect with a different insurance company in addition to helping them find solicitations that did not require bonding and insurance.

Within 4 months of connecting with Norcal APEX Accelerator, CG Coatings was able to complete their state registration, secure their CA SB-PW and DBE certifications, and submitted a complete and competitive bid for an opportunity with CA Highway Patrol. While they waited with bated breath, it was not long before they found out that they had missed the award by $17. However, this encouraged them even more! 

Undaunted, they continued meeting with Norcal APEX Accelerator and continued submitting bids until they found their success. Less than 2 months later, their hard work paid off with not one, but two successful bids. CG Coatings was awarded contracts with the City of Truckee and the County of Colusa, with a combined total of $147,000. They continue to utilize the one-on-one counseling support to maintain their registrations and certifications, knowing that Norcal APEX Accelerator is here to support their next big success!

“I am grateful for the guidance and support provided by Norcal APEX Accelerator Program, which played a crucial role in my journey towards being awarded public works projects,” said Gerardo. “I strongly recommend APEX counseling to anyone seeking to achieve their professional goals in the public works sector.”

Learn more about CG Coatings at: cgcoatings.com

And if you are an entrepreneur or business owner in Northern California and looking to get into government contracting, connect with the NorCal APEX Accelerator today.

Updated: 8/4/2025