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Government Contracting

Advanced Furniture Solutions provides new, used and remanufactured office
furniture and commercial flooring. They fulfill the needs of government agencies,
educational institutions, large corporations, small businesses and home-based
entrepreneurs. As the company owner, Jillian Hubbard, says, “Because we
represent over 150 manufacturers, we have the exact type of furniture items and
styles our customers are looking for, at reasonable prices.” Advanced Furniture
Solutions provides much more than just furniture and flooring—they are
professionals that provide solutions. They deliver innovative workspace solutions
that consider office design, traffic workflow, ergonomics and individual workspace configuration. In addition, their trained staff
provides furniture delivery and installation services. They provide upholstery cleaning, too.
Recently, Hubbard wanted to expand into the government marketplace. She immediately recognized the high concentration of
government agencies in the Jacksonville area and the potential of this untapped market for her business. Jillian also knew that
doing business with government customers would be different from B2B sales. She had many questions and turned to the FSBDC
for answers. One of the first places Jillian sought assistance was through the Government Contracting Services program at the
FSBDC at the University of North Florida. To get started, she attended the FSBDC workshop Getting Started in Government
Contracting. Afterward, she sat down with Don Zavesky, FSBDC Government Contracting Specialist, and discussed Advanced
Furniture Solutions’ business goals and explored the potential sales opportunities in the government marketplace.
Over a series of no-cost consulting sessions, Don worked with Jillian, and her team, to complete required government registrations,
apply for small business certifications, develop a business development strategy, and pursue winnable government contracting
opportunities.
Since working with the FSBDC, Advanced Furniture Solutions has been:
• Named one of the Fastest 50 Growing Companies in Jacksonville
• Registered as an active Federal Small Business Contractor
• Certified as an Economically-Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business
• Accepted into the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce
• Successful in receiving a GSA Schedule Contract and approved vendor status
• Participated in the JAX Chamber’s JAX Bridge-2-Business program

Over the past year, Advanced Furniture Solutions has experienced substantial growth and success. The hard work is
paying off; company sales have increased by nearly $1 million. The team has sold to and supported the office needs of
customers in diverse markets including banking, insurance, healthcare, government, transportation and education, to name
a few. In addition, Jillian Hubbard earned the recognition of the Jacksonville Chamber Professional Women’s Council as the “Small
Business Leader of the Year.” This recognition also included admitting Jillian as a lifetime “Jacksonville Circle of Success” member.
The Florida SBDC at UNF is proud to be associated with Jillian and the entire Advanced Furniture Solutions team. This is another
great example of how, as a team, together with Florida small business owners, the Florida SBDC can help make a positive impact
in the community—one business at a time.

For a complete listing of all Florida SBDC at UNF Success
Stories, check out www.sbdc.unf.edu /success-story/