COMMUNITY BRIEFS – October 29, 2020

New COTA operation hours

The Commonwealth Office of Transport Authority has implemented new hours of operation effective Oct. 22, 2020.

 Monday to Friday: 6:30am to 10pm

First passengers pick up will begin at 6:30am; last passenger pick up will end at 10pm.

 Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 6:30am to 8pm

First passengers pick up will begin at 6:30am; last passenger pick up will end at 8pm.

For reservations, call COTA’s One Call/One Click Transportation Information Resource Center two days in advance at (670)664-2690. (PR)

Man-o-war advisory out

MANGILAO, Guam—The Department of Agriculture’s Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources Fisheries reminds the community that Indo-Pacific man-o-wars are most commonly seen in Guam during the months of November through February. They are usually around 1-2 inches long, clear blue in color, and may have tentacles reaching 6 feet or more in length. 

If you are stung, remove any clinging tentacles with a stick or other hard object then flush the area with large amounts of salt water. If a person has a severe reaction, immediate medical care should be sought. 

If Indo-Pacific man-o-wars are seen, notify the Department of Agriculture. Call 735-0289/81/94, or email fisheries@doag.guam.gov. Indicate if it is jellyfish or man-o-wars (the blue bubble). (PR)

Free webinars on federal contracting

The Guam Procurement Technical Assistance Center is offering free live webinars for November. Webinars run from 10am to 11:30am and will be conducted via Zoom. Links to the live webinar and the webinar evaluation will be emailed to all registered attendees 15 minutes before the start of the webinar.

 Oct. 29 – Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment – Do you have a DOD contract and need to get paid? The Guam PTAC will explain DOD invoicing procedures using the Wide-Area Workflow module in the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment system.

 Nov. 5 – Applying for a DUNS Number & Registering in SAM – To sell your product or service to the federal government, you need to get a DUNS number and register in SAM. These registrations pose unique challenges to Guam/CNMI based businesses. Tips and solutions for these challenges will be discussed.

 Nov. 12 – Federal Contract Opportunities – Beta.sam.gov is the portal for Federal Contract Opportunities. The Guam PTAC will show you how to setup an account and how to use the search filters to ensure you do not miss any opportunities.

 Nov. 19 – Marketing to the Federal Government – The government buys products and services differently than the private sector. The Guam PTAC will discuss marketing strategies, essential documents, and how to get your company on “the list”.

 Nov. 25 – How to Get Women Owned Small Business Certified – WOSB is now an official SBA certification program. We will discuss the new certification process as well as supporting document requirements.

Register on our website, http://guamptac.com/news-and-events.php. (PR)

4.7-magnitude earthquake on Pagan

At 4:48pm on Oct. 26, 2020, a report of a 4.7 -magnitude earthquake occurred in the Pagan region of the Northern Mariana Islands. Currently, there are no tsunami warnings or advisories issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. For more information, contact the CNMI EOC State Warning Point at 670-237-8000. (PR)

4.6-magnitude earthquake near Guam

At 10:52pm on Oct. 26, 2020, a report of a 4.6-magnitude earthquake occurred 23 miles west of Hagatna, Guam. Currently, there are no tsunami warnings or advisories issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. For more information, contact the CNMI EOC State Warning Point at 670-237-8000. (PR)

CHamoru commission meeting set

The Kumisión i Fino’ CHamoru yan i Fina’nå’guen i Historia yan i Lina’la’ i Taotao Tåno’ (Commission on CHamoru Language and the Teaching of the History and Culture of the Indigenous People of Guam) will hold its first November monthly virtual meeting on Nov. 5, 2020, Thursday, from 12:30pm to 3:30pm on a Zoom link. Call Kumisión secretary Roland Blas for Zoom link Information, special accommodations, and agenda at 480-4047 (rolandblas1973@gmail.com). (PR)

Citizen-centric reports due on Oct. 30

This is to remind all reporting agencies that the Citizen-Centric Report is due on Oct. 30, 2020. Forward all reports to mail@opacnmi.com. Failure to file will result in a penalty of $50 per day for first time offenses and $100 per day for second or subsequent offenses until the violation is cured.

An electronic copy of the report shall be submitted to the Office of the Public Auditor and the presiding officers of the Legislature. Additionally, the report shall be posted on the website of the entity, the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Public Auditor, and the CNMI Legislature.

For more information, visit the OPA website at http://opacnmi.com or contact OPA at (670) 322-6481/2. (PR)