Allen Janitorial Services: From Recovery to Contract Award

Victoria Gramajo, owner of Allen Janitorial Services, connected with ICON CDC through the North Valley BusinessSource Center (NV BSC) after attending ICON’s “Cómo Aplicar Para Contrataciones Gubernamentales” workshop in February 2025. At the time, her business was facing significant challenges. Like many small service providers, Allen Janitorial Services was still recovering from the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and had recently lost several janitorial contracts due to wildfire- related disruptions. These losses placed additional strain on cash flow and created concerns about retaining employees and sustaining operations. ICON CDC conducted a comprehensive needs assessment and enrolled the business into the BusinessSource Center and Business Needs Assessment (BNA) process.

Initial technical assistance focused on business recovery and stabilization, including hands-on support with the Small Business Wildfire Relief Grant and ICON’s CD6 gift card program. During this engagement, Victoria expressed a strong interest in government and quasi-public contracting as a strategy to stabilize and grow her business. To support this goal, ICON CDC invited Victoria to participate in a four-week procurement workshop cohort, delivered in Spanish to ensure accessibility. Through the workshop series, she gained foundational knowledge on procurement readiness, certifications, and responding to solicitations. Upon completion, ICON CDC coordinated a referral to Leadership Consulting Group (LCG) for advanced procurement and certification assistance. With support from ICON CDC and LCG, Victoria successfully completed RAMP LA enrollment, registered her business in the Cal eProcure portal, and secured her California Small Business (SB Micro) certification, approved through November 2027. These credentials positioned Allen Janitorial Services to compete for public- sector and Business Improvement District (BID) contracting opportunities. As procurement opportunities expanded, cash-flow challenges persisted due to delayed client payments and upfront payroll and operating costs. ICON CDC provided financial technical assistance, including bank statement analysis, development of a professional Profit & Loss statement, and identification of alternative lending options.

Based on the business’s demonstrated cash flow and operational capacity, ICON CDC packaged and submitted a $25,000 working capital loan application to a mission- based CDFI lender. At the same time, ICON CDC and LCG provided one-on-one procurement support, assisting Victoria with reviewing and finalizing a competitive proposal for Street Maintenance Services with the West Adams Business Improvement District (BID). In December 2025, Allen Janitorial Services was awarded the BID contract, creating a new and stable revenue stream. In January 2026, the business was also awarded and accepted the $25,000 working capital loan, enabling successful contract implementation and operational stability.

Reflecting on her experience, Victoria shared: “ICON CDC didn’t just help me apply for programs — they walked with me every step of the way. From learning how procurement works, to getting my certifications, to securing financing when I needed it most, their support helped my business survive a very difficult period and move forward with confidence.”