Minority and women entrepreneurs invited to Oct. 10 event
Not sure how to sell your products or services to the government? Minority and women entrepreneurs are invited to the “Opening Doors to Government Contracting” conference from 8:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 10 at the SUNY Polytechnic Student Center in Utica.
“Opening Doors to Government Contracting” will provide key information, resources and practical advice on how to do business with federal, state, and local agencies. Procurement resource specialists will present specific government procurement programs and certifications for minority and women entrepreneurs. Participants will be able to attend workshops that will cover federal contracting and certifications as well as state certifications and marketing to state agencies.
Jaime Sweet, president of Hartman Enterprises, Inc. in Oneida, NY, will share how her company pursued certifications and became a successful government contractor during the keynote address. Michael Stark, senior director of PAR Government/Rome Research Systems Business Management and Contracts, will present “Top 10 Tips for Starting as a Subcontractor.”
New for this year, attendees will be able to find out their own company’s potential procurement opportunities at the Bid Match Expo. Representatives from the Mohawk Valley SBDC Procurement Assistance Center, North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and Empire State Development will be able to register small business owners onsite for their unique bid matching services.
The event features Speed Networking Sessions for attendees to connect with procurement representatives from large corporations and federal, state and local agencies looking for local small businesses suppliers, including: Adjusters International, City of Rome, City of Utica, Gaetano Construction, NYS Dept. of Transportation, and the U.S. Air Force Rome Research Laboratory.
The cost of the conference is $10 per person, and includes a continental breakfast. For more information and to register by Oct. 6, visit www.sba.gov/ny/syracuse or call (315)733-9848. The conference is presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Syracuse District Office with the Mohawk Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Procurement Assistance Center, Women’s Business Center of New York State, North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), and Utica SCORE.