from staff
The Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold the 2008 Northeast Florida Procurement Conference and Buyers Forum Oct. 21 from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Osborn Center.
Hosted by the Chamber and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, the conference is geared toward helping small businesses foster partnerships with federal, state and local government agencies along with private sector buyers.
“One of the greatest challenges for small businesses is access to major buyers of their products and services,” said Glenda Washington, senior director, economic inclusion for the Chamber. “This conference will provide excellent opportunities to form relationships with buyers that small businesses usually cannot access.”
The conference will bring together small business owners and corporate and government buyers throughout the region for a day of commerce and education. It will also provide educational and networking opportunities with several pre-conference workshops scheduled leading up to the event. The workshops are designed to ensure attendee’s success in effectively mapping their day at the conference. Other seminars will be available throughout the day of the event for both buyers and small businesses.
To register for the conference or for more information, log on to www.myjaxchamber.com. Discounted tickets are available for those registering before Sept. 21 and Chamber members. Based on information provided during registration, the needs of small businesses will be assessed and matchmaking sessions will be scheduled between a procurement representative and the small business seeking contracts.