Contracting opportunities for small businesses
June 1, 2001
KALAMAZOO -- Two business opportunity specialists from the Small Business Administration will tell local entrepreneurs about federal contracting opportunities at a June 5th workshop co-sponsored by Western Michigan University's Southwest Michigan Technical Assistance Center.
"SBA: Federal Procurement Assistance" will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, June 5, at the Kalamazoo County Chamber of Commerce Building, 346 W. Michigan Ave.
Jackie Hart and Tom Vargo of the Small Business Administration will tell attendees more about the programs offered by their federal agency. They will detail special government contracting opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses, minority-owned companies that qualify as section 8(a) businesses, and business located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones, or HUBZones. Hart and Vargo also will discuss the qualifications for all of those designations along with the steps required for certification.
The workshop is co-sponsored by WMU's Southwest Michigan TAC, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Small Business Administration and the Defense Logistics Agency.
The program is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending the workshop should reserve a seat by calling Janice Campell at (616) 387-2005, or by sending an e-mail to <janice.campbell@wmich.edu>.
Under the umbrella of WMU's Haworth College of Business and its Office of Business Development Services, the Southwest Michigan Technical Assistance Center offers free assistance to area companies interested in doing business with the government. Annually, center director Michael Black and his staff help businesses secure more than $30 million in government contracts.
Media contact: Jessica English, 616 387-8400, jessica.english@wmich.edu