Supplier Diversity Digest: A newsletter from the Office of Supplier Diversity

August 2016

Save the Date: Nov. 3, 2016 Supplier Diversity Exchange Orlando Regional Event You won’t want to miss the regional  Supplier Diversity Exchange Event in Orlando on Nov. 3. The Supplier Diversity Exchange is a forum for you to meet directly with state and local government procurement representatives. Mark your calendars and s tay tuned for more details. Visit our event page for more information.

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016

Building Partnerships with Ambassador Agreements

The Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) continues to work alongside organizations that support small businesses. On May 5, OSD signed an Ambassador Agreement with the Small Business Development Center during its 29th Annual Government Small Business Conference in Tampa. Florida SBDC Network Government Contracting Services Manager Jane Dowgwillo and OSD Executive Director Hue T. Reynolds signed the agreement to solidify a partnership to increase contracting opportunities for Florida’s woman-, veteran- and minority-owned small businesses.   On June 17, OSD signed another Ambassador Agreement with the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce (GCAACC) in Pensacola. Executive Director Nicole Dixon with the GCAACC signed the agreement alongside Reynolds. These collaborative partnerships seek to increase outreach and assistance to small businesses wishing to do business with the state.

Pilot Program Assists Veterans in Realizing Entrepreneurial Potential Article from the Florida SBDC Network

Navigating the transition from military to civilian life can be difficult for returning veterans. For many, entrepreneurship has proven to be a viable next career path as the experience, discipline and work ethic learned in the military provide a competitive edge for starting a business. To help translate the skills learned in the military to entrepreneurship, Veterans Florida and the Florida SBDC Network, in partnership with five institutions of higher education, have joined forces to offer the Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program. The program provides an opportunity for qualified veterans to attend an accelerated eight-week online course and six days of face-to-face instruction at one of five universities. Participants then complete six months of mentorship from professionally certified Florida SBDC consultants—all at no cost.   The pilot program, which completed the second of three phases in May, received more than 600 applications and accepted 400 participants. Because of the overwhelming response, the program will be offered again next year. More information regarding program details and application availability for next year will be available soon. To learn more about the Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program, please visit www.FloridaVetBiz.org .

The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program is offered at no cost to qualified veterans.

Check your certification date and note its expiration on your calendar so that you know when to renew! Self-Recertify Online! Did you know that your certification is valid for two years? Recertifying is easy and is available online. The automated process requires you to verify your contact information and answer a few questions. It’s that simple, and there's no need to upload any documents unless your organization experienced changes prior to recertification. Visit our website for more information.

OSD Services: We're Here For You!

Business Opportunities Did you know OSD shares bid opportunities from local and state government agencies? Visit our Announcements page to view a list of current opportunities. You can also view more state business opportunities through MyFloridaMarketPlace and the Vendor Bid System. Be sure to review the proposal carefully before submitting your response. Any questions about the proposal may be directed to the procurement officer listed on the proposal.

News & Updates OSD sends important news about upcoming events, specific procurement opportunities and details and reminders about recertification!  Check your email address and contact information in MyFloridaMarketPlace to make sure you receive these helpful resources.

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