Supplier Diversity Digest: A newsletter from the Office of Supplier Diversity
June 2017
Office of Supplier Diversity Updates

Register Now!
Broward College, in collaboration with the Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD), presents Supplier Diversity Day at Broward College on Friday, August 25, 2017. Following a panel discussion, small businesses will be able to interact and meet with local, county, state and federal government representatives at scheduled one-on-one interviews. To view event details and to register, click here.

Save the Date!
The Orlando Supplier Diversity Exchange will take place on Thursday, November 2, 2017. Save the date on your calendar, and check OSD’s event website for updates and registration information. Last year’s event sold out quickly—so you won’t want to miss it.

General Services Administration (GSA) Subcontracting Opportunities

The GSA publishes a Subcontracting Directory for small business owners seeking subcontracting opportunities with GSA prime contractors. The directory includes large prime contractors who have received the following federal contracts:

  • For goods and services other than construction that are valued at more than $700,000.
  • For construction valued at more than $1.5 million.

To search for GSA prime contractors seeking small business subcontractors, click View All Contractors on the Subcontracting Directory website. 

Small Business Update – Be Hurricane Ready
Provided by the Florida SBDC Network

The Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance, urges small business owners across the state to prepare for the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and extends through November 30.

According to a forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be above normal, with 11 to 17 named storms, between five and nine hurricanes, and two to four major hurricanes. This counters a below-average forecast released last month by the Colorado State University (CSU) Tropical Meteorology Project of 11 named storms, four hurricanes, and two major hurricanes.

To ensure that you are hurricane ready and to see what business continuation services the Florida SBDC offers, read the full article here.

Small Business Administration Resources

Did you know that the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) newsletter provides helpful business tips and alerts regarding upcoming events in your area? To subscribe to the newsletter, visit https://www.sba.gov/updates.

Don’t miss the Small Business Success Virtual Conference on June 8, powered by SCORE and Verisign! This half-day event offers educational webinars, one-on-one mentoring sessions, exhibitor booths and networking chat rooms to give you the information you need to succeed as a small business owner. To view event details and to register, click here.
   

During May’s Florida Advisory Council on Small and Minority Business Development meeting, Nicole Acosta, Category Manager in the Division of State Purchasing at the Department of Management Services, provided a brief overview on the General Services Administration (GSA) and the state’s use of the GSA Schedule 70 for IT related purchases. She explained how the Division of State Purchasing has devised a concierge service for GSA related questions to help agency customers and the vendor community.

For more information on the GSA, visit this GSA webpage or contact the GSA Concierge Team at 850-488-8440 or PUR_GSA_INFO@dms.myflorida.com.

 Top 5 Reasons Veterans Move to Florida
Provided by Veterans Florida

Veterans make the Sunshine State their home because of its unparalleled career, education and lifestyle opportunities. Here, veterans tell us in their own words why they chose to move, study and work here.

  1. An extraordinary community of veterans offering great support;
  2. Abundant educational opportunities with dedicated on-campus support for veterans;
  3. A strong economy with many job opportunities and employers who appreciate and hire veterans;
  4. Extraordinary support for entrepreneurship; and
  5. A warm and beautiful climate, natural beauty, unlimited recreation and low taxes.

To read the full article, click here.

Strategic Partnership Agreements
Did you know that OSD has strategic agreements with five entities: the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, Florida State University, the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Administration and the University of Florida?

These agreements are designed to motivate and support woman, veteran and minority small business owners in better understanding and securing government purchasing opportunities. In addition, they also foster a mutual understanding and further promote small business development. To view these agreements, click  here.  

OSD Executive Director Hue Reynolds (left) and Florida State University (FSU) Supplier Diversity Program Manager Edward Acoff (right) celebrate the signing of the OSD and FSU strategic partnership agreement.
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The content of this newsletter is intended to serve as informational only.  It should not be construed as business advice or an endorsement of any particular organization by the Office of Supplier Diversity or the Florida Department of Management Services.