April 2020

April , 2020

Dear BAMA Members and Supporters,

I am keeping a close watch on the current situation concerning the coronavirus (COVID-19) here in the Tampa Bay area. I joined a call earlier this week with Senator Rick Scott and Mayor Jane Castor to discuss the needs and concerns of our businesses. The Senator provided this FAQ sheet that may be helpful. You can find additional resources on the BAMA COVID-19 Resource page. We will also continue to provide you with the most updated content through virtual events.

I'm excited to announce the launch of Connex Florida today. It is an online database to connect Florida manufacturers and businesses that need their products.

FloridaMakes has drafted a survey that will be released this week. The survey will allow our manufacturers the opportunity to get entered into the database quickly with little effort on your part. The ONLY information being populated is public information, there will be NO Confidential information populated into the database. Additionally, manufacturers can opt out and the information will not be uploaded into the Supplier Capabilities Database.

The second part of the survey, and again this information WILL NOT be loaded into the database are questions on the overall health of manufacturing in Florida. The data is being collected to better understand our manufacturers current operating conditions and what we need to provide, if possible, to either keep you healthy or assist in returning you to a healthy state.

In addition, Paula DeLuca, The BAMA Business Advisor will reach out directly to manufacturers in our area to determine if you have completed the survey. If you would like to do the survey live with her over the phone, please call her at 727-498-0990. She will then populate the survey for your company.

We are making every effort to make this process as easy as possible for our members so you can concentrate on the important task of running your business. This survey will enable Paula to find the necessary resources to provide long-term assistance for your company as well as provide direct assistance by your inclusion into the database.

On behalf of the BAMA Board of Directors, Business Advisor Paula DeLuca and the entire FloridaMakes team, we are excited to bring you these resources and we are committed to assisting you in any way possible.

Best regards,

Beth Galic

Executive Director, Bay Area Manufacturers Association

Partnership Accelerates Critical Connections Between Florida Manufacturers & Businesses During COVID-19 Pandemic

FloridaMakes in partnership with the Associated Industries of Florida and Space Florida announced today the deployment of an online database for Florida’s small to large manufacturers to engage in the marketplace. Read the joint press release here.

The online database, Connex Florida, started as a disaster risk mitigation effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and is proving to be a critical tool to streamline connections between Florida manufacturers and businesses in need of their products during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are proud of our partnership with AIF and Space Florida on the Connex Florida database. It is imperative that we have a functioning industrial base as we respond to the COVID-19 emergency, including innovative solutions to help our supply chain here in Florida and across the nation,” said FloridaMakes CEO Kevin Carr. “Together, all three organizations represent a cross-section of manufacturers of all sizes across the state for which this tool is tailored for and will meet their needs by collecting their capabilities and capacities to efficiently connect them to businesses in need of their supplies.”

In Florida, manufacturers are identified as essential critical infrastructure who bear a unique responsibility during a crisis to continue operations that, in turn, contribute to overall sustainability of Florida’s communities. As such, AIF, Space Florida and FloridaMakes have begun compiling a database on industrial assets, capabilities and capacities that can be drawn upon at this time of critical demand.

Connex Florida is a statewide manufacturing supply chain, workforce and R&D connection solution offered free of charge to manufacturers, educational institutions, and those performing manufacturing R&D in Florida. To request access to the platform visit: Florida.MfgConnex.com or for more information please visit FloridaMakes.com/SupplyChain or contact [email protected].

BAMA COVID-19 Resource Page

Career Source Tampa Bay COVID-19 TOOLKIT