State invites small and minority-owned businesses to Business Expo Oct. 27 at Ohio History Center
COLUMBUS – To support the effort to expand access to state contracts for small and minority-owned businesses, the State of Ohio is hosting MBE/EDGE Business Expo, an outreach event, on Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This free networking event will be held at the Ohio History Center, located at 800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, 43211.
“State procurement professionals are interested in meeting Ohio minority-business owners one-on-one to discuss how we can work together to provide the goods and services the state requires,” said Robert Blair, director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), which is sponsoring this event in partnership with the Ohio Development Services Agency.
Gregory L. Williams, deputy director of the DAS Equal Opportunity Division, said, “This outreach event will connect business owners with state agency purchasing professionals seeking to continue to increase the business the state conducts with companies certified through our Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (EDGE) programs.
Agency representatives will be present to discuss upcoming contracting opportunities, including timelines and points of contact.”
During Fiscal Year 2015, the State of Ohio reached the goals of its MBE program for the first time in history by purchasing a record 19 percent of eligible goods and services through minority-owned businesses while spending a record $228.5 million.
Ohio’s MBE program, established in 1980, mandates that state agencies set aside 15 percent of their annual purchases for goods and services for certified minority-owned businesses.
The EDGE program helps facilitate access to state government contracts and business services for socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. “The State of Ohio has spent more money with certified minority-owned businesses than ever before,” said Jeffrey Johnson, chief of the Minority Business Development Division at the Ohio Development Services Agency. “We will continue to make progress as we encourage even more minority-owned businesses to get MBE-certified to increase the amount of minority businesses doing work with the state.”
Admission and parking are free. Online registration for the expo by Oct. 22 is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. To register or learn more about this event or the state’s MBE and EDGE programs, visit the Ohio Department of Administrative Services website at das.ohio.gov/eod or call 614-466-8380. For information about the Minority Business Assistance Centers operated by the Ohio Development Services Agency, visit minority.ohio.gov or call 614-466-5700.
