FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES REACH OUT TO ENTREPRENEURS AT BIZFAIR 2007
Leroy Hurt
Reaching out to small
businesses can be a way contract managers can build the diversity of their
supplier base. Over 50 government and professional organizations met
entrepreneurs at BizFair 2007 (www.bizfair.org), an annual small business
fair, on September 8, 2007 at Renton Technical College. Friendly
volunteers greeted small business owners at eight o’clock for an all day
session of classes and informal conversations with organization
representatives, an information-rich day provided at no charge to the
entrepreneurs. The attendees ranged from experienced small business owners
to those thinking about taking the plunge.
According to Ms. Kari Gilje
of the Internal Revenue Service and chair of the planning committee,
response by entrepreneurs and exhibiting organizations has been positive.
Participants appreciated the availability of information in one place, one
stating, "The ability to have access to so many kinds of information (from
marketing to tax law) all in one place. Tons of useful information and
contacts."
Participating organizations
set up tables to provide brochures, flyers, CDs, and other material.
Representatives answered attendees’ questions about what their
organizations had to do with small businesses, including how they could
help small businesses compete more effectively for government contracts. A
number of professional organizations described the services they offered
to help entrepreneurs pool their resources to help each other.
The classes ranged from
advice on starting new businesses to how to market on the Internet. Other
important subjects included business law, including employment law and
taxes. Attracting interest, classes related to financial matters ranging
from taxes to capital and credit exposed entrepreneurs not only to experts
from different organizations who provided a range of advice. While most of
the classes provided information on building a successful small business,
there were also classes on doing business with government.
Although the day was
oriented toward the general field of starting and running a small
business, it was clear the organizations had much to offer in helping
small businesses compete for government contracts. In an era of supplier
diversity and specified small business goals for government agencies,
BizFair 2007 represents a best practice for helping small businesses get
involved in the government contracting process.
Who participated?
Better Business Bureau - www.thebbb.org
City of Seattle Department of Executive Administration
- Revenue & Consumer Affairs
www.seattle.gov/rca/default.htm
Community Capital Development - www.seattleccd.com
Entrepreneurial Law Clinic at the University of
Washington School of Law - www.law.washington.edu/Clinics/Entrepreneurial.html
Federal Trade Commission - www.ftc.gov
Hazen High School DECA - www.wadeca.org
Internal Revenue Service - www.irs.gov
National Association for the Self Employed -
www.nase.org
Northwest Minority Business Council - www.nmbc.biz
Northwest Women's Business Center - www.nwwbc.org
Office of Secretary of State, Corporations Division -
www.secstate.wa.gov/corps
Rainier Chapter of the American Payroll Association -
www.rainierchapterapa.org
Renton Technical College - www.renton-tc.ctc.edu
SCORE - Service Corps of Retired Executives -
www.seattlescore.org
Seattle City Light - www.seattle.gov/light/hub
Social Security Administration - www.socialsecurity.gov/employer
Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) - www.irs.gov/advocate
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security
Administration - www.dol.gov/ebsa
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division -
www.wagehour.dol.gov
U.S. Small Business Administration - www.sba.gov/wa/seattle
Washington Assistive Technology Foundation -
www.watf.org
Washington Association of Accountants - www.waa.org
Washington Community Alliance for Self Help (CASH) -
www.washingtoncash.org
Washington Policy Center - www.washingtonpolicy.org
Washington Retail Association -
www.retailassociation.org
Washington Small Business Development Center Network -
www.wsbdc.org
Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)
- www.dfi.wa.gov
Washington State Department of General Administration -
www.ga.wa.gov
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries -
www.lni.wa.gov
Washington State Department of Licensing - Master
License Service - www.dol.wa.gov
Washington State Department of Revenue - http://dor.wa.gov/Default.aspx
Washington State Employment Security Department -
www.wa.gov/esd
Washington State Office of Minority & Women's Business
Enterprises - www.omwbe.wa.gov
Washington State Society of Enrolled Agents -
www.taxea.org
Washington State Tax Consultants - www.wstctax.org
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