Supplier Diversity Digest: A newsletter from the Office of Supplier Diversity
August 2018
Top 3 Office of Supplier Diversity Updates
  1. Register now for the Broward Supplier Diversity Day on Aug. 23, 2018. The Supplier Diversity Day is a forum for small businesses to interact with local, county, state, and federal government representatives. This free networking event includes presentations, a panel discussion, lunch, exhibitors, and pre-scheduled one-on-one interviews. Register Here Event Info
  2. Save the date for the Tallahassee Supplier Diversity Exchange on Oct. 10, 2018.
  3. Meet our newest Mentor-Protégé Program participants here.
Miami Super Bowl 2020, NFL Business Connect

Did you know your woman-, veteran-, or minority-owned business can compete for contracts connected to the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami? The Super Bowl LIV Business Connect Program is the NFL’s special supplier diversity and inclusion program that works to create opportunities for experienced, qualified, and certified business owners from local, diverse communities.

The goal is to curate a robust list of more than 300 event-ready businesses in 35 business lines to work with Super Bowl event producers. These businesses will be designated as ”approved” vendors and will be added to the NFL Super Bowl Business Connect Resource Guide of certified businesses ready to compete for contracting opportunities.

Read more information on the Miami Super Bowl 2020 Business Connect Program and view eligibility requirements here .
Small Business Update
Provided by the Florida SBDC Network

Are you unsure how to bring your small business’ innovation to life? Did you know that you can access federal government contracts and grants through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs? 

Administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the SBIR/STTR are highly competitive programs that award funding to small businesses to encourage research and development that has the potential for commercialization.

Congress requires eligible government agencies to set aside a certain percentage of their budget for these programs. Eleven federal agencies ranging from the Department of Defense to the Department of Agriculture participate in the SBIR program, with five agencies, including the Department of Energy and Department of Health and Human Services, participating in the STTR program.
 
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network and Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) recently conducted an intensive SBIR/STTR training as part of the Florida SBDC Network’s 2018 Annual Conference to help small businesses evaluate, understand, prepare for, and win SBIR/STTR grants and contracts.

Florida SBDC Network professionally certified business consultants and PTAC procurement specialists can assist you with your SBIR/STTR proposal, including determining suitable opportunities, helping prepare for and meet program requirements, and preparing and submitting proposals for consideration. 

To learn more about the SBIR/STTR programs, please visit www.sbir.gov . To schedule an appointment with the Florida SBDC or PTAC nearest you, please visit www.floridasbdc.org
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Provided by the Florida Advisory Council on Small and Minority Business Development
 
During the June 2018 meeting, FACSMBD members welcomed Michael DiNapoli, Deputy Bureau Chief from the Department of Economic Opportunity’s Division of Strategic Business Development, as the guest commentarian. Mr. DiNapoli shared information on his division, which oversees small business lending and various incentive programs. Information on the Black Business Loan Program, Emergency Bridge Loan Program, and more programs assisting small businesses can be found here .
Veterans Florida recently announced the selection of the following six network partners to administer the Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program throughout Florida during Fiscal Year 2018-19: the University of West Florida (Pensacola), Tallahassee Community College (Tallahassee), the University of Central Florida (Orlando), Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton), Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers), and Action Zone (Tampa).

The network partners will implement Veterans Florida’s Entrepreneurship Program through their different locations. The program consists of a self-paced online module, periodic on-premise workshops, and a cohort-based class for a small group of veteran entrepreneurs. Mentorship will be incorporated into this program as it has proven to be the key to success in past classes. Network partners will also hold monthly networking and resource sharing meetings, which will facilitate the building of a community and pipeline for veterans interested in entrepreneurship.

Learn more about the Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program here .
Small Business Snippets
MyFloridaMarketPlace
Does your company want to receive notifications of bid opportunities from the State of Florida? Watch this online training to learn how!

Do you have questions about the state’s eProcurement system? Contact the MyFloridaMarketPlace team today.
Current Bid Opportunities
Lawn maintenance, battery supplies, marketing services, asphalt and pavement preservation, emergency debris removal—these are just some of the bid opportunities from around the state. OSD notifies certified businesses of government bids as they occur. Check out the listing of current bid opportunities here .
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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.