Supplier Diversity Digest: A newsletter from the Office of Supplier Diversity
April 2019
Join the Celebration!
There’s no doubt about it, we live in a stressful world. Add the pressure of owning your own business, and it’s easy for stress levels to be off the charts. This April, in honor of stress awareness month, take the time to pinpoint stressors in your life and find easy ways to help deal with stress. Florida Health offers many tips to help keep stress in check including being flexible, taking deep breaths, taking care of your body, and connecting with others. How do you handle stress? Share your #stressawarenessmonth tips with us on twitter.
Did you know that May is Small Business Month? In May, there is no shortage of small business events, expos, fairs, workshops, and trainings as the entire nation celebrates small businesses. Here are a few ways you can join the celebration:
  • Join the Office of Supplier Diversity at various small business events across the state. You can view a listing of events we will be attending on our event page.
  • May 5 through May 11 is National Small Business Week. During this Small Business Administration (SBA) hosted event, the nation’s top entrepreneurs will be honored as SBA highlights the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and community members.
  • Take advantage of in-person workshops and on-demand training videos offered by the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network. Training topics include current and practical information on business topics ranging from the basics to advanced business management skills.
Small Business Update
Provided by the Florida SBDC Network
 Did you know that the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) offers more than 100 events and workshops throughout the year?

Procurement Specialists strive to deliver the most relevant workshops and training opportunities to help businesses navigate the government procurement process and identify critical steps in winning government contracts. These classes cover a wide range of government contracting topics at the federal, state, and local government levels, and are taught by industry experts who have many years of government contracting experience. Nominal fees may apply for some workshops and events. In addition, the Florida PTAC sponsors government contracting and matchmaker events to connect business owners with agency buying officers and prime contractors.

Small businesses registered in System for Award Management (SAM) and pursuing federal contract opportunities are invited to attend the upcoming SBA Mentor-Protégé Connection Event in Pensacola Wednesday, May 8. The event, which will be held from 11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the University of West Florida, will offer businesses an opportunity to learn about the new SBA Mentor-Protégé program and meet individually with potential mentors, SBA representatives, prime contractors, and more. To learn more about this and other upcoming events, visit www.fptac.org
Provided by the Florida Advisory Council on Small and Minority Business Development (FACSMBD)
 During the February 2019 meeting, the Council welcomed Melody Thelwell, Chief Procurement Officer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) Procurement Management Services . Ms. Thelwell shared information with the Council on the findings and recommendations from phase two of the MDCPS disparity study on goods and services. Ms. Thelwell also shared several resources MDCPS provides to assist small businesses in becoming more knowledgeable about the procurement process and building relationships with government agencies. These resources include targeted matchmaking workshops, supplier development programs, and a small business academy and help supply the small business vendor community with the tools needed to compete in the market.
Veterans Florida invites you to attend their June 15 Expo! Part career fair, part entrepreneur pitch competition, part benefits exhibition, the Veterans Florida Expo offers everything that veterans and their families need to know about working and living in Florida.
Visit the Veterans Florida Expo website to view the full schedule of events. While you’re there, you can register for this free event that you won’t want to miss.
Small Business Snippets
MyFloridaMarketPlace
If you’re interested in learning more about doing business with the State of Florida, you won’t want to miss these MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) training opportunities:
  • April 9: MFMP For Vendors (Jacksonville in-person training), Register Here
  • April 10: MFMP For Vendors (Lake City in-person training), Register Here
  • April 18: MFMP For Vendors (Webinar), Register Here
  • May 21: Responding to Electronic Solicitations (Webinar), Register Here
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Current Bid Opportunities
OSD notifies certified businesses of bid announcements from state agencies, cities, counties, universities, colleges, and more. Check out the listing of current government 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.