MACON, Ga. (WGXA) — Macon-Bibb County is dedicated to helping small businesses, and on Thursday, the Office of Small Business Affairs hosted a statewide business and procurement workshop.
In partnership with Georgia’s Department of Administrative Services and Central Georgia Coalition of Black Businesses, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., businesses and suppliers who are interested in working with the state and local agencies were asked to join the event at the Macon Mall, 3661 Eisenhower Parkway.
DID YOU HEAR | Bob’s Discount Furniture breaks ground on 801,000-square-foot Macon distribution center
“Small businesses matter here in Macon,” said Charise Stephens-Meriwether, Director of the OSBA. “The main goal with our office is we’re getting people registered locally and certified locally because there are 159 counties throughout the state of Georgia, so there are 159 possibilities to expand your business, and having this partnership with the state does that. This will be a great chance for businesses to open the door to more contracts with government agencies and allow us as a government to support more small, local, and minority firms. By hosting the statewide conference in Macon-Bibb, we can reach even more people, have a greater impact on our economy, and bring in more skills and knowledge to our projects.”
“We want firms to gain practical knowledge, meaningful connections, and clear next steps on how to do business with their government,” says Julian Bailey, Small Business and Supplier Diversity with the DOAS State Purchasing Division. “By attending, they’ll get a better understanding of how to pursue local and statewide procurement opportunities, strong peer-to-peer connections with other small businesses, and a greater awareness of small business resources for accessing capital and business development support.”
During the workshop, attendees learned how to navigate the state procurement process, including the order of precedence in purchasing, how to become a certified business and why certification matters, and where to find opportunities under $25,000.
Organizers also highlighted the importance of registering with the state’s procurement system, Team Georgia Marketplace. Businesses that register can view active bids, access contract opportunities and receive notifications about projects that match their services.
Attendees were encouraged to bring capability statements and business cards and be prepared to register with agencies on-site. Several organizations, including the Office of Small Business Affairs, were available to help businesses complete registrations during the event.
The workshop also guided accessing support and resources, as well as how prime contractors can benefit from partnering with certified small businesses.
Organizations present included the Central Georgia Coalition of Black Businesses, Georgia Department of Administrative Services, Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE), JP Morgan Chase, NOW, NewTown Macon, the Small Business Administration, GTPAC, SCORE, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Macon, Columbus State University, the University of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Transportation, Macon-Bibb County Procurement, MH Miles Company, and Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages.
Stick with WGXA as we keep you ready for what’s next.
