Own a small business? Do business with the city!

The city’s Purchasing Office contracts with hundreds of businesses each year for contracts of $50,000 or less for electrical services, training, consulting, safety equipment, and landscaping and technology, to name just a few. Currently, only a small percentage of contracts are awarded to small businesses, so the city wants to encourage more small business owners to apply to become vendors for city goods and services. The Purchasing Office is hosting a Small Business Contracting Forum on Tuesday, March 26, where representatives from different city departments will provide advice and information to help more local businesses identify opportunities to do business with the city and bid for those city contracts! The free event is from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Asian American Resource Center at 8401 Cameron Rd. Says James Scarboro, purchasing officer for the city of Austin, “If a small business owner has never entered into a contract with the city of Austin before, or if they’re not sure where to start, then this event is for them.” You can register for the event here. Naturally, refreshments will be provided.