Business Resources

Three of the largest business-to-government networking events in Washington are taking place this September and October. Don't miss out on these opportunities!

Black Business Leadership Conference

August is #NationalBlackBusinessMonth, created in 2004 by historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan Sr. to bring attention to the needs of more than two million Black-owned businesses operating across America. Here in Washington, Rudd's R.U.B.B. Initiative (Raising Up Black Businesses) is eager to bring awareness, access and education to Black Business Leaders during the month of August and beyond.

There will be networking, mentor meetups, educational workshops and breakout sessions, headshots and much more. WA APEX Business Outreach & Training Specialist, Maryam Lynch-Tate, will be one of many presenters offering various educational workshops in the areas of brand, sales and marketing, professional development, legal and operations, and financial management.

Register for the 3rd Annual Black Business Leadership Conference:

When: August 17, 2024 | 10AM - 4PM
Where: University Washington Seattle Campus HUB (Husky Union Building)
4001 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle WA 98195-0001

Washington Regional Contracting Forum

Washington's Regional Contracting Forum is celebrating 21 years of collaboration and leadership among the Puget Sound Region government entities. 

This forum is an opportunity for small businesses, minority, women, disadvantaged and veteran-owned businesses to meet purchasers at all levels of state and local government, including school districts, transportation agencies, Tribal governments and other organizations.

Introduce your business to some of the largest government entities:

• City of Seattle
• Washington Department of Transportation
• Sound Transit
• City of Tacoma
• King County
• University of Washington
• Port of Seattle
• City of Bellevue
• Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
• Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises
• And others

When: September 12, 2024 | 8AM - 3PM
Where: Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle Center 321 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA

Registration is open!

Washington BizFair 2024

BizFair is THE event that all current and aspiring small business owners should attend! This year will be the 28th annual BizFair, the longest running all government and nonprofit-run small business fair in Washington state. BizFair is free to attend and open to everyone. 

Learn about valuable small business resources in the Exhibitor Resource Hall and attend educational seminars led by industry experts on a variety of topics including business planning, regulatory guidance, funding opportunities, and business management skills

This year there will be 3 individual events: 

Spokane 
When: Saturday September 14, 2024 
Where: The Hive (Spokane Public Library venue) 

Puyallup
When: Saturday September 21, 2024
Where: Pierce College 

Tri-Cities: En Español
Cuándo: Sábado, 5 de octubre, 2024 
Dónde: Columbia Basin College 

For details and registration please visit www.bizfair.wa.gov 

Washington Procurement Connect (WPC)

The Department of Enterprise Services is excited to announce their first-ever Washington Procurement Connect (WPC) conference. This year’s theme is Strengthening Your Business, with a special focus on small businesses. Registration is open now and free for all attendees.

When: 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024
Where: Greater Tacoma Convention Center

At this all-day conference, small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses will have access to educational opportunities, keynote speakers and breakout sessions designed to:

• Strengthen their businesses
• Develop relationships
• Learn how they can do business with the State of Washington

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with procurement professionals from state and local governments, including counties, cities, schools, ports, commissions, and more.

Small Minority and Women-Owned Business Certification Workshop

Unlock the potential of your minority or women-owned business with our comprehensive workshop on OMWBE Certification! This event is designed to guide business owners through the certification process, opening doors to lucrative government contracts and other business opportunities.

Join OMWBE and AHAHA to learn:

• The benefits of certification for minority and women-owned businesses.
• Step-by-step guidance on the certification process
• Resources and support available to certified businesses.

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your business’s potential and connect with a network of supportive professionals.

When: August 14, 2024 | 3PM-5PM
Where: Hillyard Library | 4110 North Cook Street Spokane, WA 99207

Empower your business with the right certification. Register today!

Joining the MRSC Roster

This one hour live webinar will provide a brief overview of how state and local agencies purchase construction and other public works valued at under $350,000. An overview of how to join the MRSC Statewide Roster will be provided. Bring your questions!

This event is hosted by Washington's APEX Accelerator.

When: August 21, 2024 | 12PM - 1PM
Where: Online

Please Note - Public Works Small Business Enterprise (PWSBE) certified businesses can join the Statewide Small Works Roster for FREE! This is an essential next step to access public works contracts after getting PWSBE certified. Opt-in today!

Elevate Your Business Through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

This workshop equips you with the tools to build a more inclusive and high-performing workforce. Learn how to foster innovation, attract top talent, and increase profitability by leveraging the power of diversity.

Key Learning Objectives:

Empower Your Workforce & Drive Innovation

This workshop equips you with the tools to build a self-sustaining equity team within your organization. Learn from experts on building a sustainable DEI culture, mastering leadership styles, and unlocking the full potential of your team. Invest in your greatest asset – your people –and watch your business thrive.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Discover the Four Archetypes of Equity Leaders
• Power dynamics and develop strategies to overcome them
• Develop skills in bridging individual knowledge to effective learning opportunities
• Apply the skills of equity leadership

When: September 20, 2024 | 10:00AM - 11:15AM PST
Where: Online

Free Financial Coaching

Looking to reduce debt and save money, improve your credit score, or prepare and file taxes? Get free financial coaching assistance from PIM Savvy today!

Make Coaching Appointment by Phone (English)
For Questions, Call 206-565-2961, Option 4 or Email at vita@pimsavvy.com.

Solicitar Cita de Coaching Por Teléfono (En Español)
Si tiene preguntas, llame a Vanessa Delgado, al 206-565-2961, opción 2 o envíe un correo electrónico a vita@pimsavvy.com.

PIM Savvy is both DBE and WBE certified with OMWBE.

This program is funded by a grant from the Community Reinvestment Project, a project of the Department of Commerce funding healing and action for Black, Latine, and tribal communities across our state to build a better WA for everyone.

Upcoming Goods and Services Contracts

What is a Statewide Contract?

Statewide Contracts are established and administered by the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) and used by state, local, and tribal governments, higher education institutions, and qualifying non-profits to purchase products and services directly from contractors. Small, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses appear first on each statewide contract vendor list.

If you are interested in doing business with the state, here are some future contracts to check out:

1. Illumination Transportation and Traffic Systems
   • Commodity codes: 920-32, 936-49, 550-90, 550-80, 550-82 
2. ITPS Information & Cyber Security
   • Commodity codes: 920-02, 920-20, 920-24, 920-21, 920-22  
3. Security Guard Services
   • Commodity codes: 990-25, 990-46, 990-67, 990-78, 990-80  

New Certifications

144 businesses obtained OMWBE certification in July! We share these monthly lists of newly certified firms with our contract and procurement contacts at State Agencies and Institutions of Higher Education.