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Business Resources
Several events featured below are taking place within the next week. We encourage you to register ASAP to take advantage of these opportunities.
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Are you a veteran-owned business? Join us for a series of financial workshops designed to empower veteran-owned businesses with financial education and resources. You will learn:
- Financial Literacy and Business Budgeting
- Accessing Capital and Funding Strategies
- Business Credit and Debt Management
- Profitability and Growth Strategies
Training Dates:
- November 14, 2024
- February 20, 2025
- May 29, 2025
- August 14, 2025
Time: 6:00PM
Location: TBD
Register: contact Jonté Robinson at jonte@jmichell.com
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Driver Training School (DTS) Pilot Program
In accordance with House Bill 5583, section 6, the Washington State Department of Licensing has created a program to foster the development of women, minority, and veteran-owned licensed driver training schools. Benefits of opening your own driver training school include:
- Independence and Flexibility
- Financial Opportunities
- Community Impact
Interested in owning and operating your own driver training school? Join our pilot for resources to help you get started. The program will be piloted in January, 2025.
The Washington State Broadband Office opened the application period for $1.2 billion in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding intended to bridge the digital divide in Washington by bringing high-speed internet to everyone.
The BEAD program is open to cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, private companies, public or private utilities, public utility districts, and local and tribal governments. Projects must serve areas identified and approved through the BEAD process.
Application information and training
The agency is offering a training on using the Zoomgrants application portal on Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time.
Links to this training, the Notice of Funding Opportunity document, application portal link and more information about the BEAD program and process are all available on the Commerce Internet For All website.
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The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program invites Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, prime contractors, and Small Business Organizations that provide support services to small and diverse businesses throughout Oregon and Washington to a special presentation.
Colette Holt will join the IBR team to present the results of a recently conducted bi-state DBE Availability Analysis that will inform goal setting for future contracts for the IBR program. The presentation will discuss the purpose of an availability analysis, the methodology used, sources and defining the businesses considered.
The IBR team will also provide an update on potential construction package information and support services available.
When: November 19, 2024 | 1PM - 3PM
Where: Online
Questions: info@interstatebridge.org
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Did you know the government buys just about anything? If you are a business looking for revenue opportunities and want to sell to the government, this is the event for you.
Meet the BIGS! is the premier government contracting show of the year. You’ll have the opportunity to network with large government purchasers in our area, like Fairchild Air Force Base and the City of Spokane, as well as large prime contractors doing millions of dollars of work with the government.
When: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 | 9AM - 1PM PST
Where: Northern Quest Resort & Casino | 100 N Hayford Rd, Airway Heights, WA
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As part of its ongoing work to address disparities for historically underutilized businesses owned by minority, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, the City of Tacoma’s Equity in Contracting (EIC) and Local Employment and Apprenticeship Training Program (LEAP) teams are hosting a hybrid workshop on Doing Business with the City of Tacoma.
The following items will be covered:
- An overview of the City’s LEAP and EIC Programs
- The City’s bidding, contracting, and procurement process
- Subscribing to the City’s “Contracting Opportunities” webpage
- How to find solicitations
- Registering to be on the City’s “Bid Holders List”
- What the City of Tacoma purchases
- What it means to be a certified business, and why it is important
- Business licenses required to work in the city, costs associated with licensing, insurance, bonding, and taxes
Please note that registration is required to attend.
When: November 21 | 9:00AM - 10:30AM
Where: Online/City of Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St. Rm 248, Tacoma, WA 98402
Contact: Linda Cerna lcerna@cityoftacoma.org
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King County Metro Transit is holding an Open House event to preview upcoming contract opportunities on its Fixed Assets State of Good Repair (SGR) program. This multi-year program focuses on the renewal and replacement of Metro system assets to maintain level of service and safety to its ridership and community. The program includes planned improvements at transit maintenance bases and route facilities.
The program is currently comprised of two major packages. The first package includes more than a dozen projects with estimated total cost of approximately $120 million. Anticipated projects include upgrades to site infrastructure, systems, and facilities, and equipment refurbishment and replacement at maintenance bases and other facilities.
Three multi-year support contracts are planned to support this work:
- Architectural/Engineering contract, expected to begin procurement in Q4 2024
- General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM) contract, expected to begin procurement Late Q1 2025
- Bus and vehicle lift supply contract, expected to begin procurement in early 2025
A second package is planned for approximately eight refurbishments of power supply and other electrical and infrastructure facilities, primarily for the trolley system. This work is expected to be delivered by means of a Progressive Design Build contract to be procured in 2026 and has a current estimated value of approximately $90 million.
The open house will provide interested parties with an opportunity to receive an overview of these opportunities.
When: November 21, 2024 | 10AM PST
Where: Tabor 100 Event Center | 7100 Fort Dent Way #100 | Tukwila, WA 98188
Contact: Brian Berard, bberard@kingcounty.gov
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Advanced PortGen 2024 Celebration of Small Business
In partnership with PortGen Accelerator Program, this in person event provides an opportunity to celebrate the efforts of our participants, meet the subject matter experts, network with prime contractors and agency representatives, and build your resource team.
When: December 11, 2024 | 5PM - 7:30PM
Where: 2701 Alaskan Way, Pier 69, Seattle WA 98121-1107
Contact: training@washingtonapex.org
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First, some news from OMWBE:
Did you know? OMWBE recently issued Public Works Small Business Enterprise (PWSBE) certification to every business in our State Certification program.
Learn more in our update from October 30, 2024, which covers additional benefits of PWSBE certification related to small public works contracting.
WSDOT Small and Veteran Business Enterprise (SVBE) Program:
WSDOT revised small and veteran business requirements for state funded
contracts. These changes go into effect on contracts advertised on or after
November 4, 2024.
Overview of the changes:
- WSDOT may increase small business goals on contracts to a maximum of
20% depending on project conditions.
- Bidders will now need to use the Office of Minority and Women’s Business
Enterprises (OMWBE) certified Public Works Small Business Enterprise’s
(PWSBEs) instead of Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS)
certified Small Business Enterprise (SBEs) to meet small business
condition of award (COA) goals.
- Bidders will now need to use Department of Veterans Affairs certified
Veteran-Owned Businesses instead of WEBS certified Veteran-Owned
Businesses to meet COA goals.
- The General Special Provisions, forms and bid submission process have
been updated to reflect these changes.
Learn more below, in the recent contractor bulletin.
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New Certifications
77 businesses obtained OMWBE certification in October! We share these monthly lists of newly certified firms with our contract and procurement contacts at State Agencies and Institutions of Higher Education.
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