SBA to hold contracting conference for minority and women entrepreneurs June 9 in Marcy

MARCY, N.Y. — The Syracuse district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is planning a contracting conference for minority and women entrepreneurs.

The event, entitled “Opening Doors to Government Contracting,” will provide information on selling products and services to all levels of government.

It is set for June 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the SUNY Polytechnic student center in Marcy, near Utica.

The cost of the conference is $10 per person and includes a continental breakfast, the SBA said in a news release. The agency asks attendees to register by June 5.

Those interested can register by visiting www.sba.gov/ny/syracuse or by calling (315) 733-9848, the SBA said.

The conference will provide “key information, resources and practical advice on how to do business with federal, state, and local agencies.”

Procurement-resource specialists will present “specific” government-procurement programs and certifications for minority and women entrepreneurs in the “We Can Help” panel presentation, the SBA said.

Participants can also attend one of three concurrent workshops that will cover federal contracting and marketing to federal agencies; federal certifications; and state certifications and marketing to state agencies, the agency added.

In addition, two area business owners who have become “successful” government contractors will participate in the “How We Did It” panel presentation.

They include Kimberly Ocuto, president of Ocuto Blacktop & Paving Company, Inc. and Alliance Paving Materials, Inc., both of Rome; and Kris Putrelo, president of Putrelo Building Enterprises in New Hartford.

Both entrepreneurs have obtained New York State Woman-Owned Business Enterprise certification for their companies, according to the SBA.

This year’s event also includes a one-hour speed-networking session in which attendees can connect with procurement representatives from large corporations and federal, state, and local agencies looking for local small-businesses suppliers.

Participating organizations include Utica–based ConMed Corp; City of Utica, New York State Department of Transportation; Oneida County; U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate; and Skaneateles Falls–based Welch Allyn, Inc.

The SBA Syracuse district office is presenting the conference along with the Business Training Institute; Mohawk Valley Small Business Development Center Procurement Assistance Center; New York State Women’s Business Center; North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center; and Utica SCORE.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com