Selling your products or services to government agencies begins with building a network of potential buyers.
CIRAS can help with that with “Meet the Buyers” events that offer opportunities for both sides of the government procurement process to learn about each other. Government procurement officials and federal prime contractors will describe what they buy and the types of information that go into their selection process. Potential contractors will have a chance to introduce themselves, describe their products and services, and build a network of future contacts.
“These events are not only a great opportunity for businesses to build relationships with agencies, but also allow attendees to connect with other businesses and generate referrals for each other,” said Jodi Essex, Director of the Iowa Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).
“There really is no substitute for face-to-face networking, and our goal is to create the structure to allow these connections to happen.”
Participating agencies vary by region but include the Small Business Administration, National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Iowa State University, DMACC; Rock Island-Army Corps of Engineers, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa Air National Guard, State of Iowa, Department of Corrections, and the cities of Iowa City, Davenport, Des Moines, Ames, and Sioux City.
Meet the Buyers will be held Tuesday, April 12, at the Hyatt Regency Conference Center, Coralville; Wednesday, April 13, Stoney Creek Hotel, Johnston; and Thursday, April 14, Stoney Creek Inn, Sioux City. All events are 8:45 a.m. to 12 noon.
For more information, contact Jodi Essex at jodir@iastate.edu or 515-509-0769.