Newsline

4.30.12

Owners and operators of local and small businesses are invited to a Reverse Trade Show on Friday, May 4th to learn how to do business with the city and what opportunities exist.

The third annual Reverse Trade Show is hosted by the city's Procurement and Supply Management Department and will be held at the historic Coliseum, 535 Fourth Avenue North from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.

Representatives from city departments that purchase more than $210 million in services and supplies annually will be available to determine if a match exists between the city and prospective vendors. Attendees can ask questions, learn about current city bid opportunities and available city contracts, register as city vendors, and get information on becoming a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) through the city's Business Assistance Center.

A sampling of the City departments to be represented at the show, include: Water Resources, Sanitation, Parks and Recreation, Downtown Enterprise Facilities (Sunken Gardens, the Marina, Coliseum, Albert Whitted Airport, the Port of St. Petersburg), Parking and Transportation, Codes Compliance, city Golf Courses and Libraries.

Currently, St. Petersburg has contracts with local small businesses to provide products and services for such daily city operations as; construction, roofing and building materials, grounds maintenance supplies, printing services and supplies, custodial products, uniforms, and computer and technology services, and more.

A new feature this year, the city has invited community partners, such as; Progress Energy, Pinellas County Schools, the University of South Florida's Supplier Diversity Program, St. Petersburg Housing Authority, Job Corps, Pinellas County Purchasing Department, PSTA, the Pinellas County Clerk and the cities of Pinellas Park, Largo, and St. Pete Beach to participate.

For more information about the 2012 Reverse Trade Show, please visit www.stpete.org/purchasing