HUD AND LOCAL PARTNERS HOST REGIONAL SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
Univ. of West Florida hosts FREE event to help small businesses win federal contracts

JACKSONVILLE, FL - Three Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) field offices are partnering with
local and regional organizations from Alabama, Florida and Mississippi to hold a one-day small business development conference in Pensacola on Tuesday, May 25th in Pensacola.

The FREE Southeast Regional Small Business Economic Development Conference, "Doing Business with the Federal Government & the States of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi - The Federal/ State Procurement Process for Contracting Opportunities," is designed to help small, minority, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses win federal and state contracts. Representatives from nearly 30 state and federal agencies will help small businesses better understand the federal and state procurement process.

"A successful and strong business community is an integral component of economic development, job creation, community empowerment and economic revitalization," explained HUD's Atlanta-based Regional Director, Brian Noyes. "HUD is proud to be part of helping small business compete a more equal footing with larger organizations to expand their operations."

The one-day conference will include various exhibitions and workshops designed to give local and regional small business owners an opportunity to discuss how their organizations can do business with the various state and
federal agencies represented. Individual counseling to match small business owners and government procurement experts will also be a part of the event.

A. Jo Baylor, HUD's director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization will be one of the
conference presenters. Baylor's drive to open HUD's doors to small businesses resulted in the agency currently awarding a record 51% of its contract dollars to small businesses and 33% to women-owned businesses. Together, small businesses earned $524,877,000 contracting dollars from the agency.

"As a former small business owner, I know the problems that small companies face in dealing with the government. Small businesses have a problem with access to capital, access to information and access to the decision makers," explained Baylor. "Through events like this we can change that."

• Agencies and organizations invited to attend:
  General Services Administration; Small Business Administration; Navy; Air Force; Army; Labor; Transportation; Veterans Affairs; HUD; Fannie Mae; City of Pensacola & Escambia Purchasing; University of West Florida Procurement & Contracting; Mississippi Contract Procurement Center; and, Alabama Small Business
  Development Consortium.
  
• Partners:
  Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Centers; City of Pensacola; University of West Florida Small
  Business Development Center; Florida Office of Supplier Diversity; Fannie Mae; Escambia Human Relations
  Commission; and, Pensacola Chamber of Commerce.

TO REGISTER: Call (904) 232-2627 or Email

DATE: TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2004
FROM 8:30 AM TO 4:30 PM

WHERE: University of West Florida Conference Center
11000 University Parkway, Building 22
Pensacola, Florida

Conference information is available on the web.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as
well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

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