Governor Kulongoski Opens Conference that Connects Minority, Women & Emerging Small Businesses

Building on the Governor’s progress in expanding economic opportunities to small and emerging businesses throughout the state, Governor Kulongoski delivered the opening remarks at the 6th annual Governor’s Marketplace Conference, which connects minority, women and emerging small businesses with procurement officials from state, federal and local agencies.

The conference includes training opportunities for small business owners on topics related to doing business with government. Topics included: Networking Know-How; A Beginners Guide to Doing Business with Government; ODOT/ OTIA- Oregon’s Billion Dollar Business Boom; and more.

The Governor also signed legislation earlier this year that helped create opportunities for minorities, women & small business. This session Governor Kulongoski signed legislation requiring all state agencies to report their contract awards to the Governor’s Advocate for Minority and Women Businesses, which will enable the state for the first time to track how state contracts are awarded to Minority, Women and Emerging Small Businesses – which will improve the state’s targeting efforts to assist minority, women and emerging small businesses in contracting. The Governor also signed legislation to expand Oregon’s Emerging Small Business Program (the state’s race and gender neutral certification program) – which will allow small businesses to participate in the program longer and increase the number of projects agencies can set aside for participation by certified emerging small businesses.

Posted on December 1, 2005
Economy, Front Page News