FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 28, 2005

GOVERNOR BARBOUR ANNOUNCES PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES WORKSHOPS
Seminars to help Mississippi companies compete for rebuilding contracts

(Jackson, Miss.) – Governor Haley Barbour announced today plans for a series of statewide workshops hosted by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and Mississippi Procurement Technical Assistance Network. These workshops are designed to make the procurement process easier and more effective for small, disadvantaged and minority business owners.

“In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, contracting opportunities will be available as the state continues to recover,” Governor Barbour said. “These workshops will offer many Mississippi companies the needed tools and resources to take advantage of procurement opportunities.”

The first Procurement Opportunity and Prime Contractor Networking workshop is scheduled for Thursday, November 3, at 8:00 a.m. at the St. Martin Community Center, located at 15004 Lemoyne Blvd. in Biloxi. The session will discuss procedures and strategies for taking advantage of procurement opportunities related to the hurricane recovery efforts and the rebuilding of South Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.

The Small & Disadvantaged Business Specialists representing the Department of Homeland Security, along with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration, will be in attendance to answer questions and provide valuable resources for business owners. Attendees will also be able to network with prime contractors already performing disaster recovery work.

Additional workshops are scheduled in the following locations:

• Biloxi – November 3, 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
St. Martin Community Center, 15004 Lemoyne Blvd

• Meridian – November 7, 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Delaney Hall, Meridian Community College

• Jackson – November 9, 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Mississippi E-Center, Jackson State University, 1230 Raymond Road

• Greenville – November 15, 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Washington County Convention Center, 1040 South Raceway Road

• Columbus – November 17, 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Trotter Convention Center, 2nd Avenue North, Columbus

Co-sponsors of the workshops include: Mississippi Development Authority, Mississippi Procurement Technical Assistance Network, Mississippi Economic Council, Mississippi Minority Contractors Association and Mississippi Minority Business Alliance.

The workshops are free and open to the public; however, pre-registration is required. To register, contact Deirdre Floyd with MDA at 601.359.3448. Visit www.mississippi.org or www.mscpc.com for more details.

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