The 2011 MATCHMAKER Business Conference in Tallahassee was a tremendous success and many Florida Minority Business Enterprises and other diverse businesses increased their contracting opportunities with state government, state universities, local governments and private businesses.
MATCHMAKER, hosted by the Florida Office of Supplier Diversity and the state Department of Management Services, got a big boost right from the start when Florida Governor Rick Scott issued “EXECUTIVE ORDER 11-04” which confirmed Florida’s affirmation of diversity in state contracting. The Governor’s Office with his ORDER also encouraged all state agencies to participate in the conference for diverse Florida firms.
Every state agency participated at MATCHMAKER except for three agencies, The Department for Juvenile Justice, Department of Elderly Affairs and The Division of Administrative Hearings.
2011 MATCHMAKER was held at the Florida State University Turnbull Conference Center and was co-hosted by Florida State and Florida A&M Universities.
While attendees were happy with the event, the talk from minority businesses was about agencies that refused to participate and discuss contracting with minority businesses.
“Certain agencies ignored the Governor’s Executive Order,” said one MATCHMAKER planner. “We don’t have time for minority business conferences endorsed by The Governor is not an appropriate excuse for non-attendance.”
Black and other small business owners were particularly upset at not being able to discuss contract opportunities with the Department of Juvenile Justice which serves a very diverse population of Florida youth.
Another MATCHMAKER event will be held in the Orlando-Central Florida area later this year and will again give Florida’s Black and diverse small business owners to sit down with government and private sector purchasing agents to discuss contracting opportunities.
For more information about the upcoming Orlando area MATCHMAKER call the Florida Office of Supplier Diversity at 850-487-0915.
