Chicago Department of Procurement Services to Host its 9th Annual Procurement Vendor Fair
Full-day event to feature resources, education, and networking opportunities for vendors seeking to do business with the City of Chicago
Contact:
Jacqueline Umbles
312-744-0061
dps.events@cityofchicago.org
CHICAGO- The Chicago Department of Procurement Services (DPS), in collaboration with Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Government Procurement Compliance (GPC) Forum, will host its 9th Annual Procurement Vendor Fair on Thursday, August 25, 2022. The event will take place at Malcolm X College (1900 W. Jackson Blvd.) from 10 AM to 3 PM.
The Vendor Fair is a key outreach initiative in the City's efforts to diversify its vendor pool and provide equitable access to contracting opportunities for small; minority-owned; veteran-owned; women-owned; and disadvantaged firms, and firms owned or operated by people with disabilities.
The full-day event will feature workshops, resources, and panel discussions with the City of Chicago and its Sister Agencies. State, Federal, and anchor organization partners will also participate in the event and provide guidance and resources. These partners include, but are not limited to, the Small Business Administration and Allies for Community Business. In addition, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot will deliver the opening address to celebrate the Fair's return to an in-person format for the first time since 2019.
“Given how challenging the last two years have been for our small business community, I'm beyond thrilled to help bring back the Procurement Vendor Fair,” said Mayor Lightfoot. "This fair demonstrates the City's commitment to ensuring that our small business owners have the tools, resources and knowledge to emerge from these difficult times in a much stronger position. By supporting these industry leaders and paving pathways for them to thrive, we will be able to ensure the continued recovery and growth of our business community and our city's economy as a whole."
Additional event highlights include:
- Keynote Address from Deryl McKissack, President, and CEO of McKissack & McKissack, a national Construction Management Firm
- Nine workshops on procurement-related topics, including Resources for Starting a Business, eProcurement 101, and How to Become Certified
- Financial Resources panel moderated by City of Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin
- "Business to Business Connect" networking session
- More than 100 exhibitor tables are staffed by the City of Chicago and Assist Agencies, Sister Agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
"We know that local businesses create local jobs, which help revitalize and shape the future of our neighborhoods," said DPS Chief Procurement Officer Aileen Velazquez. "We hope to see the vendor community come out and take advantage of our diverse roster of experts who are ready to serve and share their knowledge with our stakeholders and residents of this world-class City."
The robust agenda allows attendees to customize their Vendor Fair experience to fit their needs, regardless of the size of their business or the industries they serve. Individuals who wish to attend should register at chicago.gov/2022vendorfair.