Small business owners – get ready to do business with the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA)!
In June of last year, the SWA Governing Board adopted the Economic Inclusion Policy and Procedures, designed to promote equitable bid opportunities for small, local, minority and women-owned businesses (S/M/WBEs) and to eliminate barriers to their participation in SWA contracts.
“As a governmental agency, we strive to ensure that all businesses, including S/M/WBEs, have an equitable opportunity to participate in the procurement process and prime contract and subcontract opportunities,” said Colleen Robbs, Director, SWA Equal Business Opportunity Office. “We encourage all small businesses to register as a vendor with the SWA, so they will be ready when bid opportunities arise.”
Vendor Registration is free and provides businesses with bid notifications on upcoming purchasing opportunities. Businesses simply visit SWA.org/EBMS and click “Apply for Registration.” If already a registered vendor, businesses will need to ensure that vendor information is up-to-date. The SWA recognizes SBE or M/WBE certifications from all State of Florida governmental entities.
“From professional services, to engineering partnerships, to office supplies and promotional materials, the SWA purchases a wide variety of goods and services each year,” Robbs said. “We hope that these purchases represent opportunities to businesses of all sizes.”
The SWA posts millions of dollars in bid opportunities each year. All current SWA contract opportunities can be viewed at SWA.org/Bids, and businesses can sign up to receive text or email bid notifications.
Small businesses can jumpstart their relationship with the SWA by attending any of these upcoming events:
- The Women Business Enterprise National Council’s South Florida Business Opportunities Event on May 31. The SWA Equal Business Opportunity office will be in attendance to network and connect.
- SWA and FDOT Construction Management Development Program with dates in June. The SWA is co-hosting a four-day business development training course for Small/Minority/Women Business Enterprises to receive assistance with state certification, bid matching, financing and more.
- SWA Business PowerNet on June 26, 2019. This event offers small, local, minority and women-owned businesses an opportunity to meet key decision makers regarding doing business with four Palm Beach County governmental agencies. Businesses will learn more about steps to do business, registering as a vendor, becoming certified and up-coming bid opportunities. All businesses are encouraged to attend.
More information about these events and the SWA’s Equal Business Opportunity office, including recordings of previous meetings, is available online at SWA.org/EBO.
