1998 GREATER ST. LOUIS SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY CONFERENCE If your company is looking for business opportunities with federal, state, and local government agencies, or with federal prime contractors, this is the conference to attend. the Conference offers small, minority, and women-owned businesses the unique opportunity of developing contacts with a variety of customers, obtaining information on how to do business with public agencies and private sector companies, and participate in workshops designed to make companies more competitive in the public sector marketplace. This year's Conference will be held on Wednesday, October 7th with the theme "The Power of Procurement in the 21st Century". The Honorable State Senator William L. Clay, Jr., who is a member of the Minority Business Advocacy Committee will be the kickoff speaker. The Conference will be held at Machinists Hall (12365 St. Charles Rock Road) from 8:00am to 4:00pm. The cost, which includes lunch, is $35. The Small and Disadvantaged Business Opportunity Committee (SADBOC) of the St. Louis Federal Executive Board will again be sponsoring the Conference, in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Alberici Construction, AmerenUE, Internal Revenue Service, the Missouri and Illinois Procurement Assistance Centers, Sabreliner Corporation, St. Louis County Economic Council, Systems & Electronics, Inc., The Boeing Company, and Bi-State Development Agency. Conference workshops include Subcontracting Strategies for Success, Government Contracting Assistance to Help You Win, Pro-Net: The Government Marketing Tool of the Future, Tax Information for Small Businesses, and Preparing a Loan Application. There will be a special workshop on "Getting a Piece of the Action-Business Opportunities with the Federal Government Through Electronic Contracting and the Internet". This workshop, facilitated by the Orange, Texas Electronic Commerce Resource Center will last two hours, and will also allow companies to register in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Federal government policy states that allcompanies wishing to do business with the federal government must be registered in CCR. The afternoon portion on the Conference will feature an exhibit area where attendees can network with the government and industry representatives. These representatives will have information describing their agency or company, and the types of commodities and services they purchase. Last year 37 exhibitors, such as The Boeing Company, General Services Administration, Systems & Electronics, Inc., Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Ameren UE, St. Louis County Division of Purchasing, U.S. Army-Tank Automotive Command, and UNISYS participated. Many respondents to the Conference survey expressed that the networking opportunities available through this event were invaluable. To request a mail-in registration form, contact Ron Nave at 1-800-325-3419. Posted 09/15/98 (W-SN249818).

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