UGA departments looking to build new purchasing relationships with vendors will get their chance at the Minority and Small Business Expo on March 28. A variety of vendors will be on-hand from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Tate Student Center to meet and greet buyers from departments across campus.
“The departments don’t have to walk around, the vendors come to them,” said Annette Evans, procurement officer at UGA. “There are so many P-cards on campus now, that it’s also an opportunity to meet vendors and ask them if they take credit cards.”
Departments that elect to participate should e-mail procurement at ugaexpo@uga.edu. Along with registering, department purchasers will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about what products they regularly buy from vendors to let them know which departments to approach at the expo.
“Maybe you have something you need printed, and you don’t know a local vendor,” Evans said. “There might be some local printers who attend the expo, and you’ll get an opportunity to meet them and learn more about their businesses. This will give you potential sources for the next time you have a printing job.”
In addition to networking opportunities, the expo will include three informational sessions that vendors can attend to learn more about doing business with UGA.
In addition, it helps to maintain and strengthen business relationships that may already exist, according to Myrna Yarbrough, a business manager in the Physical Plant’s material requisition department. “We go to meet new vendors and to hear about new products,” she said. “Sometimes we have a vendor that we know, but maybe they have a new product that we don’t know about. It’s just a convenient place to be able to show that product not just to us, but all the other departments that are there.”
There is no charge to participate in the expo, but departmental representatives must be registered to set up booths.
