Businesses Across the Commonwealth Attend Senator Warren’s “Massachusetts Business Matchmaker” Event
BOSTON, MA - On Monday, March 24th at Roxbury Community College, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren hosted a Massachusetts Business Matchmaker event for small businesses, government agencies, and government contractors to identify partnership opportunities. More than 200 people attended the event, and approximately 160 small businesses from across the Commonwealth were represented.
The event was co-sponsored by the General Services Administration (GSA), Small Business Administration (SBA), and other federal agency partners including the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
"Small business owners are tireless, hard workers who are a vital part of our economy and our federal supply chain, and their companies are founded by strong people with good ideas and a determination to succeed," said Senator Warren. "We have a lot of terrific small businesses here in Massachusetts, and I want to be sure that every one of them knows about opportunities to work with the federal government-and I want the federal government to know more about our small businesses."
"The President's FY 2015 Budget proposal would allow GSA to address long overdue infrastructure repairs and improvements", said Robert Zarnetske, GSA Regional Administrator for New England. "This event gives small businesses the opportunity to learn about government contracting and projects GSA, and other federal agencies, are planning."
"We applaud Senator Warren for organizing the Massachusetts Business Matchmaker," said Seth Goodall, U.S. Small Business Administration's New England Regional Administrator. "It's important to get more federal contracts into the hands of small businesses so that they can grow and create jobs. These forums help provide small businesses with the 'know-how' to take their companies to the next level."
Small business owners and prime contractors in a variety of industries and from across the Commonwealth attended, such as William Lowe and Sons Movers in Charlestown.
"At William Lowe and Sons Movers, we share Senator Warren and the regional GSA leadership's recognition of the value and expertise of local small businesses," said Doug Lowe, President of William Lowe and Sons Movers. "We appreciate the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and make new connections with local federal agencies. It's uncommon to have a chance to meet, all in one location, so many of the local representatives from the many agencies that we're available to serve. We also welcome the opportunity to network with other local contract holders - both small businesses and large alike - as we've found that building strong strategic relationships is integral to our business development and aids us in providing incomparable service to our customers."
TMR Development from Middleboro also participated in the Business Matchmaker.
"As an emerging Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, I'm extremely grateful that Senator Warren has organized this event. Assisting small businesses in navigating the Federal procurement maze is critically important. With limited resources, the demands of responding to a solicitation can be extremely time consuming and expensive. When success is nil or very limited, the tendency is to look more to the private sector, which is unfortunate," said Frank Whitty of TMR Development. "Accessing the appropriate contracting personnel in Federal procurement can be a daunting task, often so time consuming as to be discouraging. I'm confident that with Senator Warren's support, small business attendees like myself will enjoy some much needed assistance and direction. Being able to discuss my experience, skills, and capabilities with one of an agency's contracting officers would help me to focus my energies realistically on suitable procurements."
Tighe & Bond, which has offices in Westfield, Worcester, and Pocasset, appreciated the opportunity to interact with representatives from many different federal agencies.
"Senator Warren's commitment to small business is commendable," David Horowitz of Tighe & Bond said. "Tighe & Bond is invested in Massachusetts and the region. This is an event that will advance partnering opportunities, which we see as crucial to doing work with the government."
Michael Quan, President/Founder of Interactive Tactical Group in Cambridge, explained, "This event is a great opportunity. Massachusetts' strength is technology and knowledge, and this Matchmaker is a good chance for businesses in the innovation economy to meet with government agencies and prime contractors."
The "Massachusetts Business Matchmaker" event provided a forum for contractors and government agencies to meet one-on-one with qualified small business owners, and allowed small businesses to highlight their services and goods and learn how to take advantage of business opportunities with the federal government.
###
Next Article
