Mayor Ras J. Baraka and President and CEO of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation Bernel Hall announced today that the City of Newark is joining with Rutgers University Business School to host a Business Certification Expo on Thursday, July 18, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Rutgers Business School, which is located at 1 Washington Place in downtown Newark. The Expo is being conducted by the Newark Department of Economic and Housing Development and the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation.
The expo will provide business owners with an opportunity to apply for certification to submit Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and bids for contracts with city, county, and state agencies, then have the ability to apply for certifications with each entity. The purpose of the expo is to ensure Newark-based businesses are competing for RFPs to be able to help grow their businesses. It will start in an auditorium setting where city representatives will discuss the objectives and goals for the expo, hear from the different agencies and elected officials, then break out into specific rooms where Newark businesses will meet one-on-one with someone from the certifying entity to complete their applications. This ensures that they will not waste time by submitting incomplete applications and get access to these procurement dollars sooner than later.
“Many of Newark’s business owners and entrepreneurs are eager to strengthen our city, enhance our economy, and build their prosperity by bidding on contracts with government agencies in our region. However, there is often a ‘knowledge gap’ that prevents our business owners from gaining those contracts and reaching their full potential. This Expo will break down this gap, resulting in a more educated, empowered, and equitable city,” said Mayor Baraka.
“The Newark Business Certification Expo is the largest business certification event in the State of New Jersey,” said Mr. Hall. “The event represents billions of dollars of potential business opportunities for local minority-and women-led businesses. Mayor Ras Baraka and the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation are actualizing Newark’s economic resurgence by expanding local business access to contracts and capital through partnerships that will reap measurable socioeconomic benefits to the City of Newark.”
Newark businesses can attend and apply for certifications with:
- State of NJ
- Port Authority of NY & NJ
- NJ Transit
- NYC Small Business Services
- NY & NJ Minority Supplier Development Council
Businesses can compete for RFPs and bids from:
- City of Newark
- Essex County
- State of NJ
- Port Authority of NY & NJ
- NJ Transit
- NYC Small Business Services
- NY & NJ Minority Supplier Development Council
Options for business certifications include:
- Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
- Women Business Enterprise (WBE)
- Minority & Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE)
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
- Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
- Veteran/Disabled Veteran Owned Business (D/VOB)
Attendees must come with their certification documents digitally on their own laptop, or on a jump/thumb drive.
Registration is open until Monday, July 15th. To RSVP, click here.
