Click here to visit the Contract Opportunities page on our website to access current government contracting opportunities on the local, state and federal levels. 

NEWS

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMAN'S CONFERENCE

The 25th Anniversary Entrepreneurial Woman's Conference, the oldest and most comprehensive conference for both aspiring and established women business owners, will take place Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at Chicago's McCormick Place-West.  Highlights include:  the Women's Business and Buyers Mart, with more than 300 government and corporate buyers who are committed to purchasing products and services from women-owned businesses; the Women's Forum Breakfast, moderated by best-selling author and Chicago Sun-Times syndicated financial columnist Terry Savage, featuring prominent entrepreneurs discussing the trials and tribulations of running a successful business; the Hall of Fame Awards Luncheon, honoring successful female entrepreneurs and supporters of women's economic development; and the WBDC's 25th Anniversary Celebration, to be held the evening of September 14, 2011.  Tickets are $225 for women business owners and $250 for all others before August 15, 2011; after August 15, 2011, tickets become $300 for everyone, in advance and at the door.  For more information or to register online, please click here.  

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING ALERT

The WBDC informed its clients June 1st of an alarming practice within the government contracting assistance industry, some companies are requesting payment for helping businesses register for the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), a service that is free through the federal government.  Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, (PTAC) like the one at the WBDC, can assist small businesses in registering for the CCR as well as other government contracting related matters, at no charge.

To learn more about this alert, and to find a PTAC near you, please click here.

ERNST & YOUNG ENTREPRENEURIAL WINNING WOMEN

Ernst & Young invites outstanding women entrepreneurs to accelerate the growth of their businesses and realize the potential they envision for their companies.  Participants in the Entrepreneurial Winning Women program will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum 2011, named by Forbes.com as one of its seven "get-ahead executive retreats."

Please click here to review the eligibility requirements.  Applications are due June 30, 2011; to apply or to nominate a deserving woman, please click here. 

The Opportunity Connection is presented annually by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Workshops will focus on topics such as WBE capacity development and the evolution of corporate supply chains in the new economy, and the U.S. Small Business Administration's Women Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program (8M Recovery Act).  Keynote speakers will include Soledad O'Brien, CNN, and Annie Duke, Federated Sports + Gaming.  This year's conference will be held June 21-23, 2011 in Las Vegas, NV. 

To learn more about the conference and to register today, please click here.

SUCCESS STORIES: WORDS OF INSPIRATION FROM FELLOW WBEs

June's Featured WBE: Heather Manley, President, On-Demand Group  

Heather Manley, president of On-Demand Group, a Minneapolis-based IT consulting firm, shares her expertise on the benefits of WBE Certification as well as how understanding her clients' needs led to the implementation of solutions that continue to add value to her business. 

To hear more about this WBE's success, please click here.

EVENTS 

WBDC WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

All WBDC workshops will take place at our 8 S. Michigan Ave. Center, unless otherwise noted.

The e-Marketing Series *New!*

• Workin' the Social Media Beat: Your Online Marketing Plan (Date: June 15, 2011)
• Website Development for Naked Businesses (Date: June 22, 2011) 

Joint Ventures: Partnerships & Other Teaming Strategies (Date: June 14, 2011)

Winning the Business: Tips for Responding to Requests for Proposals (RFP) (Date: June 16, 2011)

Are You Ready for a Government Contract? (Date: June 22, 2011)

I'm Certified: Now What? (For WBEs Certified Within the Last Year) (Date: June 23, 2011)

Navigating the FedBizOpps.gov Website for Federal Contracting (Date: June 28, 2011)

WBE and Corporate Partner Networking Event (MN Workshop) (Date: July 12, 2011)

Webinar: Financial Do's and Don'ts Before Starting a Business (Date: July 13, 2011)

PARTNER EVENTS

MINORITY AND FEMALE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (MAFBE)

Making the Vendor Connection Conference 2011 (Date: June 15, 2011; Location: Chicago, IL) 

DONORS FORUM

"Green" for Green: How to Get to Save the Planet - and Save Money for Your Organization (Date: June 17, 2011; Location: Chicago, IL) 

U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

48th Annual Illinois Small Business Week (Date: June 31, 2011; Location: Chicago, IL)  

FEATURED CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES 

Please click the links below to access the government procurement pages and contract opportunity documents.  Note: additional documentation may be available on government procurement pages.

Chicago

City of Chicago

• Request for Quotation Invitation (RFQI) Radiation Dosimeter System (Due Date: June 30, 2011)  

City Colleges of Chicago

• Request for Proposals (RFP) Copier, Production Reprographics Equipment and Services  (Due Date: June 29, 2011)

Chicago Housing Authority

• Request for Proposals (RFP) Reserve Study for Scattered Sites (Due Date: June 20, 2011)  

Chicago Transit Authority

• Solicitation - Furnish Systematic Antivirus Corporate Edition V.11 Software and Subscription Renewal for 2500 Seats (Due Date: June 24, 2011) 

Public Building Commission of Chicago

• Advertisement for Bids - William Jones College Preparatory School (Due Date: June 29, 2011)

Cook County

Cook County Office of the Purchasing Agent 

• Request for Proposal (RFP) Labor Relations Consultant Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court (Due Date: June 17, 2011) 

State of Illinois

IllinoisBID - Illinois Procurement Bulletin

• Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Services at the Illinois River Correctional Industries Bakery (Due Date: June 15, 2011)

Metra

• Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Redi-Mix Concrete (Due Date: June 24, 2011)

Pace

• Invitation for Bid (IFB) Purchase and Installation of GPS Units (Due Date: June 22, 2011)

Federal

FedBizOpps 

• National Guard Combined Synopsis/Solicitation - Repair Cranes and Hoists Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contract (Due Date: June 30, 2011)