Selling Goods and Services to Government

The province is helping Halifax-area businesses sell more goods and services to the public sector.

Buyers from municipal, provincial and federal governments, universities, colleges, school boards, and health authorities will meet with local business operators at a trade show on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Loyola Conference Hall, Saint Mary's University, 903 Robie St., Halifax.

"Buying from local businesses is important to the government of Nova Scotia and the province's economy," said Angus MacIsaac, Minister of Economic Development. "These trade shows help connect businesses to the public tendering process, and allow the government more opportunities to purchase Nova Scotia products and services."

The show will help vendors learn how to increase sales by selling to government. They can meet buyers face-to-face to exchange information on products and services.

Eighty per cent of the $1 billion that the public sector spends annually on goods, services, and construction is purchased from Nova Scotia businesses.

The trade show is co-hosted by the Department of Economic Development and the Greater Halifax Partnership.

"Of the more than 1,000 local firms we've visited through our SmartBusiness initiative, only half currently sell to government departments," said Brad Smith, vice-president of the Greater Halifax Partnership. "Lots of companies have questions about the process.

Responding through an event like this is an effective way to introduce new sales opportunities to many different companies and stimulate business growth."

The province's supplier development program encourages Nova Scotia companies to sell to government. It helps small-business operators learn how to bid on government tenders and provides outreach services and community workshops on how to access business opportunities with government.

For more information on supplier development, see the website at www.gov.ns.ca/tenders/supplierdevelopment .