Selling Goods and Services to Government

The province is working with small and medium-sized businesses in the Antigonish area to open up new markets for their goods and services.

Buyers from municipal, provincial and federal governments, universities, colleges, school boards and health authorities met with local business operators at a trade show today, May 28th, at St. Francis Xavier University.

The trade show was hosted jointly by Economic and Rural Development and the Antigonish Regional Development Authority. More than 40 businesses attended the show to talk to nearly 20 different government buyers.

"An important part of economic growth is encouraging local businesses to compete for a larger portion of public sector procurement, both within Nova Scotia and externally to other provinces and markets," said Rick Draper, director of procurement with the Department of Economic and Rural Development. "We want to help Nova Scotia businesses become more competitive and our trade shows are one of the ways we offer that assistance."

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

"We are pleased to be joining Economic and Rural Development in bringing this trade show to the region," said Gerry Grant, executive director of the Antigonish Regional Development Authority. "It is important for our business community to understand how to access opportunities with the public sector, at all levels, as it can be a key way to develop new relationships and expand business."

The trade show offered businesses the opportunity to learn how to increase sales by selling to government. Face-to-face meetings with government buyers to exchange information on products and services were also arranged.

The trade show is part of the province's supplier development program that 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 .