Florida Think Tank Praises Governor and Legislature for Gutsy Strategy

Jacksonville, FL, April 25, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The FPA Think Tank at UNF claims the Governor’s strategy to consolidate economic development efforts, reduce the State bureaucracy, eliminate duplicate services and abolish burdensome regulations will strengthen the infrastructure that supports the 2.4 million small and minority businesses in the State. In a letter to the Governor and the Legislature, the Think Tank requested the cooperation of all 1,586 Florida Agencies which issue public contracts with tax-payers dollars at the state, county and municipal level. The Umbrella Initiative, the Think Tank claims, will strengthen the government contracting functions, including the State’s One Florida Initiative, save the State millions and bring needed transparency to the tracking of all contracts. The Initiative was crafted to prevent, among other things, disparities from taking place and to permit the involvement of university professors and students in the promotion and support of innovation, entrepreneurship and teaming of small businesses in the community to help create jobs.

Backgrounder

State of Florida 2011 Contracting Facts

Total Agencies Issuing Public Contracts: 1,586
Agencies whose results are tracked, but in a limited basis 32
Total POs issued by 32 Agencies since 2003: 997,000
Purchase Orders processed by 32 Agencies since 2003: $9.4 Billion
Total Small Businesses in the State 2.4 M
Suppliers Registered to do Business with the State: 150,000
Florida Suppliers Registered to Do Business with the State: 95,004
Florida Small Biz Registered to do Business with the State: 7,280
Certified Florida SDB Vendors Registered with the State 3,583 (< 1%)

Source: Florida Department of Management Services (April 2011)

The Umbrella Initiative will create a "Florida Procurement Portal" consisting of three separate platforms which, when combined, will guarantee small and minority business owners access – in one place – to All essential procurement elements, including the actual solicitations from 1,586 State and local Agencies Plus all the federal contracting opportunities. One will be able to access communication; registration; certification; trainings; bid searching, bid responses; contract funding (access to capital) and contracting results.

The procurement services to be offered through this Initiative can be personalized to each local area serviced and can be managed by the counseling staff of existing service providers. The "Florida Procurement Portal" would permit local counselors, at service provider offices, to offer – in one place - critical on-line procurement support – including on-demand trainings - to existing small businesses interested in becoming involved and/or on expanding their government procurement activities. Currently, service providers are restricted to only offering on-location trainings, which reach a very small number of recipients, and recommending clients to over a dozen resources for vital information and/or support.

Visit their website (2) and get acquainted with the details. Learn about The C.E.L. Project (3) and how it will create jobs in the inner City. Register to attend the "Let’s Do Business Florida" event (4) on June 16th, to view their presentation (5) Find out how the initiative will help Florida lead the nation in the creation of new jobs.

(1) The One Florida Initiative. - http://www.dep.state.fl.us/admin/One_FLa
(2) The Umbrella Initiative website. - http://www.umbrellainitiative.org
(3) Short Video on The C.E.L. Project. - http://bit.ly/cExkv5
(4) Let’s Do Business Florida event. - http://www.letsdobusinessflorida.com
(5) Description of the FPA Presentation. - http://bit.ly/g5ZqhY

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