Inaugural Coachella Valley Local Government Vendor Fair set for April 17
The inaugural Coachella Valley Local Government Vendor Fair will be held in mid-April for local business owners who want to learn more about doing business with cities or agencies, city officials said today.
"For years now, I have heard from local businesses that they don't understand how to do business with Palm Springs and other municipalities and agencies,'' Palm Springs Mayor and local business owner Jeffrey Bernstein said in a statement. "Our goal is to give local businesses the chance to learn directly from City staff about the sometimes overwhelming procurement and contracting process.''
The free event, which will feature more than 20 cities and agencies, will begin at 9 a.m. April 17 in the Oasis 1 Ballroom at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 North Avenida Caballeros, according to city officials.
Among the cities and agencies that will be at the event are Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Riverside County, and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments.
The day will get underway with a 45-minute presentation from local government officials followed by the vendor fair, city officials said. Attendees will have opportunities to speak with government officials, who can explain the procurement and contracting process. They'll also being able to discuss the types of supplies and services they're looking to procure.
City officials recommended businesses that provide services like general contracting, landscaping, engineering, electrical, printing, photography, graphic design, marketing and security services to attend the fair.
"We'll give our local business people an opportunity to meet with government officials from around the Coachella Valley and Riverside County, who are in need of a variety of goods and services,'' Bernstein said in a statement. "It's important to ensure taxpayer dollars, which amount to tens of millions of dollars a year, are spent in the Coachella Valley and Riverside County where they can do the most good and stimulate our local economy."
