Nearly 100 Montana businesses RSVP for Tester’s Bozeman workshop

Two dozen agencies will be on hand for help with contracts, jobs

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Nearly 100 small businesses from across Montana have signed up so far to attend Senator Jon Tester’s upcoming Small Business Opportunity Workshop in Bozeman.

Tester today said more than 20 federal and state agencies will be on hand to help businesses compete for contracts and create jobs during the day-long workshop, scheduled for Friday, February 19.

Tester’s workshop will include two portions:

• Morning sessions (beginning at 8 a.m.), such as “Federal Contracting 101,” and brief presentations from the agencies on their work within Montana;
• Afternoon one-on-one sessions (beginning at 12:30 p.m.) where businesses can talk directly with agency representatives on ways to create jobs and win federal and state contracts.

No sign-up is required.  Businesses interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP by calling Tester’s office toll-free at 866-554-4403 or by going online at tester.senate.gov/workshop.

Tester is teaming up with Governor Brian Schweitzer to host the workshop.

Federal and state agencies currently scheduled to take part include:

• Army Corps of Engineers
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Federal Highway Administration
• Malmstrom Air Force Base
• Montana Department of Administration
• Montana Department of Commerce
• Montana Department of Transportation
• Montana National Guard
• National Institutes of Health
• National Park Service
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Commerce/Economic Development Administration
• U.S. Department of Defense
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• U.S. Department of the Interior
• U.S. Forest Service
• U.S. Geological Survey
• U.S. General Services Administration
• U.S. National Park Service
• U.S. Small Business Administration
• U.S. Veterans Administration
• Western Area Power Administration

Tester organized a similar event in Great Falls last June.  That workshop helped several Montana companies win federal contracts for construction projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.