I am planning on attending this event. Have any of you ever been? Was it worth the time? It sounds like a great event ... but I know that sometimes advertisements can be misleading. http://www.sbtdc.org/events/marketplace/
I'd be leary at best. First, there is a $50-70 pp attendance fee. Real conferences are usually either sponsored (free) or much more expensive. Second, their advertisement says that they will be awarding contracts during the conference. No state agency can do that, unless it's with a pre-approved price list or vendor (like a school can buy computers from Dell without getting bids, as long as they only purchase off of a preapproved price list, or any other vendor with a preapproved pricing structure). And third, none of the hosts or 'in cooperation with' agencies are advertising this event on their websites (and I looked all over). My guess is that you're primarily going to hear about contract awards under the Economic Recovery Act, followed by general seminars and lectures about being eligible for government bidding, ways to increase your likelihood of getting certain contracts (like by meeting certain minority worker criteria or something similar), and ways to find government agencies currently bidding for work. All of this can easily be found on the internet, IMO.
Why is it they want me to pay to learn how to develop contracts with the federal and state governments, whose products, good and services I already pay for in taxes? It's hosted by our three area Congressmen. Am I to understand that this type of event, which might stimulate the local economy and present business opportunities to those of us at the "don't have a lobbyist to feather my nest end of the spectrum" are being asked to pay to participate? I'm going to have to declare war, surrender the same day, and ask for reparations in order to get ahead. Or, open a bank, borrow from the Fed at 1 %, loan it out at 8%, file for receivership, and retire with a golden parachute...... Except, the prior two aren't my style. I would like to be invited to participate in the federal and state economy that I help fund.
