Supplier Network Winter Series begins Jan. 16
Includes special session for Veteran-Owned Businesses

The Chamber's Supplier Network (SN) is an educational and networking program that prepares small to mid-size businesses to pursue bids from large companies and government agencies and build relationships with regional procurement officers.

The SN Winter Series will take place Wednesdays at the Chamber:

Instruction:

• January 16, 23, and 30, 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• February 6, 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.*

Networking:

• Tuesday, March 25, , 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.

* This session will be exclusive to VOBs and SDVOBs

In addition to the traditional SN offerings, there will be a new session on February 6, featuring veteran-specific curriculum. This session is exclusively for Veteran-Owned Businesses and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses to focus on leveraging that status, as part of the VETWORK YOUR BUSINESS program, sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation, Merck and Centocor. For more information on the VETWORK YOUR BUSINESS program, please visit vetworkyourbusiness.gpcc.com.

During SN sessions, procurement officers from leading companies lend insight into the purchasing process and how to effectively market your company, locate requests for proposals, and vie for contracts. Since the program launch in 2005, more than 200 companies have been trained and designated as SN members, providing them with unique access to dozens of supporting organizations, and a competitive edge in dealing with procurement officers at any organization.

To become an SN member, vendor companies must be a Chamber member, have been in operation for at least three years, and successfully complete the entire training series. A wide range of vendor industries are already a part of the Supplier Network. Businesses owned by women, minorities and veterans are among the most sought-after by supporting corporations wanting to reach their supplier diversity goals. Other sought-after groups include industrial suppliers, contractors, and printers, to name a few.

Advantages built into the program include a five-minute personal pitch, ongoing exposure to regional procurement executives, exclusive networking invitations, inclusion in the SN Web site database and other recognition for SN graduates. There is a one-time fee of $250 which includes the series, exclusive networking events, and advanced educational workshops, for the duration of your Chamber membership. For more information, visit greaterphilachamber.com.

“Understanding the certification process, learning how to work with government agencies, and projecting a better image of myself to corporations, were all great learning experiences. Without this program, I never would have expected to get my foot in the door with a Citizens Bank or Comcast, let alone secure a contract with the Delaware River Port Authority.”
– Sarah Thomas, Sales Representative, American Business Solutions

The Supplier Network program is sponsored by Citizens Bank.

For more information or to register, click here or contact Leigh Hartman at 215-790-3839.