Supplier Resources

2024 Expo supplier Chats

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University of Minnesota Bid Opportunities

UMN Purchasing Services https://purchasing.umn.edu/suppliers 

UMN Current Bid Opportunities https://mbid.ionwave.net/CurrentSourcingEvents.aspx 

Important Note: The University sometimes leverages contracts from the State of Minnesota or purchasing cooperatives. Check out "Other Bid Opportunities" in the next accordion section. At a minimum, we suggest you register as a supplier in the State of Minnesota supplier portal. This will ensure you will receive notifications of opportunities that arise in your category.

UMN Recently Awarded Bids https://mbid.ionwave.net/AwardedSourcingEvents.aspx

Request to View Winning Proposal (after RFP has closed) University's Data Request Center

Other Bid Opportunities

MINNESOTA

City of Minneapolis

City of Minneapoils Target Market Program

City of St. Paul

Hennepin County

Ramsey County

State of Minnesota

FEDERAL

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Outreach Systems - iSearch

BUYING CO-OPS AND CONSORTIUMS
The University sometimes leverages contracts from these buying organizations. Consider joining one or more to expand the reach of your company at the U and beyond.

E & I Cooperative Services

Omnia Partners

Sourcewell

State of Minnesota’s Cooperative Purchasing Venture (CPV) Program

Certification Resources

Professional Associations and Chambers of Commerce

Association of Women Contractors (AWC) https://awcmn.org/ 

Chinese American Chamber of Commerce https://caccmn.org/

Latino Chamber of Commerce Minnesota https://latinochambermn.com/

Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce https://maicc.org/

Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce https://minnesotablackchamber.org/

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce https://www.mnchamber.com/

Minnesota Minority Goods & Services Association (MMGSA) https://www.mmgsa.org/ 

National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) https://namcnational.org/ 

National Association of Minority Contractors - Midwest Chapter (NAMC-MC) - coming soon

St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce https://www.stpaulchamber.com/

Grants & Funding

Launch MN Innovation Grants https://mn.gov/launchmn/capital/launch-grants/

The Market Entry Fund - grants for food and beverage businesses https://marketentryfund.org/micro-grants

Waste Reduction & Innovation Grant from BizRecycling https://bizrecycling.com/grants/waste-reduction-innovation-grant/

Search Funding Options at MN DEED https://joinusmn.com/doing-business-here/grow-your-business/capital/index.jsp

Free or Low-Cost Technical Assistance for Businesses

Ascent - Elevate Your Business https://ascent.sba.gov/

GREATER MSP Partnership’s Business Bridge - Supplier Toolkit https://businessbridgemn.org/supplier-toolkit

Community Wealth Building Program https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/community-wealth/

The Coven (free digital membership through Elevate Hennepin) https://www.thecoven.com/hc-application

Elevate Hennepin https://www.elevatehennepin.org/

Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) https://meda.net/ 

Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) https://mccdmn.org/open-to-business/

Minnesota Resources for Startups and Small Businesses https://mn.gov/deed/assets/resources-startups-small-businesses-acc_tcm1045-540535.pdf

SBA Learning Center https://learn.sba.gov/dashboard

Small Business Development Centers https://mn.gov/deed/business/help/sbdc/ 

Startup and Small Business Calendar by Launch MN https://mn.gov/launchmn/calendar/

St. Thomas Family Business Center https://business.stthomas.edu/centers-institutes/family-business-center/ 

Free Professional Development Webinars

Offered by the University of Minnesota's College of Continuing and Professional Studies, these free one-hour webinar replays offer insights and strategies that you can put into practice at your business immediately. You'll find a wide range of topics that are relevant to professionals at all levels, including leadership, communication, time management, project management, and more.