If you have ever dreamed of starting your own business or expanding your existing small business, here's your chance.
On March 1 and 2, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., will host the 13th Annual High-Tech Conference for Small Businesses at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel. During the two-day conference, participants seeking contracting and subcontracting business can mingle with more than 250 federal, state and city government representatives and get one- on-one counseling on how to succeed.
The conference focus is on subcontracting and marketing opportunities for small, minority, and women-owned businesses in the high-tech industry and includes several "how-to" workshops featuring up-to-date information on major programs, small business initiatives and other topics of interest.
Two networking receptions will provide opportunities to meet key people. Registration is $100 per person and is due no later than February 14, 2001. Pre-registration is advised as this event is well-attended. For hotel accommodations, contact the Westin directly at (310) 216-5858. For further conference details, please visit the conference Web site at
https://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov
or contact the conference registration desk at (818) 354-7532.
Last year, NASA awarded more than $2 billion in contracts to minority- and women-owned firms across the United States. The figure represents 18.3 percent of NASA's total contract dollars -- NASA's largest commitment ever with such firms. It compares with just 7.2 percent or $865 million in FY 92.
Recently, NASA was named one of America's top 50 organizations for providing multicultural business opportunities. NASA received the honor after the first Internet-based poll involving more than 50,000 of America's leading women- and minority-owned businesses. Div2000.com, a business portal providing the link among multicultural businesses, Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and universities, conducted the poll. The "top 50" list also included such companies as IBM, Boeing, Microsoft, 3Com, Wal-Mart and Cisco Systems.
JPL is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.