Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Government Contracts & Exporting

For some small businesses, it’s definitely worth the time to develop a marketing campaign specifically for state of Florida agencies.

MyFloridaMarketPlace, which is part of the Florida Department of Management Service, has nearly 15,000 registered buyers who issue, on average, 5,000 purchase orders each month. MyFloridaMarketPlace.com streamlines interactions between vendors and state government entities and provides the tools to support procurement for the state of Florida.

Florida agencies have three methods of purchasing: 1. Formal purchases (greater than $35,000; require competitive bidding); 2. Informal purchases (less than $35,000; no requirement for competitive bidding); 3. State term contracts.

After you determine which level best matches your business’s abilities, your next step is to register in the MyFloridaMarketPlace system.

Another option for small businesses looking to increase sales and profits is to look at international markets.

Florida is home to more than 58,000 exporters, the second highest number in the United States. In 2012, Florida companies exported more than

$66.4 billion worth of goods, and more than $36 billion worth of services were sold to companies in more than 200 countries around the world.

Exporting assistance is available from one of Enterprise Florida’s field offices or through the Florida SBDC.

Resources


MyFloridaMarketPlace.com
(866) 352-3776
www.dms.myflorida.com/myfloridamarketplace

SBDC Procurement Technical Assistance Center Program
(850) 473-7806
www.fptac.org

Office of Supplier Diversity
(850) 487-0915
www.osd.dms.state.fl.us

Central & North Florida Minority Supplier Development Council
(407) 404-6700
www.fmsdc.org

Enterprise Florida International Trade & Business Development
www.eflorida.com

• Coral Gables (305) 808-3660

• Jacksonville/Northeast (904) 359-9350

• Orlando/Central Florida (407) 956-5639

• Pensacola/Northwest (850) 469-8989

• Tallahassee (850) 298-6632

• Tampa Bay (813) 276-9430

• West Palm Beach/Southeast (561) 832-8339

SBDC Office of International Programs
(850) 473-7800 or (866) 737-7232
www.floridasbdc.org/specialprograms/international