Gwinnett Invites Small Businesses to Register for Contracting Opportunities

Small businesses in Gwinnett County can now identify themselves as local suppliers through a new self-certification option, with a free workshop Tuesday to help owners complete the process.

The designation is open to independently owned and operated businesses with 100 or fewer employees or no more than $10 million in annual gross receipts. They must have a physical office in Gwinnett and a current county occupational tax certificate or the equivalent issued by a city within the county.

That includes qualifying businesses in Duluth, Suwanee, Norcross, Peachtree Corners and Sugar Hill.

New suppliers can register through the county’s supplier portal, select the local small-business option and complete a short questionnaire. Businesses already registered can add the designation by updating their profiles.

The county introduced the option Nov. 4 as part of its Procurement Readiness and Opportunity Plan, an effort to connect local companies with purchasing information, education and resources.

Self-certification does not guarantee a contract, eligibility for every opportunity or notice of every solicitation. Owners will still need to review individual opportunities and meet their requirements.

The November 10 information session runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center, 405 North Perry Street in Lawrenceville. Owners can attend in person or online. Admission is free, and no center membership is required.

Evander Baker, a program analyst with the county’s Access and Opportunity Office, will lead the session. It will cover new registrations, updates to existing accounts, the local designation and where to find purchasing information.

Owners can register for either attendance option through the event page. The county’s small-business resources page also links to current solicitations and supplier support.