ANNOUNCEMENT

Many business owners may not know that the Arkansas Economic Development Commission offers a free Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification program to businesses that are at least 51% minority owned. The primary purpose of this program is to help identify Arkansas ’ minority-owned businesses from which the state can purchase supplies and services. Since 1991, all state agencies have been challenged to spend at least 10% of their procurement budgets with MBEs, but that goal has never been met. We would like to exceed ten percent in FY 2007-2008 but cannot do it if we cannot identify minority-owned businesses. Please help us by applying for certification and spreading the word to other business owners so they can apply, too. For additional information and a downloadable application, visit our website at http://www.1800arkansas.com/small_business/ or contact Susan Moore, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, at 501-682-6105.