State-wide forums on regional business opportunities underway

Regional businesses can find out more about upcoming local State Government contract opportunities at a series of 18 forums around Western Australia.

The forums follow the release of the WA Government’s Buy Local Policy, to ensure regional businesses benefit from the State’s annual $27 billion spend on goods, services and works.

Both initiatives are part of the WA Government’s commitment to boost regional economies and create jobs.

The WA Industry Link Regional Communication Forums, which kick off in Albany on Thursday, July 23 (2020), give small and medium enterprises the chance to hear directly from State Government agencies about local contract opportunities and about the Buy Local Policy.

They will also provide regional businesses with information about the wider range of programs that support them, including updates to the Western Australian Industry Participation Strategy and funding such as the Local Capability Fund.

Improvements to the Buy Local Policy include Regional Price Preferences that give local businesses a price advantage in bidding to supply to the State Government and ‘look-ahead’ lists of forthcoming tenders to allow local contractors more time to bid.

The next Regional Communication Forums are in Bunbury, Busselton and Collie from July 28 to 30 (2020). Businesses can register for their local forum on the WA Industry Link Portal, at http://industrylink.wa.gov.au/events

Source: WA Government