Hundreds Attend Conference Aimed at Helping Diverse Suppliers Make Valuable Connections with Big Businesses

NEWARK, N.J., April 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of small, minority, women and veteran owned businesses gathered at the Robert Treat Hotel today for a Supplier Diversity Conference aimed at helping them make inroads with some of New Jersey's largest companies.

More than thirty big businesses were on hand to talk with representatives from five hundred diverse suppliers about potential buying opportunities. Attendees talked with the state's largest utilities and many met one-on-one with supply chain representatives looking for specific products and services. Attendees gained insights from prime contractors about how to strategically position themselves to increase procurement opportunities as subcontractors. They also had an opportunity to network amongst themselves.

"There are a lot of small businesses out there that are struggling, and events like this one which PSEG hosts every year, help people make connections and secure business," said Susan Hogan, supplier diversity manager for PSEG. "That's especially valuable in this tough economy."

PSEG hosted the event, offered complimentary admission, and invited other utilities to participate to help their outreach within the New Jersey business community.

The New Jersey Department of Treasury was at the event, doing on-site registration for diverse suppliers so that they can do business with the State. There was participation from schools like Rutgers and NJIT which have programs that help mentor diverse suppliers so that they are positioned for growth.

Choose New Jersey, Inc., a nonprofit that markets New Jersey as a premiere business location, unveiled at the event its new and improved business procurement database, RFP Watch. The tool offers subscribers access to public and private business opportunities in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland from more than 30,000 data sources and can be searched by keyword, GSA category, sector and status. Subscribers can save their searches and create customized email alerts.

"RFP Watch was designed to help New Jersey businesses capture opportunities that will help their businesses grow," said Tracye McDaniel, President and CEO of Choose New Jersey. "It's a powerful tool that can help New Jersey companies – large and small."

In addition to PSEG, the event was also sponsored by the Supplier Diversity Development Council (SDDC), which is chartered by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and committed to assisting small, minority, women-owned and service-disabled veteran owned businesses develop business relationships with the regulated companies throughout the state.

Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of $10 billion. Its operating subsidiaries are: PSEG Power, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) and PSEG Long Island.

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Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120830/MM62627LOGO 

SOURCE Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)

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