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Chamber Secures Federal Investment for Regional Public Procurement Portal
| Submitted: January 20th, 2010
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(St. Catharines) – As Canada’s Economic Action Plan continues to be implemented across the country, St. Catharines M.P. Rick Dykstra announced further funding support under the Southern Ontario Development Program's Community Adjustment Fund at the St. Catharines – Thorold Chamber of Commerce Education Centre in downtown St. Catharines.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Dykstra was joined by the Chamber’s board, staff and members to announce federal funding for the Chamber’s regional public procurement portal. The $40,000 investment will go towards building a central portal in Niagara for all publicly tendered contracts that is accessible for businesses.
“This investment will help to build a critical part of the technological infrastructure that will make it more effiecient for businesses in Niagara,” explains Walter Sendzik, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the St. Catharines – Thorold Chamber of Commerce. “Gobidniagara.com will be designed to allow all public institutions to place their tendered contacts on a regional site for businesses to easily access and bid on.”
Based on research conducted by the Chamber for its Green Procurement Report, released in 2008, approximately $500 million is procured annually through public institutions in Niagara. This includes the school boards, hospitals, regional and municipal governments, Brock University and Niagara College.
“The development of gobidniagara.com creates a one-stop on-line location for the interaction between public institutions and private business for publicly tendered contracts in Niagara,” continues Sendzik. “The objective for this project is to consolidate the process of searching for public tenders in Niagara so that businesses can focus on competing for the bids – and not searching them out.”
With the federal investment under the Community Adjustment Fund, the Chamber’s project can now proceed forward. The site is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2010.
“This project will be a benefit to our members, and to the larger business community in Niagara,” adds Rob DePetris, President of the Board of Directors of the Chamber. “This was an identified need by our membership, and we’ve addressed it with www.gobidniagara.com.”
With over 1,125 members representing more than 28,000 employees, it is the largest chamber in Niagara, and one of the largest in Southern Ontario. The Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada has recognized the St. Catharines – Thorold Chamber of Commerce with its highest distinction.
For more information and interviews please contact:
Walter Sendzik, Executive Vice President and General Manager
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