Fayetteville area businesses need to attend the Building Business Rally early next month for a shot at doing business with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission or other local government entities.

For the second year, the PWC is hosting the Building Business Rally. This year it’s on Thursday, April 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the utility’s Operations Center, 955 Old Wilmington Road.

The Building Business Rally gives local businesses a chance to see how PWC and local government agencies are planning to spend your money. And it will give them an opportunity to meet the people whobuy goods and services for those agencies.

It’s a free event. But you have to be a local business that offers equipment, supplies or professional services. Or you have to be a prime contractor or subcontractor. Did I say it’s free?

During this meet and greet drop-in event vendors can get an idea of what  supplies, equipment or services PWC and local government need. Others expected to attend include the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, Cumberland County Schools, N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Department of Administration, the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and several other local agencies.

The buyers for those agencies will give attendees information about how you sell to them. It’s government so there’s a registration process and oodles of paperwork, but it could be well worth it.

 

For example, Carolyn Justice-Hinson, PWC’s spokeswoman, said, “We spend about $1.2 million locally a month.”

The Building Business Rally is one of PWC’s initiatives that will help grow the local economy.  PWC hosted the first such event last July. Thirteen of the 35 businesses attending that event now do business with PWC. But Hinson isn’t sure if they were “first time” vendors or had done business with our Hometown Utility.

Among PWC, city and county government, there’s about $600 million worth of projects on their respective to do lists for the next several years. 

For instance, PWC is still churning away at building sewer and water mains down the middle of residential streets in the Big Bang Annexation area. 

Then there’s overall upkeep of water and sewer facilities, and moving water and sewer pipes when the state highway department wants to widen a road. I’m sure the utility is still licking its wounds and making repairs from damages brought on by Hurricane Matthew.

The city is getting ready to spend your tax dollars on more swimming pools, splash pads and other recreational amenities approved in last year’s $35 million bond referendum. And in case you haven’t heard, the city also is building a baseball stadium.

I hope the city  continues work on storm drainage problems, fixing roads damaged by Hurricane Matthew and working on alleviating the frustrations of driving in Fayetteville traffic. There also is the construction of a new fire station on the horizon. Fayetteville is growing, folks.

And I’m sure the cash-strapped county remains committed to working on its limited water and sewer projects in rural Cumberland County.

Basically, there’s work to be had for construction-related companies and their suppliers. And for engineers, project managers, tree and vegetation removal companies and a host of other related jobs. The best part is that local businesses can get a shot at some of that business.

But the only way to get a piece of the pie is to come attend the event on Thursday, April 6, and get your business registered to bid on upcoming opportunities.