Pasadena First Buy Local Participates in Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment Supplier Diversity Conference

On June 22, 2023, the Purchasing Division of ‘Pasadena First Buy Local’ participated in the 4th Annual Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE) Supplier Diversity Conference. 

The Purchasing Division of Pasadena First Buy Local is a department within the City of Pasadena’s Department of Finance. Its mission is to promote the local economy by identifying local purchasing, contracting, and hiring opportunities, and to encourage local businesses to make bids.

The conference, hosted by PACE, aimed to provide procurement insights and opportunities to small and local businesses. 

Over 200 businesses registered for the conference, with more than 150 attending.

Matthew Hawkesworth, Pasadena’s Director of Finance, reported that City staff participated on the Government Contracts Panel, which included representatives from the County of Los Angeles, Cal Trans, and the State of California Department of General Services. The panel provided information on doing business with each respective agency.

Staff also provided businesses with instructions on how to do business with the City and how to register in the City’s eProcurement system. Many businesses visited the City of Pasadena booth to learn more about potential procurement opportunities and to register as a vendor. Staff covered various City requirements, forms, and critical instructions in the formal solicitation documents for competitive bidding and competitive selection respectively.

The purchasing staff will continue to engage with businesses directly, conducting ongoing follow-up, including invites to compete on solicitations and one-on-one meetings to answer specific questions for recurring procurements related to their industry.

“Since our founding in 1976,” said Kerry Doi, President of PACE, “we have been recognized as a leader in addressing poverty and economic inequity within the low-income, ethnic and immigrant communities of LA County. Mission PACE Business Development Center is a local, non-profit organization that aims to advance the wealth of our communities. We give individuals the tools to develop sustainable businesses and successfully manage their personal finances.”