NEW ORLEANS -- June 23, 2022 -- In an ongoing effort to engage local and small businesses in the New Orleans Gateway, the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) is hosting a Procurement Fair on June 29 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Port of New Orleans Administration Building, 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, LA 70130.

Representatives from several partner organizations will participate to provide information on projects that are currently available for bid opportunities, along with a schedule of projects in the near future. There will be representatives from Port NOLA, the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB), Chase Bank, the City of New Orleans, Fidelity Bank, LiftFund, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, New Corp, Inc., and the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO).

“Local and small businesses play a critical role in creating economic vitality,” said Brandy D. Christian, President and CEO of Port NOLA. “I’m proud that nearly $10.2 million of Port purchases were made with DBE/SBE-owned businesses last year. With this procurement fair, we look forward to continuing to connect local businesses with business opportunities that will benefit the Port, NOPB and the local economy.”

Port NOLA’s Procurement team works to support buyers and users with procurement, negotiation, financial and informational resources, as well as to provide qualified suppliers, service providers and vendors with open and fair access to contracting opportunities.

“We offer a wide range of opportunities that support Port NOLA’s four lines of business: cargo, rail, cruise, and industrial real estate,” said Chanel Labat, Director of Procurement for Port NOLA and NOPB. “And for more impact, we have invited regional partner agencies to participate in this procurement fair to share their opportunities as well. Any business owner interested in current or future opportunities, or who would like to learn more about our procurement process, is encouraged to attend.”

In addition to attending the procurement fair, companies interested in doing business with the Port can join the online vendor database. The system is user-friendly and designed to allow users to view current and upcoming bid opportunities. Users must register and create an account to see complete project specifications and details. Users gain full access to current project specifications and can opt to receive notifications regarding new opportunities that become available at Port NOLA.

For more information about doing business with Port NOLA or for information about the event, visit the Procurement pages of the website here.