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On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Larry Kissell hosted the third annual 8th District Federal Contracting Symposium at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center in Albemarle. The event brought more than 700 local and regional small business owners and representatives together with government agencies to gain a better understanding of opportunities in contracting and procurement with the federal government.

“It is vital that we do all we can to bring our tax dollars home to be put to work here. I’m working to provide small businesses in our region with the tools and opportunities they need to pursue government contracts and be successful,” said Kissell.

“This event helps the government find more goods and services that allow them to ‘Buy American.’ This year’s was the largest to date and I am pleased that so many businesses from our district took advantage of this opportunity. In these tough times, helping our small businesses succeed is essential to creating jobs and getting our economy back on track,” said the congressman.

Kissell brought in representatives from 14 federal government agencies, including the Department of Defense, USDA, Small Business Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Commerce.

More than 700 people from across the 8th District participated in the event, including representatives from the manufacturing, engineering, renewable energy, and information technology sectors. The event was cosponsored by the North Carolina Military Business Center, the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce, Stanly Community College, the Stanly County Economic Development Commission, the Small Business and Technology Development Center and the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center.

“On behalf of the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce, we’re so pleased that Representative Kissell has brought this event to Stanly County,” said Tom Ramseur, president of the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce.

“By helping our businesses learn more about government contracting, we can help them survive and thrive in the current economy. The economic impact here locally is also significant, with all of our hotels selling out and bringing so many of these people here looking for opportunities for their businesses,” Ramseur said.