Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.
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The Office of Small Business Assistance is responsible for monitoring conditions affecting small businesses within the marketplace that can provide goods and services to Palm Beach County, thus creating an environment that encourages the growth and development of small businesses in Palm Beach County.
The Mission of the Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA) is to provide county departments and local businesses with excellent customer service, professional assistance and technical responsiveness to promote the economic growth, expansion and increased productivity of small business enterprises in Palm Beach County in accordance with established compliance policies and guidelines.
HAZEL OXENDINE - DirectorSince the inception of the County's SBE program in 2003, contract awards have steadily increased. Although we haven't hit the 15% goal yet, I am encouraged by the steady increase in SBE contracting participation and I am working towards achieving the County's goals. My primary goal is to increase contract awards to Palm Beach County S/M/WBEs and increase the number of S/M/WBEs certified to do business with Palm Beach County. My plan for accomplishment is to increase the County's SBE database of qualified vendors by enhancing public awareness of the County's program through select advertising, renewed strategic partnerships and enhanced training. Since I started working here three years ago, we have changed the focus of the OSBA. We have entered into an Inter-local Certification agreement with the School District and the City of West Palm Beach, created a centralized reporting system, reviewed and enhanced the County Code, trained the staff for small business development and hired additional professionals to work with small businesses and county employees. With the continued support of the County Commission and County Administration S/M/WBEs in Palm Beach County will thrive! ALLEN GRAY - ManagerAs the Manager, my responsibilities include working with the various departments to implement the county's small business ordinance to ensure that our small businesses are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in the county's procurement process. This includes a periodic review and evaluation of the policies and procedures of the program and to make adjustments when needed in order to better serve the small business community. I am also responsible for ensuring that our office provides excellent customer service to our small business clients. Our Small Business Development Specialists are knowledgeable and well trained to properly address the needs of small businesses. Pamela Hart - Program CoordinatorAs Program Coordinator, my primary focus is to increase the number of local small businesses that do business with Palm Beach County. To accomplish this goal, I facilitate training workshops, conduct presentations, showcase OSBA at outreach events, consult with businesses on navigating through County requirements in order to have greater access to opportunities, and make referrals of businesses to resources for financial and technical assistance. I am also the editor of the Business Pulse newsletter. Patricia Wilhelm
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Office of Small Business Assistance50 S. Military TrailSuite 209 West Palm Beach, FL 33415 Phone: 561-616-6840 Fax: 561-616-6850 Email OSBA - mapquest -
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