The UNM Purchasing Department hosts its annual Small Business and Strategic Partner Vendor Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 7, in Student Union Building ballrooms A, B and C. The event is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and run until 2 p.m. The fair facilitates networking opportunities for participants to build new business relationships and strengthen existing ones within the UNM community.

The fair offers a whole host of benefits for both the vendors and UNM departments for short or long term needs. An attendee may find a vendor that provides a needed one time commodity or a department may find a vendor that fulfills a constant specific service need.

Purchasing is excited to be able to host this event again, said Veronica Trujillo of Purchasing, “As the central purchasing authority for the University, the Purchasing Department realizes the important role our departments and our vendors play in helping us with our daily purchasing decisions. Bringing the two together and seeing what opportunities and relationships can develop is exciting and is a win-win for both parties.”

The fair is dedicated to forming successful business relationships that maximize savings for the university, as well provide opportunity to small, disadvantage, and/or woman owned business through Purchasing’s Minority/Woman Owned Business Program. An example of one of these successful partnerships is with the university and Sandia Office Supply, a minority owned business, who is now an office supply vendor to UNM, Bernalillo County and the State of New Mexico.

The fair has been running over 20 years now and has remained a continuing force in the building of business partnerships for the university. Vendors at the fair will be diverse and offer a wide range of products and services. Purchasing is expecting to have between 60 - 80 booths this year, including a booth for Purchasing, Accounts Payable and PCard. Vendors will have the opportunity to speak directly with key purchasing staff representatives and learn about procurement opportunities face to face. 

Registration forms for vendors are available here, and are due by Sept. 19. For more information contact Purchasing at purch@unm.edu or call (505) 277-2036.