The UNM Purchasing Department hosts its annual Small Business and Strategic Partner Vendor Fair on Wednesday, April 19, in Student Union Building Ballrooms A, B and C. The event is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. and run until 1:30 p.m.

The fair facilitates networking opportunities for participants to build new business relationships and strengthen existing ones within the UNM community. It also offers 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 Program Coordinator Juanita Lucero describes the Fair from a behind the scenes perspective. “I’ve had the privilege of organizing the Fair the last two years and it’s great to see connections being made face-to-face between local business, strategic suppliers and department representatives--putting a face to a name in the technology driven world of today,” she said.

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.

Vendors at the fair will be diverse and offer a wide range of products and services. Purchasing is expecting to have close to 80 booths this year, including booths for Purchasing, Accounts Payable and PCard. Vendors will have the opportunity to speak directly with key Purchasing staff representatives and learn about procurement opportunities. Vendors ask that department representatives please bring their business cards to the Fair.

Registration forms for vendors are available here, and are due by April 12.

For more information contact Purchasing at purch@unm.edu or call (505) 277-2036.