The Division of Economic Development (DED) fosters the growth of economies and the success of businesses in Native American communities by providing technical assistance to:
- Start and sustain a Native American business;
- Bring innovative ideas to the marketplace; and
- Take advantage of government and private procurement opportunities.
Increasing revenues and expanding operations for tribal and Native American businesses through federal and private sector procurement contracts can spur job growth and achieve economic progress in Native American communities. To foster contracting between Native businesses and government and commercial buyers, DED collaborates with the U.S. Department of Defense Native American Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) and tribal organizations to host one-on-one business "matchmaking" and business development sessions at key Indian Country locations to bring together tribal businesses with potential commercial and government buyers. DED also uses these conferences to train tribal businesses to effectively market their products and services. These events build deeper personal relationships between Native businesses and potential government and commercial customers. Over time, they can lead to new contracts for Native businesses. By making potential purchasers of Native American and Alaskan Native goods and services accessible to Native businesses at single regional locations, DED's procurement outreach activities also save Native vendors substantial time and travel costs.
