Program seeks to help small businesses secure contracts

Wave Staff and Wire Reports

LOS ANGELES — As the region prepares to host several major sporting events, Mayor Karen Bass has announced the launch of a new program intended to help businesses secure contracts.

The program, known as ProcureLA, will provide business owners with one-on-one consultation from the city’s business source centers, training and assistance with certification, proposal development, among other services to ensure they are successfully bidding. Bass made the announcement during her inaugural L.A. Sports & Entertainment Supplier Diversity Summit hosted at the downtown Convention Center Oct. 10, and co-sponsored by AEG and BMO.

“I want to make sure City Hall is helping our small and local businesses access opportunities that these economic drivers present and are supported as we gear up for major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will generate billions of dollars in economic impact here in our region,” Bass said in a statement. “L.A. businesses should benefit from the major upcoming events that L.A. will host, so this new program and today’s summit are part of our focused effort to help prepare them to tap into these exciting opportunities.”

The Los Angeles Business Council Institute and the Pacific Asian Consortium Employment (PACE) are partnering with the city for the ProcureLA program.

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PACE is a business development center that provides training and direct technical assistance to participants, and is set to provide procurement assistance and offer tools such as financing, insurance and bonding.

“We applaud Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for launching the city’s new ProcureLA initiative to provide local businesses with the support and resources they need to tap into opportunities that major sporting events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring to the L.A. region,” the Los Angeles Business Council said in a statement.

PACE will use L.A. Business Council’s regional database, called Compete4LA, which has information on small, minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged suppliers. The organizations also will aid small business owners in the hospitality and transportation sectors.

Services will be provided in several languages such as English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Thai, Armenian and Tagalog.

As part of the summit, Bass participated in a fireside chat with Jessica Alba, actress and founder of the Honest Company, who is a member of the LA28 Board of Directors.

There were other panels of experts featuring members of LA28 and the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, among other executives.

One panel, entitled “Game Changers: Economic Impact on Mega Events,” featured “Entertainment Tonight” host Kevin Frazier with speakers Tom Braun, president of L.A. Galaxy, Kelly Cheeseman, chief operating officer of the L.A. Kings, and Tom Andrus, president of AXS North America.

Gabriela Teissier, a news anchor with Univision Los Angeles; Kathryn Schloessman, president of the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission; Erikk Aldridge, LA28 vice president of impact; Jesus Chávez, president of Univision L.A.; and Mary Leslie, president of the L.A. Business Council, participated in a second panel, entitled “Monumental Opportunities.”

A third panel, entitled “ProcureLA!,” featured Rosa Penaloza, assistant chief grants administrator for the city of L.A.’s Economic and Workforce Development Department; John Reamer, general manager of L.A.’s Bureau of Contract Administration; Leah Chu, deputy chief procurement officer for the Office of Procurement; Billy Chun, chief operating officer of Pacific Asian Consortium In Employment; and Enrique Gonzalez, a supervisor with the L.A. County Department of Economic Development.

Bass, Alba and Eric Smith, vice chairman of BMO, spoke during the summit.

“AEG is proud to sponsor this summit that is not only important to Los Angeles and the numerous sporting events coming to our city but it is also vital for the hundreds of local and diverse business that will find new opportunities to create economic growth while providing training and jobs to an ever-expanding local workforce,” said Scott Bosarge, senior vice president of business services for AEG, which owns and operates the Crypto.com Arena. “With everyone’s support, together we can grow small businesses throughout the region, strengthen our supplier base, increase our competitive edge in the global economy and drive positive change throughout our city.” 

Bass recently announced the graduation of nearly 100 Angelenos from the first-ever LApreneur program class following a ceremony in City Hall. Bass launched the LApreneur program in May to streamline entrepreneurship education and resources on a new online learning platform that equips business owners with the skills and information to succeed. 

The city has helped hundreds of small businesses secure more than $18 million to support the opening and growth of their business since Bass enacted Executive Directive 4, focused on small businesses. Along with assistance securing financial capital, the Mayor’s Office has helped businesses navigate permitting approval processes and other city department processes to accelerate business openings and growth.

Mayor Bass signed Executive Directive 4 in June 2023 to support small business creation, growth and development in the city. 

       
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