CANTON -- The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at SUNY Canton will be matchmaking government agencies with businesses and prime contractors who want to purchase goods and services.

The St. Lawrence County matchmaker event will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 28, in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center's Woodcock Conference Suites.

Matchmaking is like speed dating. Business owners sign up for 10-minute meetings with purchasing officers, and then are given a short time to network and share marketing materials. When time is up, the business owner moves to the next agency. The goal is that agencies will learn about what is available locally, and a potential match can be made between supplier and purchaser.

The event presents an opportunity for area small businesses to meet one-on-one with purchasing officers from colleges, federal agencies, state and local governments, large regional institutions and major industries in the North Country. It is also chance to share marketing materials and inquire about the products and services needed. The goal is to find a match and eventually secure a contract to sell to the private or public entity.

The SUNY Canton SBDC held their first Matchmaker in St. Lawrence County last fall. It resulted in many successful connections between local small businesses, agencies and prime contractors who attended. The SBDC hopes to continue that success by co-hosting the event with the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and with sponsorship from the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC), North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), and the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency.

For agencies and prime contractors, the Matchmaker is a great opportunity to support regional economic development by increasing knowledge of local products and services and by giving local companies the opportunity to expand their client base and grow their business.

Businesses looking to expand their markets and have one-on-one contact with purchasing officers can register for a $10 fee. Registration for the event is free for purchasing officers. The registration deadline is Oct. 13.

For more information, to register, or to set up a meeting, contact 386-7312 or sbdc@canton.edu.