Congresswoman Kathy Castor is hosting a workshop Friday to help Tampa-area small businesses compete for federal contracts, which in turn will help local businesses create more jobs in our community. The workshop is designed for small, disadvantaged, women-owned, minority-owned or veteran-owned businesses.

“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act already is helping our community create and preserve jobs,” Castor said. “But with the unemployment rate above 11 percent, I know more needs to be done. Small businesses generate jobs, and if local small businesses know how to go after federal contracts, they will be better able to keep workers employed and hire new employees. This workshop will link government experts on landing federal contracts with businesses so that they can learn the necessary steps to begin bidding.”

Roughly 60 percent to 80 percent of new jobs are created by small businesses, according to estimates from the House Small Business Committee, and they account for approximately half of the nation’s jobs.

Castor’s workshop will be held 10 a.m. Friday at the University of South Florida’s Small Business Development Center, 1101 Channelside Drive in Tampa.

During the morning session, which begins at 10 a.m., the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency and the U.S. General Services Administration Small Business Utilization Office will make presentations on how to do business with the federal government and the federal procurement process. Businesses are encouraged to RSVP through Castor’s Web site, www.castor.house.gov.

The afternoon session begins at 1:30 p.m. The University of South Florida Small Business Development Center Procurement Technical Assistance Center will work with participants to register online to become vendors. “I have seen how great the demand is for this kind of training because the afternoon session already has filled up,” Castor said. “On my Web site, I am providing additional information on certification, including how to get assistance with the registration process.”