Thursday, January 29; 10 AM - 11 AM
The State of Connecticut's no-cost, commercial P-Card program helps municipalities streamline purchasing processes while lowering costs and generating revenue. Discover how the program can enhance your town’s financial health with flexible tools that minimize liability and increase staff accountability.
Location: Online
Wednesday, February 10; 12 PM - 1 PM
From catering to construction and gasoline to guiderails, the State of Connecticut buys it all — and certified small businesses can compete for their share. In this session, you’ll learn how Small Business certification can help businesses grow revenue, reach new customers, and gain visibility in the state marketplace. We’ll walk through certification types, eligibility, and application steps.
Location: Online - Small & Minority Business Enterprise Bridgeport
Wednesday, February 11; 12 PM – 1 PM
From catering to construction and gasoline to guiderails, the State of Connecticut buys it all — and certified small businesses can compete for their share. In this session, you’ll learn how certification strengthens your business profile and opens doors to new marketing and growth opportunities. We’ll cover the application process and demonstrate how to use CTsource, the state’s contracting portal, to search for bids and explore subcontracting opportunities.
Location: Online - Minority Construction Council
Registration link pending
Wednesday, February 18; 9 AM - 10 AM
The State of Connecticut's no-cost, commercial P-Card program helps municipalities streamline purchasing processes while lowering costs and generating revenue. Discover how the program can enhance your town’s financial health with flexible tools that minimize liability and increase staff accountability.
Location: Online
Wednesday, February 18; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Tuesday, February 24; 12 PM – 1 PM
Prequalification is a vital step for contractors seeking to engage in significant state or municipal construction projects. Contractors planning to bid on or perform work for projects that cost more than $1M must become prequalified. In this session, we’ll cover the application process and demonstrate how to use CTsource, the state’s contracting portal, to search for bids and explore subcontracting opportunities.
Location: Online - Minority Construction Council
Registration link pending
Thursday, March 5; 9 AM - 4 PM
The CT Business Matchmaker is a high-impact networking event designed to connect businesses with government buyers and prime contractors to strengthen our national/local supply chains and open opportunities of procurement for CT businesses. Businesses will have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with buyers from federal, state and local agencies as well as prime contractors.
Location: Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd, Hartford
Thursday, March 5; 10 AM - 11 AM
The State of Connecticut's no-cost, commercial P-Card program helps municipalities streamline purchasing processes while lowering costs and generating revenue. Discover how the program can enhance your town’s financial health with flexible tools that minimize liability and increase staff accountability.
Location: Online
Thursday, March 5; 5 PM - 7 PM
Celebrate the women who are building the future of construction! This special event is exclusively for women across all construction trades and is designed to recognize, connect, and uplift women who are excelling in the field.
Location: TBD
Tuesday, March 10; 10AM-11AM
Learn how federal digital accessibility requirements and Connecticut’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program impact municipal purchasing. This session begins with an overview of digital accessibility obligations for government entities, including what standards apply to websites, documents, software, and other digital content, and how these requirements affect municipalities. The session will then shift to the State’s EPP Program, outlining how municipalities can identify and purchase environmentally preferable products and services, understand available resources, and incorporate sustainability into procurement decisions.
Location: Online - Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Wednesday, March 11; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Tuesday, March 17; 6 PM - 8 PM
Bring your required documents in electronic format into the classroom and the DAS Business Access team will help you submit your Small Business certification application. The team will answer your questions and help walk you through the application steps.
Required documents list: Access list of Required Documents
Location: Online - Small & Minority Business Enterprise Bridgeport
Thursday, March 26; 10 AM – 12 PM
Bring your required documents in electronic format into the classroom and the DAS Business Access team will help you submit your Small Business Certification and Construction Contractor Prequalification applications. The team will answer your questions and help walk you through the application steps.
Required documents list: SMBE Required Documents and Prequalification Required Documents
Location: Minority Construction Council, 151 New Park Avenue - Suite 121, Hartford
Registration link pending
Tuesday, April 14; 10AM-11AM
Learn how municipalities can save time and money by using Connecticut’s statewide contracts and the NASPO eMarketplace. These resources provide access to hundreds of competitively awarded contracts for essential products and services, including paving and road repairs, IT hardware and software, building and maintenance services, consulting, and more. This session will walk you through the types of contracts available for municipal use, demonstrate how to navigate statewide contracts and the NASPO eMarketplace, and answer your questions about contract availability and usage.
Location: Online - Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Wednesday, April 15; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Attend a bonus workshop presented by CT APEX - Capability Statement: Showcase Your Business to Win Contracts.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Tuesday, May 12; 10AM-11AM
Gain a clear understanding of how local building departments operate and why they are essential to community safety and development. This course introduces government officials to permitting, inspections, code enforcement, and the key roles within a building department—equipping leaders with the knowledge to better support effective operations.
Location: Online - Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Wednesday, May 20; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Wednesday, June 17; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Attend a bonus workshop presented by CT APEX - Navigating State and Municipal Opportunities: Market Research for Success.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Wednesday, August 19; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Tuesday, September 8; 10AM-11AM
The State of Connecticut procures a wide range of products and services from businesses to support government operations—from catering to construction and gasoline to guiderails. For businesses interested in state contracting, understanding the benefits and knowing how to get started are essential. This session provides a practical overview of what it takes to become contract-ready, including why businesses pursue state work and the key steps involved. Participants will also learn how to register for and navigate CTsource, Connecticut’s official contracting portal, to search for bids, identify subcontracting opportunities, and stay informed about upcoming solicitations.
Location: Online - Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Wednesday, September 16; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Attend a bonus workshop presented by CT APEX - Cybersecurity Essentials: Protecting Your Business in the Digital Age.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Wednesday, October 21; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
Tuesday, November 10; 10AM – 11AM
Learn how municipalities can stretch limited budgets by using state purchasing tools. This session will begin with an overview of the State and Federal Surplus Programs and how municipalities can reduce costs and support sustainability by acquiring surplus equipment and personal property such as furniture, office equipment, trailers, mowers, and vehicles. The session will then review how the P-Card program can enhance your town’s financial health with flexible tools that minimize liability and increase staff accountability.
Location: Online - Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Wednesday, November 18; 12 PM - 2 PM
Join the DAS Business Access Team and CT APEX Accelerator to receive one-on-one assistance in completing your Small Business Certification and SAM applications.
Location: The MDC Training Center, 125 Maxim Road, Hartford
To register: Email kevin.nodwell@ct.gov. Space is limited! Registration required
