FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena will host an event designed to match area governmental entities and large companies with small businesses on April 15.

During the Greater Birmingham Area Government Business Matchmaker event, 23 large company purchasing offices and governmental agencies will advertise their needs, and will meet with small businesses interested in filling them, said Jerry Ellison, the director of the Alabama Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

The matchmaking event will be from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Civic Complex, and will be hosted by the Alabama PTAC and the Alabama Small Business Development Center.

During the event, about 60 area small businesses will rotate around to the large companies and governmental entities on 15-minute intervals, and will look to fill needs from facilities maintenance to supplying aviation and missile parts.

Among the large companies and governmental entities attending the event are the city of Birmingham purchasing department, Columbus (Miss.) Air Force Base, Alabama Power and the state of Alabama Purchasing Department.

For more information on the event, visit Al-ptac.org.