October 2007

Job Corps Construction Contract is a $10 million Opportunity for Local Companies The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) is soliciting bids for the construction of the new Pinellas County Job Corps Center in St. Petersburg.  The nine buildings will total approximately 166,000 gross square feet and bidders must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration .  All bids are due by November 1, 2007 at 2:00 p.m.  Prospective bidders may click here  for details from the USDOL regarding this opportunity.

Pinellas County Sub-Regional Reality Check Workshop, October 4.  On May 18^th, the Tampa Bay region hosted Reality Check Tampa Bay, a growth visioning exercise to discuss, analyze, and develop alternative growth scenarios for our rapidly growing region through 2050.  The Pinellas County Sub-Regional Reality Check Workshop will allow business and community leaders to further discuss, negotiate and plot future residential and job growth, regional land use, transportation systems, and natural resources. The results of our work will be combined with the results of the May 18th event to be developed into future growth scenarios for the region.  Click here for more information and to register.

Discounted Export Expertise for Pinellas County’s Smaller Companies. The first forty small businesses that register for the 2007 National District Export Council Conference may qualify for a 60 percent discount off the conference registration price of $395, a savings of over $150.  The Conference will take place November 7-9, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Tampa.  International business professionals will network with manufacturers, service providers and trade organizations.  There will be an exhibition for businesses wishing to showcase services and products for exporters, as well as a one-on-one matchmaking initiative.   For details, reservations and registration interested participants should visit www.decconference.com.

2007 Florida Medical Manufacturers’ Consortium Symposium, December 4 - 5.  The Florida Medical Manufacturers’ Consortium (FMMC) presents Florida’s premier event for medical device companies.  The symposium will include educational presentations, legislative updates, regulatory compliance issues, international trade, vendor presentations, and networking opportunities.  The Lakeland Center will host the event, with accommodations available at Hyatt Place Lakeland Center.  Click here for more information.  To learn about exhibitor opportunities, call (813) 716-2554.

Healthcare Informatics Programs from St. Petersburg College.  Beginning January 2008, St. Petersburg College will offer an Associate in Science degree and a Certificate program in Healthcare Informatics.  Both programs will be offered online and are open to interested students throughout Florida and the United States, preparing them to meet a goal of having electronic medical records for most Americans by 2014.  Students will have the opportunity to participate in an on-site clinical experience within their geographic area.  To learn more about this new field and course specifics, contact hcinformatics@spcollege.edu or visit www.spcollege.edu/hec/informatics.

26^th International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO), October 29 – November 1.  ICALEO is an annual conference that brings together researchers, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and end-users of photonic, optic, and laser technology from 27 different countries to review the latest breakthroughs in this rapidly growing field.  The event will be held at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando.  To learn more, contact Kevin Felker at (407) 380-1553 or kfelker@laserinstitute.org.

Advanced Bio-Technologies and Pinellas County – A Winning Combination.  Advanced Bio-Technologies, Inc. (ABT) has a new home – Pinellas County, Florida.  The biopharmaceutical company has relocated its headquarters and fulfillment operations to office space within Pinellas’ Foreign Trade Zone 193, and will create 32 new jobs over the next three years.  Each position will pay 150% of Pinellas County’s average annual wage, allowing the company to utilize Florida’s Qualified Target Industry (QTI) tax refund.  ABT considered expanding operations in their home state of Washington, but, “The combination of existing industry and venture capital funding made Pinellas County an exciting alternative,” states Paul Guilbaud, President of ABT. 

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