Alyssa Dver a graduate of Wharton Business School and an AIPMM certified product manager and product marketer, is the chief executive for Mint Green Marketing. Mint Green Marketing has worked to provide affordable expert marketing to large multinationals including Nokia, IBM, and Choice Hotels in addition to smaller up-and-coming businesses around the world. Ms. Dver is a respected business and marketing expert, and published author of the books "No Time Marketing" and "Software Product Management Essentials", as well as having been published in Forbes, BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur, and Chief Marketer. She has won numerous accolades including being recognized in 2007, by BusinessWeek as a female entrepreneur to watch, and last December American Express "OPEN" featured Alyssa Dver as the entrepreneur of the month. Ms. Dver is a frequently requested speaker by both the media and prestigious public and private organizations having spoken at such venues as The World Diversity Leadership Summit at the United Nations, The Women's Congress, Massachusetts Conference for Women, The American Marketing Association, American Banking Association, and The Strategic Management Institute.

Brian Ross, Program Director of the DBE SS Program, and the SDO partnered with Alyssa Dver and Mint Green Marketing to provide DBEs the opportunity to participate in one of three full day marketing workshops that were held across the Commonwealth. The attending DBEs worked with Ms. Dver to develop practical and effective marketing plans for their businesses. They also received a copy of her book "No Time™ Marketing: small business-sized steps in 30 minutes or less" containing the worksheets and templates utilized during the marketing sessions. The interactive format of these workshops allowed DBEs individualized attention to guide the creation of their marketing plan.

The DBEs that participated in the Marketing Workshops have responded back with positive feedback about the sessions. For example, one participant, when asked whether she would recommend the workshops to others responded by saying, "Yes, I would recommend this seminar to other SDO(SOMWBA) members because it truly is a hands on workshop, not just an informational meeting."

For more information about Alyssa Dver and Mint Green Marketing, you can visit their website at www.MintGreenMarketing.com. If you would like to learn more about the DBE Supportive Services Program for 2010/11, please contact Brian Ross by phone at (617) 973-8574, or by email.

Kelley Chunn & Associates (KCA): is pleased to announce that they have been selected by The Massachusetts Department of Transportation to serve as a subcontractor to help conduct a study of the bus services for residents of Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury. KCA will provide community outreach for the study.

Boston-based, KCA is an award winning 19 year old state (SOMWBA), GNEMSDC and DBE certified consultancy which specializes in multicultural and cause-related public relations and marketing. KCA specialties include strategic communications planning, advertising, branding, community outreach, audience development, media relations, event planning and management and training.

The KCA team has been featured in BusinessWeek's Small Business Magazine and BusinessWeek SMALLBIZ Online. Chunn, who speaks widely, has also appeared on C-SPAN, and been quoted in a variety of publications including the Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal, Boston Banner, the Wall Street Journal and PR Week. In 2008, readers of Women's Business magazine voted KCA one of the top 10 public relations practitioners in greater Boston.

KCA client partners have included the following: MassHousing, Gillette, Staples, Dudley Main Streets, Madison Park Development Corporation, Initiative for a New Economy, Emerson College Diversity Initiative, WGBH-TV, The Boston Neighborhood Network (Community Access Cable Channels 9 & 23), and the City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development.

SDO provides outreach services to MBE’s, WBE’s and DBE’s regarding contracting and bidding opportunities in public works, public building, and transportation construction projects funded through ARRA. The following activities will be undertaken to achieve the results mentioned above:

SDO will identify and recruit specific MBE, WBE and DBE contractors throughout the commonwealth to participate in ARRA funded projects. Those contractors that are not certified will go through pre application workshops and training to become SDO Certified as a DBE business Those contractors that have been previously certified by SDO will be encouraged and trained to become DBE Certified.

SDO will maintain on-going contact with M/W/DBEs, as they are identified, through direct mail, telephone, electronic mail, facsimile, or one-on-one contact and conduct follow-up communications determining company interest in pursuing contracting opportunities in ARRA-funded public works and public building projects.

SDO will provide information to M/W/DBEs on requirements of the ARRA-funded projects and the public works and public building construction process; and how it impacts accessing and competing for contracting opportunities.

Assessment Services
SDO will contract with business consultants to assess each company that has been identified as potentially being eligible to access contracts for ARRA funded projects and will receive technical assistance and/or capacity-building services to expand their business. The result of the assessment will be used to determine, inform, or refine what services are most appropriate to each business. The ARRA funded Project Manager will accept referrals of companies that have undergone business assessment and evaluation at the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office and make the appropriate referrals to the technical assistance provider or training facility within one of the five regions in the Commonwealth.

Contract Procurement
SDO will utilize its close relationship with our Unified Certification Program partners within Mass DOT, Operational Service Division and other state agencies to gather information in advance on upcoming ARRA and related projects. This will allow us an opportunity to search our database, contact companies, review the options for bidding, and provide the technical assistance needed to bid on contracts. SDO will work closely with Prime Contractors to identify opportunities and increase the percentages of M/W/DBE’s working on projects beyond the minimum contract requirements. We have strong relationships with many cities and towns and will utilize these to stay informed on ARRA projects, we will also maintain a close relationship with the Massachusetts Recovery Office to keep updated of ARRA funded projects.

• One on One Counseling
• Group Training Sessions

1. Outreach/Identification 2. Business Assessment 3. Technical Assistance Program Business Plan Development Strategic Marketing Plan Development Legal Assistance

4. review of business structure 5. review of any potential contracts Financial Literacy Accounting (assistance in setting up an electronic accounting system/quick books) Loan Preparation Bonding Assistance Workforce Development Certification

For more information Contact John Fioriti at 617-973-8573