Brown’s small business supplier summit builds bridges between campus, local businesses

Tiesha Sinouthasy, founder of Peace of Mind Nannies, said she was eager to join the summit for the second year.

"We're always looking for opportunities to support more corporations, higher education institutions and other anchor organizations with their childcare needs," Sinouthasy said. "What drew me to the summit was the opportunity to build relationships with an institution like Brown. The reverse fair format is especially valuable because it allows us to connect directly with department leaders, learn about their needs and explore ways we can support them."

The value of a dollar spent locally

Luipold said that each year, Brown purchases goods and services from more than 1,000 Rhode Island companies, generating more than $250 million in economic activity for local suppliers.

For Lise Creswell, campus shop manager for the Brown University Bookstore, local purchasing is about more than filling shelves. It's a way to invest in Rhode Island businesses and cultivate local partnerships that support the University's day-to-day operations. For nearly a decade, Creswell has partnered with more than a dozen Rhode Island companies to stock Brown-licensed merchandise, from pens, keychains and magnets to apparel, drinkware and home goods.

One of those longtime partners is East Providence-based supplier Nordic, which provides coffee mugs, tumblers and water bottles, she said.

"If I'm buying drinkware, I'm going to go to Nordic first," Creswell said. "They're our local partner. We can depend on a high level of quality, service, and they help us out with quick delivery and special orders. It's important to us that we build those reliable relationships - they're not just our vendor, they're our partners."

Investing in partnerships built on trust, collaboration and shared success was a common theme at the summit. Partnerships between Rhode Island's anchor institutions and small businesses help keep millions of dollars circulating throughout the state's economy, said Kayleigh Hill, program manager for SupplyRI, who participated in a morning panel discussion.

"The dollar spent locally recirculates through our economy two to four times more than that same dollar if it had been spent with a non-local company…" Hill said. "We are empowering our communities. We are voting with our dollars and saying, 'This is what we value. This is what we want to invest in.'"

SupplyRI, a Rhode Island Commerce Corporation initiative, connects small businesses with large buyers and helps them build the capacity to compete for and fulfill major contracts. Brown was among the program's inaugural participants and remains an active member of its Anchor Collective, a network of the state's largest purchasers that collaborates to expand opportunities for local businesses.

Participants ended the day with a session led by Brown's Office of Strategic Procurement and Contracts, including a step-by-step roadmap for becoming a registered vendor, connecting with University departments and navigating procurement requirements, including contracts, invoicing and insurance. The office has also launched a series of resources for small businesses and plans to offer a webinar series in the coming months.

With attendance growing in the event's second year, organizers hope to continue building on the summit's momentum and expanding opportunities for local businesses to connect with Brown. Hill said the gathering offers a rare opportunity for suppliers to engage directly with the people responsible for purchasing decisions.

"It's very unusual to have purchasing agents and department representatives all together in one room, ready to talk with local businesses," Hill said. "This kind of opportunity doesn't happen often. If you're a small business, take advantage of it - and tell your peers they should be here next year."

The summit was organized by Brown's Office of Strategic Procurement and Contracts in collaboration with the Department of Business Affairs, Auxiliary Services and Real Estate, and the Office of Community Engagement.