TIA's Supplier Diversity Summit at GLOBALCOMM Highlights Public Sector Spending on Telecom; Conference for Small Businesses and Minority-, Women- and Disabled Veteran-Owned-Business Enterprises

Business Wire, May 15, 2006

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) announced that on June 6 at GLOBALCOMM(TM) 2006 it will host the Supplier Diversity Summit. The all day conference provides insight and focus into the latest business, political, regulatory and technical activities in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry to small businesses and minority-, women- and disabled veteran-owned-business enterprises (MWDVBEs).

GLOBALCOMM(TM), the next-generation communications marketplace and summit, will be held June 4-8, 2006, at Chicago's McCormick Place, with exhibits open from Monday, June 5 through Wednesday, June 7. For TIA, GLOBALCOMM(TM) replaces SUPERCOMM(R) as TIA's annual industry event.

This year the Supplier Diversity panels and participants will discuss how to identify, access, and navigate government resources, and turn those resources into results for all small businesses. Over the next five years federal, state, and local IT spending is expected to increase significantly, and social policy in procurement will enable small businesses to perform a significant amount of that contract work. TIA brings together experts from organizations that support small businesses in public sector ventures to chart a successful course of action in pursuing the government markets.

"Public sector spending has been an important component of the information and communications technology (ICT) industry turnaround and of U.S. business growth overall during the past five years," said TIA President Matthew J. Flanigan. "Whether partnering with a corporation or bidding for public work independently, this growth represents a great opportunity for small ICT businesses. The Supplier Diversity Summit will help small and disadvantaged businesses navigate those processes."

The Supplier Diversity Summit is sponsored in part by Cisco, Alcatel, Fujitsu, Minority Business News, Motorola, Tellabs and Women's Business Enterprise. Sessions include:

--How to Do Business with Government Agencies

--The Military's Need for Cross-Domain Information Management Solutions

--Utilizing Small Business Resources

--Small Business Success Story in the Federal Government: CENTECH Group

--One-on-one Diversity Company/Corporate Matchmaking

More information about TIA's Supplier Diversity Summit at GLOBALCOMM(TM) is available at: http://www.globalcomm2006.com/register/summits/supplier_diversity.cfm. With nearly 500 exhibiting companies and 20,000 projected attendees, GLOBALCOMM(TM) will be the largest horizontal telecommunications trade show in North America this year.

GLOBALCOMM(TM) represents the premier business opportunity for the entire global communications and IT industry. More than 15 percent of attendees will be international, and the Department of Commerce International Trade Administration is working with GLOBALCOMM(TM) to provide an international buyer program.

About TIA

TIA is the leading trade association for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. As owner and producer of GLOBALCOMM(TM), TIA represents global ICT suppliers and their service provider and enterprise customers through its leadership in standards development, domestic and international policy advocacy, and facilitating member business opportunities. TIA represents the communications sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). Visit us at http://www.tiaonline.org.

About GLOBALCOMM(TM)

GLOBALCOMM(TM) is a trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). The Next-Generation Communications Marketplace and Summit will take place June 4-8, 2006, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Visit www.globalcomm2006.com.

SUPERCOMM(R) is a registered trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and the United States Telecom Association (USTA). The final SUPERCOMM(R) was held in June 2005.