Suppliers meet their match: State government gets down to business at fifth State Suppliers Expo

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s 2025 State Suppliers Expo, held at the Oklahoma City Convention Center on Aug. 5 and 6, introduced over 600 attendees to the latest contracting opportunities put forward by state agencies. Over the course of two days, representatives from the private sector came face-to-face with leaders in state government to engage in meaningful discussions on how to grow their business while providing quality services to the State of Oklahoma.

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) organizes this expo to connect with those in the private sector about the state’s procurement process and encourage attendees interested in becoming a state supplier to register on-site, leading to dozens of new companies being ready to competitively bid on government contracts. The 2025 expo resulted in 25 new registered suppliers and 41 new bidders.

“This event brings real value to both sides of the table,” said Amanda Otis, state purchasing director at OMES. “Agencies leave having met with trusted suppliers who are ready to deliver quality at a competitive price, and businesses leave with a roadmap – and often a better understanding of the state’s purchasing practices and requirements – that helps them grow. And Oklahoma taxpayers? They get the best return on their dollar.”

In 2024, the state spent $2.79 billion partnering with the private sector.* As Oklahoma expands its efforts to help businesses thrive in our state, state agencies continue using the competitive bidding process to deliver cost-effective solutions for the services citizens need by building reliable business partnerships.

Day 1 of the 2025 expo encouraged collaboration and alignment on key projects through networking at state-hosted booths. New to the expo was a higher education booth featuring representatives from the University of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma State University and A&M System. The first day also included key segments like the State of Technology Luncheon, where State Chief Information Officer Dan Cronin discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on state government operations with a panel of state IT professionals.

On Day 2, attendees focused on the areas of government that were most relevant to their goals, with informational breakout sessions presented by professionals from local, state and national organizations. These sessions highlighted industry-specific requirements and key resources for small and disadvantaged businesses to begin the process of becoming a state supplier.

“I don’t know of another state that flips the script the way Oklahoma has,” said four-time expo attendee and registered state supplier Monty Latiolais. “Normally when we come to these kinds of conferences, we’re in the booth and we’re hoping that people come to us. The way Oklahoma does it, we can go to the agencies that we want to visit. It just works.”

Visit Oklahoma.gov/StateYourBusiness to learn more about this year’s State Suppliers Expo, and view the 2025 photo gallery for additional photos. For more information about becoming a state supplier in Oklahoma, check out the Doing Business with the State of Oklahoma flyer.

*This amount excludes agency purchases outside the oversight of OMES Central Purchasing.

Media Contact

Christa Helfrey
christa.helfrey@omes.ok.gov

About OMES

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services provides financial, property, purchasing, human resources and information technology services to all state agencies, and assists the Governor’s Office with budgetary policy matters. Our mission: Provide excellent service, expert guidance and continuous improvement in support of our partners’ goals. For more information, visit oklahoma.gov/omes.