(Lawrenceville, Ga., June 7, 2011) - The Gwinnett County Purchasing Division will host the fifth annual Supplier Symposium on June 8, 2011, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center.

Attendees will meet buyers and contracting officers from the Purchasing Division and other metro Atlanta agencies to take advantage of networking opportunities designed to establish relationships, understand County purchasing processes and obtain information on current and upcoming projects. Attendees will also participate in presentations and roundtable discussions to acquaint present and potential suppliers with the County's procurement procedures.

"During this symposium, suppliers will become more knowledgeable about the County's procurement procedures and learn what's new in doing business with Gwinnett County, which will increase competition, provide the best value and encourage more suppliers to do business with Gwinnett County," Purchasing Director Roslyn Forstot said.

The symposium will begin with a morning presentation focused on building vendor relationships. Participants will later break into smaller groups for roundtable discussions on cost negotiations, hot topics and contracting with Gwinnett County.

Current projects open for bidding are available online at www.gwinnettcounty.com under the Purchasing link along with explanations of bidding procedures.