February 17, 2026 (PEORIA, IL) The City of Peoria, in collaboration with the NAACP Peoria Branch, Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce, Minority Development Business Center, Illinois APEX Accelerator at Bradley University, the Greater Peoria Chamber of Commerce, and the Women’s Business Development Center, is proud to host the Government Contract and Opportunity Expo on March 26, 2026, at the Peoria Civic Center (Room 200) from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free and food and refreshments will be provided.
This event is designed to connect small business owners, entrepreneurs, and people seeking to do work with government organizations with valuable resources, partnerships, and opportunities to thrive in government contracting. The Expo also offers a unique opportunity for businesses to expand their networks, access opportunities, and gain the knowledge needed to take their business to the next level. Participating agencies include CityLink, Greater Peoria Sanitary District, Illinois Central College, Peoria Public Schools, The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria, Peoria County Government, Peoria Park District, representatives from area financial institutions, and more.
Why Attend?
Participants will gain insights into government procurement, have the opportunity to register with PeAP, the city of Peoria Business Registry, and learn about opportunities with other government organizations. The city will also launch the Peoria Buying Plan, which features information on procurement opportunities for government agencies, in addition to checklists for first-time bidders, and other resources for small business owners.
Free to attend, but you must register on the city's website by March 25, 2026.
Parking:
Free parking will be available in the Peoria Civic Center Fulton Street Lot, 699 Fulton Street. Please use Entrance 3, located to the north of the intersection of Kumpf and Monroe Streets. Attendees can check the construction updates on the Peoria Civic Center website.
Event Schedule:
- 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Welcome, Introduction to the Buying Plan, Introduction to Partner Agencies
- 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Networking, Meeting with Partner Agencies and Area Lenders