Growing opportunities, one contract at a time

Bill Arland received an invitation to apply for a contract with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) in 2023. He did not imagine it would open a new line of business for his company.

Arland applied through Minnesota’s State Small Business Procurement Program, which connects underrepresented businesses with state contracting opportunities. For Arland, an Army veteran and founder of Trade Show Solutions in Coon Rapids, that led to accounts that make up about 20 percent of his business.

“The government wants to attract veteran-owned businesses,” Arland said. Longer lead times and additional administrative support from the state made the process much easier than that of federal contracts. “Without programs like this, it would be even more difficult to succeed in government bidding.”

The program is an important tool for DPS to diversify its vendor base.

“This is just one more way in which we bring community voices into our work,” said Nicole Archbold, our Community Affairs director. “When local businesses have a seat at the table, they bring valuable perspectives, relationships and ideas that help us better serve all Minnesotans.”

The Community Affairs team worked with Arland to develop the award-winning DPS booth at the Minnesota State Fair.

In 2025, DPS spent more than $5.1 million with women-, minority-, economically-disadvantaged and veteran-owned businesses across its divisions and core services. So far this year, that has grown to over $5.2 million.

The State Small Business Procurement Program — also known as Targeted Group, Economically Disadvantaged and Veteran-Owned (TG/ED/VO) Small Business Program —is supported by a small-business certification through the Minnesota Department of Administration’s Office of Equity in Procurement (OEP). After being certified, the businesses work with staff and receive resources to help them navigate government contracting opportunities and gain access to targeted opportunities with state agencies.

OEP will host a State Procurement Opportunity Fair on June 18 for Minnesota-based small businesses interested in learning how to compete for business with the state.

“Supplier diversity is important because it helps ensure all Minnesota businesses have access to contracting opportunities and public dollars continue to circulate equally across all of Minnesota’s communities” said Igbal Mohammed, manager of the OEP. “We are here to make sure vendors of all kinds understand the process, build relationships with agency buyers and see that there is a place for them in government procurement.”

There is still work to be done. A 2025 spending analysis shows that while 36.9 percent of money was spent with women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses received less than 1 percent.

“Our goal isn’t to increase spending numbers, it is to build lasting partnerships that bring new voices into the work we do,” said Director Archbold. She says this latest data only shows where more attention is needed.

For Arland, his journey with government procurement started with the State Fair and expanded to a traveling museum for Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. And Arland, who proudly displays his TG/ED/VO certification, does not plan to stop there.

“The Minnesota DPS experience is playing out nationally now,” Arland says. He has begun to approach other states with what he has learned from the Minnesota State Fair. “I can only imagine that there are other states that can use some help building public awareness.”