2026 Reverse Trade Show - Member
Category
Reverse Trade Show
Registration Info
Registration is required
Registration cancellations will be accepted until Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 12:01 AM
About this event
MAGPPA Members are invited to be an exhibitor at the 16th Annual Reverse Trade Show to be held Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the Hinds Community College Clyde Muse Center in Pearl. This Reverse Trade Show is an event that allows vendors, consultants, and suppliers the opportunity to meet with procurement professionals from various Mississippi governmental entities under one roof. You and other members from various governmental entities will be the 'Exhibitors' and the vendors will be the 'Attendees.' The vendors will walk around the trade show floor and talk to the public entities about the products and services they have to offer. The public entities will have an open dialogue with vendors regarding business opportunities, their entity needs, and tips for doing business with their entity.
What’s in it for my entity?
- Allows you to effectively meet your entity’s outreach goals by providing you with an opportunity to make new business contacts and thus increasing competition of your entity’s future solicitation processes.
- Meet vendors face-to-face and get a better understanding of what they have to offer and how it fits with your needs
- Networking opportunities with other government entity professionals from Mississippi - find out what works for them and whether it will work for you
- There is NO CHARGE for public entities to participate in the RTS! It’s the only FREE event for members and lunch is provided to those who sign up to staff a booth!
Event breakdown for Exhibitors is as follows:
- Exhibitor check-in is 8:00 – 9:00 AM CST.
- Exhibitors should arrive in sufficient time to drop off all booth materials, set up booths, and secure free parking at the Muse Center.
- The Reverse Trade Show will open promptly at 9:00 AM CST to Attendees.
- Exhibitors should have staff available at their tables from 9:00 AM – 3:15 PM CST (the end of the event).
- Our networking lunch for Exhibitors and Attendees is from 12:00 – 1:00 PM CST.
Keneshia Anderson, Reverse Trade Show Chair
Keneshia.Anderson@medicaid.ms.gov
What to bring?
- Distributing contact information is highly encouraged - Business cards and more business cards!
- Booth decorations range from minimalist to well branded. While these items go a long way to establishing your entity brand and quickly inform Attendees who you are, most vendors attend to attain contacts. Examples of booth decorations are table covers/throws, posters, backdrops, floor stand banners, table stands, and other items that will make your table easily identifiable for Attendees.
- Agencies should present materials describing the programs they operate – this will help the vendors to make a preliminary assessment of program requirements and allow vendors to quickly eliminate programs from their marketing efforts.
- Candy, swag or giveaway items with your entity’s logo on it, such as highlighters, pens, branded bag, etc. are optional. Again, vendors attend to attain contacts.
Who are the ideal public entity candidates to staff an exhibit table?
- Up to two public entity staff members are needed for good interactive discussions with Attendees.
- Public procurement professionals are good candidates – meeting potential new vendors will assist your entity with meeting future solicitation competition recommendations.
What do you talk about?
- Highlight the purpose and mission of your entity or department – the Reverse Trade Show is a good opportunity to increase your agency’s exposure to the public. Be prepared to discuss current and future program requirements and perhaps learn new and innovative solutions or approaches to meet those requirements.
- Use the Reverse Trade Show to meet current suppliers in a single day – pre-arrange meetings with individual suppliers to discuss performance or simply catch up.
- Discuss the goods and services your entity procures – ideally vendors want to hear that their particular product or service could be of use to you.
- Vendors would like us to relate every product or service they offer to your entity – if this is not possible direct them to an entity that can be a potential match.
- It is proper to let a vendor know when there is not an opportunity with your entity at the current time – their time is just as valuable as yours and informing them of how to save time is very valuable information.
Exhibit Booth Assignment List by Public Entity:
1. Mississippi Community College Board
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4. City of Meridian
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7. MS State Personnel Board
8. Rankin County School District
9. MS Department of Transportation
10. Division of Medicaid-Procurement
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13. MS Library Commission
14. Division of Medicaid
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19. Dept. of Finance & Admin. (DFA) Office of Purchasing, Travel & Fleet Management (OPTFM)
20. North MS State Hospital
21. State of Mississippi State Hospital
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23. DFA Office of Personal Services Contract Review (OPSCR)
24. DFA Office of Statewide Strategic Sourcing (OSSS)
25. DFA-Office of Procurement and Contracts
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27. MAGPPA
28. MS Department of Wildlife Fisheries & Parks
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37. MS Forestry Commission
38. MS Department of Agriculture & Commerce
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