By Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph

Gov. Rick Snyder initiated Pure Michigan Business Connect in 2011 to help connect purchasers with Michigan suppliers.
This supported the goal of having Michigan companies “Buy Michigan.”
Southwest Michigan businesses are already seeing the many benefits of this program.
By ensuring all state entities use this recourse to best fill the state’s needs, we can offer taxpayers a greater value for each dollar and also help boost our economy.
I recently sponsored Senate Resolution 70 to encourage the state’s primary purchasing agent, the Department of Technology, Management and Budget, to use the business connect program when filling the state’s procurement needs. Those needs equate to about 1,173 contracts with a total value of more than $32 billion.
We owe it to all Michigan families and job providers that we ensure the state is using tax dollars efficiently and in a manner that supports our state economy. We can achieve both these objectives by using an innovative system already proven to connect Michigan job providers to new opportunities through a business-to-business network.
The $8 billion business connection program is run by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in conjunction with state agencies and major Michigan companies and organizations for facilitating and growing opportunities available to Michigan businesses. It also provides the resources for businesses to expand their supply chain; find new customers; connect with similar businesses; and receive low- or no-cost business aid, such as legal and accounting services.
For more information about Pure Michigan Business Connect, visit www.puremichiganb2b.com.
Recently 45 organizations, from Ford Motor Company to Michigan State University, have joined the initiative to increase purchasing with Michigan businesses.
DTE Energy and Consumers Energy have increased their combined Michigan purchases and contracts by more than $1 billion since the program began in 2011 — creating or saving more than 3,400 Michigan jobs.
The utilities recently pledged to spend more than $2 billion during the next three years on Michigan-based companies. They are stepping up to support Michigan jobs and so should the state.
Using the Pure Michigan Business Connect program can help us use the billions of dollars spent annually by the state to impact our economy while also receiving the greatest bang for the buck.

Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, represents the 21st District, which includes Berrien and Cass counties and most of Van Buren County.