Trade events are usually held at the Olof Palme Convention Center in Managua. This modern facility has numerous meeting rooms, the largest seating 2000. The Holiday Inn-Select has a large conference facility. See Chapter IX, Business Travel for contact information. There are no price controls with the exception of controls on pharmaceutical sales margins, sugar, domestically produced soft drinks, national cigarettes and liquified natural gas.
Most local businesses place little emphasis on sales service and customer support.
U.S. and foreign businesses which have made customer service a priority have been well received. This new law regulates all government purchases except for certain procurement by the Ministry of Defense and the National Police that could affect national security. Purchases financed, even partially, by loans or grants from foreign governments or international organizations are conducted according to the procedures of the financing organization. To participate in any government procurement one must register at the government's Suppliers Registry at the Ministry of Finance. Within the first month of every fiscal period every agency or ministry subject to the present law must publish a calendar of bids projected for that fiscal period, with detailed information on the type of services to be acquired, projects to be to performed, and material or equipment to be purchases.