The NFL is looking for local and diverse Pittsburgh-area businesses for its NFL Draft Source Program.

It's a chance to get the businesses into a very important directory.

Detroit's almost a year removed from hosting the NFL Draft.

"Everybody was very excited," Marty Dobek, the Executive Director of the Detroit Sports Commission, said.

Dobek said the NFL Draft's Source Program did wonders for businesses there.

"It allowed upwards near 60 businesses here locally to get involved with the NFL and the NFL draft," he said.

If a business is headquartered in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, or Westmoreland counties, they're eligible to participate in the NFL's Draft Source Program.

The league says businesses that are certified at least 51 percent owned and operated by a minority, woman, a person with disabilities, someone who is LGBTQ+, or a veteran, are encouraged to apply.

Also eligible to apply are businesses operating since April 2023, and those who provide products or services requested by the draft source program. Businesses that do not meet all those criteria are still eligible to participate.

Dobek says the league spent $12.1 million on local minority-owned businesses for Detroit's edition of the Draft in 2024. He said Black-owned businesses got around 34 of the contracts.

"Which was nearly 40 percent of the overall contracts that were awarded during this process," he said.

Dobek also added that the Motor City spent time reaching out and educating businesses there on what was coming.

"When those opportunities were presented, they were ready to go, and already had their certification, already had their paperwork ready to go," Dobek said.

Businesses can register online for two information sessions at Acrisure Stadium's UPMC East Club. The first session is Monday at 2 p.m., and the other is on Friday March 21, at 9 a.m.