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Supplier Diversity Newsletter |
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Greetings Partners,
Every month we share a list of the most recent state certified businesses including the business name, contact information, business description, etc. This list is best utilized regularly in combination with OMWBE's Directory of Certified Businesses.
Please contact our Supplier Diversity team for assistance using our online directory, or to schedule a virtual training for your procurement team.
Email: supplierdiversity@omwbe.wa.gov
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Did you miss the first Toolkit Workshop of 2024? We shared an activity in breakout rooms about using OMWBE’s directory to search for certified businesses, with a reminder to select the five certification types that count towards state goals.
OMWBE Certifications That Count Towards Agency Goals:
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MBE - Minority Business Enterprise
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MWBE - Minority Women's Business Enterprise
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WBE - Women's Business Enterprise
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CBE - Combination Business Enterprise
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SEDBE - Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
The next workshop will take place on May 16th at 1:00 PM, in partnership with the Supplier Diversity Community of Practice (SDCP) group hosted by the Department of Enterprise Services (DES). At the May workshop, we will discuss using statewide contracts and how to find opportunities to increase your agency’s use of diverse businesses. View the workshop calendar for 2024, and information on how to join these sessions using the link below.
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Access Equity has successfully completed its final launch! In the past year, over 100 state agencies and institutions of higher education have been trained on how to use the Outreach and Contract Compliance modules of Access Equity. The rollout of these tools expands outreach opportunities to certified businesses and improves the tracking of state spending at the subcontractor level. It is a testament to the commitment all public entities involved, who were willing to address workflow process changes and take this challenge head-on.
The coming months will be a concerted effort between OMWBE and each of these organizations to ensure barriers are addressed, and that Access Equity can continue to grow and flourish in the state's ecosystem. Our goal for Access Equity is to help address Washington’s increased efforts around diversity and equitable inclusion in public contracting. OMWBE will be reaching out to each organization individually to ensure all contracts with subcontractors and applicable payments are added to the system for fiscal year 2024 (FY24).
Thanks to everyone for their continued work in this effort!
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Agencies use state-issued credit cards (generally known as P-Cards) for a significant number of purchases—but when you pay an OMWBE-certified businesses with a P-Card, does that count towards your agency’s annual goals?
The short answer is, not right now. The good news is that OMWBE has been working with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to connect P-Card spend data to the directory of certified businesses so that we can now track purchase card spending. However, this also means that spending with non-certified businesses will be included in reporting. We are finalizing this report so that we can use this information to gain more insight into Washington state public spending and the use of small and diverse businesses.
More details to come in Spring of 2024.
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Alliance Northwest is the largest business-to-government conference in the Pacific Northwest. This event features high-quality workshops and one-to-one meetings between small businesses, government agencies, and prime contractors. The event is in its 38th year. Hosted by Thurston Economic Development Council, home of APEX Accelerator, Alliance Northwest has a strong history of federal agency support. It is widely known as the place where business and government learn and make connections with small and disadvantaged businesses.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
- Businesses interested in selling to the government and prime contractors.
- R&D firms, engineering firms, and others working on new innovative technologies.
- Prime contractors and government buyers seeking to do outreach to small and diverse businesses.
Come say hello to the OMWBE team who will be answering questions about certification and the new Public Works Small Business Enterprise (PWSBE) program!
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If you would like to include others on our distribution list to receive these monthly supplier diversity emails, please let us know at supplierdiversity@omwbe.wa.gov. |
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