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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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 Current and former members of the Supplier Diversity Team at OMWBE's 40th Anniversary in September 2023
Farewell, Doug!
Our Toolkit Manager, Doug Mora, is moving on after two and a half years managing the Tools for Equity in Public Spending at OMWBE. He took a position at the Office of Financial Management (OFM) on the One Washington project, and started his new role on March 18.
Doug will continue to support OMWBE’s mission by helping to update our state’s financial reporting systems. Implementing electronic data collection and monitoring is the #1 recommendation from the 2019 Disparity Study. OneWa will move our state towards equity in public spending by improving the way we collect and manage financial data. We appreciate the leadership and spirit of collaboration Doug brought to our team, and wish him well over at OFM.
Welcome Back, Nikoel Stevens!
Many of our partners have worked closely with Nikoel over the last two years, throughout the phased rollout of Access Equity. Now that the system has fully launched, Nikoel is transitioning back to the team as the Supplier Diversity Contract Compliance Lead, to support agencies and institutions of higher education as they use the Contract Compliance Module. We are thrilled to have Nikoel back on our team, and to add additional team members to carry out this important work.
If you have questions about using Access Equity to report on your organization's subcontractor spending, please refer to the Access Equity Help Center.
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Michael Sapp joins OMWBE as a U.S. Army Veteran with 20 years of service and a background as an Operations Manager and Equal Opportunity Leader. He has served as both a Preventive Medicine Specialist and a Contract Specialist and holds a B.S. in Information Technology, as well as an M.B.A.
He is deeply passionate about small businesses, recognizing them as the fundamental building blocks of our economic system. He is also passionate about the success of his team. Michael enjoys collaborating with others on a common goal and witnessing the fruits of their labor. He’s excited about the mission of OMWBE and eager to contribute to it.
Originally from Brunswick, GA, Michael spent a significant part of his childhood in Germany as the son of a career Soldier. He has most recently lived in Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, but has also resided in Texas, Maryland, Korea, Colorado, and North Carolina.
Michael likes to spend his free time with his family and finds joy in mountain biking and exploring the wonders of nature. He loves traveling and trying new foods in foreign lands.
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Access Equity Funding
We are pleased to announce that OMWBE received full funding for the ongoing maintenance and operation of Access Equity - Your Business Diversity Management System. This critical funding carries forward all of the work that has been done to date, improving Washington state's data collection and giving us all greater insight into public spending with minority- and women-owned businesses.
Until now, the state has not tracked subcontractor spending at the granular level necessary to accurately report on all spending with small and diverse businesses. Access Equity changes that, and OMWBE will use this tool to improve our annual reporting in the fiscal year 2025 reporting cycle.
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New Statewide Disparity Study
Our request to conduct a new statewide disparity study was also fully funded. This new study will replace the 2019 Disparity Study, which guides Washington's supplier diversity efforts and the Governor's Subcabinet on Business Diversity.
The previous disparity study analyzed state contract data from 2012-2016, which is now outdated. Analysis of 2017 to 2023 contract data will cover the COVID-19 period, which disproportionately impacted many minority- and women-owned businesses. Current data informs all of the decisions that we make, and will keep Washington state on the legal path to contracting equity.
LGBTQ+ Certification
In partnership with the Washington State LGBTQ Commission, OMWBE obtained funding to create a new certification for LGBTQ+ business owners. We are working with the LGBTQ Commission to determine program eligibility requirements, which we will share with our partners and the business community in the near future.
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The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) highlights the availability of small businesses on statewide contracts, including those owned by veterans (DVA certified), minorities, and women (OMWBE certified).
Encampment Clean Up Services Contract
Statewide Contract 06419 for encampment clean up services features:
- 6 small businesses
- 2 OMWBE-certified businesses
- 1 certified veteran-owned businesses
This statewide contract is for the cleanup and environmental mitigation of homeless encampments on public properties after they have been abandoned or cleared of human habitation. There are multiple small businesses awarded and capable of providing services in the two categories High- and medium-high-complexity cleanups, and moderate- and low-complexity cleanups in the three regions of Washington -- Western, Central and Eastern.
Doors, Frames, Hardware Contract
Statewide Contract 05416 for doors, frames, and hardware features:
- 3 small businesses
- 2 OMWBE-certified businesses
- 1 certified veteran-owned businesses
This contract is for the purchase of doors (currently vacated), frames, door hardware, locks, and replacement parts. Contractors can also optionally offer installation, consulting, training, and locksmith/repairs. It is divided into two regions: Eastern and Western Washington.
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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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