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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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At OMWBE, we are committed to fostering a marketplace that reflects the communities we serve. Our supplier diversity efforts are more than just an initiative—they are a driving force for economic growth, innovation, and opportunity.
By expanding access to state contracts for minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and disadvantaged businesses, we are not only strengthening our local economy but also ensuring that state procurement reflects the rich diversity of talent and entrepreneurship across Washington.
Through enhanced outreach programs, mentorship opportunities, and policy improvements, we can continue to break down barriers and create pathways for underrepresented businesses to thrive.
We encourage agencies to explore the resources available, ask questions, and engage with our team to learn how they can participate in state contracting opportunities. Together, we are building a more inclusive economy—one contract at a time.
For more information on how to get involved, visit omwbe.wa.gov.
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The Contract Compliance team held our first Access Equity Office Hours meeting on March 12. We had 34 attendees and answered some common questions.
Our next meeting is on Wednesday, April 9. Please join us if you have questions. You are welcome to come learn from your peers as well. We will share answers to some frequently asked questions in this newsletter, so stay tuned and invite your Access Equity users to subscribe!
One question we got last week was answered by B2Gnow:
Question: What does Final Payment mean? Sub marked the payment as final, but it was not the final payment. What is Final meant for if it is still open to edit?
Answer: The final payment is a setting on the contract that can be removed so subs cannot mark a payment as final however this means they will continue to be included in audits until the end of the contract. The idea behind this field is for when the contract is still ongoing, but the subcontractor is done with their work they can mark that payment as their final payment and the prime will no longer have to report payments to them (unless updated by the agency) and the sub will no longer have to confirm payments.
Please email any questions to: AccessEquity@omwbe.wa.gov
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If you represent a Washington state agency or educational institution, your organization's FY 2024 report is coming soon.
In previous years, we tracked a smaller percentage of subcontractors receiving state funds. Now, OMWBE is aggregating both prime and subcontractor spending into a comprehensive report for each organization.
This is the culmination of the Access Equity project, designed to give the state deeper insight into how Washington spends its money. While many minority and women-owned businesses contract with or sell goods directly to the state, a significant number obtain work as subcontractors. We are close to seeing the full picture of state spending, and we are taking great care to make sure the data is precise and clean. Please expect your FY 2024 report in April 2025.
As a courtesy reminder, subcontractor reporting through Access Equity is mandatory for FY 2025. Please attend the Access Equity Office Hours if your team needs support.
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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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