Washington’s Supplier Diversity community is growing stronger every day, and much of that success comes from agencies learning from one another. Whether you’re just starting to track your supplier diversity goals or refining an established program, here are a few tried-and-true tips that can help every agency move the needle toward equity, access, and remarkable customer service.

1. Leadership Matters 

Supplier diversity works best when it’s part of your agency’s strategic priorities—not just a procurement checklist. Leadership support helps align the “why” behind equitable contracting.

Tip: Tie supplier diversity to your agency’s mission, and EO 25-06 (Customer Experience).

2. Know Your Spend

You can’t change what you don’t measure. Pull a 12-month spend report by vendor and category, then identify where you could bring in certified firms.

Quick win: Look at recurring purchases such as printing, training, office supplies, promotional materials, or janitorial services where certified firms already exist.

3. Set Clear, Achievable Goals

Use your data to create realistic targets and track progress quarterly. Celebrate even the small wins, and make your reporting transparent to staff and leadership.

Pro tip: Align individual contract goals with equity outcomes like increasing competition or expanding community impact.

4. Connect Early and Often

Outreach is key. Bring certified firms to the table before bids go out.

Remember: Engagement starts before the RFP, not after award.

5. Use the Tools You Already Have

Don’t reinvent the wheel.

• OMWBE Directory for vendor discovery
• WEBS for supplier search and notifications
• Access Equity (B2GNow) for tracking individual contract participation and payments

6. Center the Customer Experience

Supplier diversity is part of how we serve people. Make contracting easy to navigate, remove jargon, and close the feedback loop with vendors.

Try this: Add a short vendor satisfaction survey after each project or contract closeout.

7. Share and Learn Together

Collaboration builds momentum. Share templates, outreach calendars, and lessons learned with other agencies.

8. Measure and Celebrate

Track what matters most—percent of spend with M/WBEs, vendor participation rates, and payment timeliness. Then tell your success stories!

Final Thought

Supplier diversity isn’t just good policy, it’s good government. Every contract strengthens Washington’s economy and builds trust in our public institutions.