Grays Harbor College will follow this procedure for supplier diversity outreach and includes our Supplier Diversity Outreach Plan. It will be utilized in conjunction with the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) Policy No. POL-DES-090-06, and Supplier Diversity procedure identified in the DES Supplier Diversity Virtual Handbook.
Grays Harbor College recognizes the importance of providing goods and services procurement opportunities to small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses. Grays Harbor College is dedicated to ensuring small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses are given maximum practicable opportunity to directly and meaningfully participate in procurement opportunities and that access is fair and equitable.
The President of Grays Harbor College has designated the Vice President for Administrative Services as the Supplier Diversity Leader. The Vice President for Administrative Services (with the assistance of the Purchasing Office) is responsible for increasing spending with small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses. The Grays Harbor College Purchasing Office will assist the Vice President for Administrative Services with supplier diversity outreach in the following ways:
- Encourage businesses to contact OMWBE and WA State Veteran’s Affairs for more information regarding State of Washington certification programs.
- Provide website link on the Purchasing Office website to OMWBE, WEBS, and WA State Veteran’s Affairs website.
- Include website link in quotes, RFPs, and bids to OMWBE and WA State Veteran’s Affairs website.
- Collaborate with Greater Grays Harbor and the chambers of commerce in Pacific County to locate and reach out to potential diverse, small, and veteran-owned businesses.
- Inform employees about supplier diversity and purchasing opportunities with diverse suppliers.
- Email employees about small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses contracting opportunities.
- Email employees about supplier diversity policy, procedures, and other resources.
- Provide procurement opportunities to small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses based on the review of the annual forecasted needs report.
- Search OMWBE and WA State Veteran’s Affairs directory to locate small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses and records of small businesses that certify under penalty of perjury for non-competitive procurement opportunities above $20,000.
- Search OMWBE and WA State Veteran’s Affairs directory to locate small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses and records of small businesses that certify under penalty of perjury when informal solicitations are issued between $10,000 and under $100,000.
- Post competitive solicitations of $100,000 or more on WEBS. Send competitive solicitations to small businesses that certify under penalty of perjury.
- Engage and communicate with groups and suppliers to locate, identify, and build relationships with small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses.
- Attend virtual and/or in person diverse business events when informed and practical.
- Network with college and university groups, new and current suppliers, and group purchasing organizations.
Compliance with this procedure will be documented in the Purchasing Office files and/or attached to purchase orders.
Definitions
OMWBE – Office of Minority and Woman Business Enterprises
WEBS – Washington’s Electronic Business Solution
RFP – Request for Proposal