Supplier Diversity Program

The Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) is a program within the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) of OSD for the purpose of meeting the above mentioned goals, Although subject to the approval and direction of the State Purchasing Agent, all executive offices, agencies, departments, boards and commissions of the Commonwealth are directed by the Governor to implement the Supplier Diversity Program to include and reflect narrowly tailored race and gender conscious goals, which pursue equality in public procurement and contracting between minority owned businesses and/or women owned businesses entities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Goals for MBE and WBE participation in state funded contracts will be based upon the broadest and most inclusive pool of available MBEs and WBEs capable of performing the contracts and interested in doing business with the Commonwealth in the areas of construction, design, goods and services. The Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), recently created as a result of the consolidation of the State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (formerly known as SOMWBA), and the Affirmative Market Program (formerly known as AMP) shall maintain a current directory of certified MBEs and WBEs which will serve as one source of information in determining the pool of available MBEs and WBEs. Goals shall be established by the State Purchasing Agent, in consultation with the Secretary of Administration and Finance, and shall be expressed as overall annual program goals, applicable to the total dollar amount of an Agency’s contracts awarded during the fiscal year for each of the Agency’s types of contracts.

The State Purchasing Agent, will develop a procedure by which Agencies may, for an individual contract, adjust the goals for MBE and WBE participation based upon the results of a disparity study, which will include an analysis of the actual availability and utilization of minority- and/or women-owned businesses, documented evidence of racial and/or gender discrimination that created the disparity, a narrowly tailored plan aimed at addressing the discrimination, geographic location, the contractual scope of work, and other relevant factors.

Recognizing the importance of joint ventures and partnerships involving MBEs and WBEs in increasing the participation of MBEs and WBEs in state contracting, the State Purchasing Agent will develop guidelines and procedures for Agencies to follow in contracting with such entities. These guidelines and procedures will seek to encourage the development of joint ventures and partnerships for the purpose of contracting with the Commonwealth. In addition these guidelines will be developed in consultation with the Secretary of Administration and Finance.

Capacity Development

SDO, (formerly SOMWBA) is the designated state office responsible for providing a capacity development program to MBEs and WBEs. The capacity development program will include technical assistance, training, outreach and mentoring to the minority- and women-owned business community and shall include, the following core areas of business development: strategic planning, financial management planning, human resource management and planning, information technology access and management, and marketing. SDO will also work closely with agencies within the Executive Office for Housing and Economic Development, to coordinate and expand such efforts within the MBE and WBE community.

Supplier Diversity Office Advisory Board

The Executive Director of SDO, with the approval of the State Purchasing Agent, will make recommendations to the Secretary of Administration and Finance, who will appoint an SDO Advisory Board, not to exceed 20 members, which will assist the SDO in the implementation of this program. In addition, the Advisory Board will be responsible for ensuring that the mission of the SDP, which is to promote the award of state contracts in a manner that develops and strengthens certified MBEs and WBEs, is carried out in a responsible manner and for assisting the Executive Director in the development, implementation and promotion of this program.

Members may serve a maximum of three full two-year terms. Current members of the Affirmative Market Program (AMP) Business Advisory Board, may remain in their current capacity for a period not to exceed one year from the effective date of Executive Order 524.

The Executive Director of the SDO will encourage independent authorities, public institutions of higher education, elected officials, constitutional officers, the legislature and judiciary encouraged to adopt MBE and WBE policies and programs consistent with this Executive Order. This is yet one more step forward in the Governors promise of Access and Opportunity for minority and women owned businesses.

The DBE SS Program is an initiative funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration and administered through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The Program aims to increase the participation of certified Disadvantage Business Enterprises that have the resources, finances, management and technical skills necessary to compete successfully for and perform on, federally assisted highway and bridge projects. To reach these goals, MassDOT has enlisted the SDO to create and implement the multi-phase instructional and goal driven module that is the DBE SS Program.

The first year of the DBE SS program was completed June of 2010 and SDO is proud to announce we have secured new funding to continue the program for the 2010 - 2011 season. The recruiting process has begun to fill the 15 spots for businesses that will be included in the "Business Tract" portion of the program. In addition to the "business tract" there will also be multiple "Get Connected" Events beginning in September which will include; access to capital, access to bonding, how to do business with MassDOT, and more. These events will be open to all interested in working on federally funded highway projects. SDO will provide other technical assistance programs for those not in the business tract as well.

Brian Ross and the DBE SS team are also moving towards the creation of a DBE SS Advisory Board as well as the "Opportunity Database". The advisory board will meet quarterly in order to monitor the development of the program as well as offer assistance to overcome obstacles facing DBE's working on Federally Funded Highway Construction Projects. The "Opportunity Database" will allow prime contractors and DBE sub-contractors to connect via a database. The database will include information regarding specific work performed by sub-contractors in order to fill the needs of prime contractors. The database will also include information specific to the needs of prime contractors and what type of work they would need to complete the project. This will allow for both the subs and primes to develop new lasting relationships in order to fulfill the goals of the DBE program.

If you are a DBE currently working on or interested in participating in federally funded highway/transportation related projects please contact Brian Ross at 617-973-8574 or email for information on becoming a participant in the 2010/2011 DBE SS Program.