Procurement Services Receives Statewide Award

Members of UMW’s procurement team pose with their Supplier Diversity Pacesetter Award.

On Monday, October 28, UMW Procurement Services received the Supplier Diversity Pacesetter Award during the Governor’s 2013 Supplier Diversity Awards Program.  The award was presented by Ida McPherson, director of the Department of Minority Business Enterprise, in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Virginia Procurement Forum.

The award highlights the achievements of a division or agency that has developed or engaged in an initiative during the previous fiscal year. The initiative demonstrated greater awareness of the agency’s commitment to the SWaM program, involved key leadership in the division or agency as a whole, and created a better understanding of programs in the agency that had not been fully highlighted previously. It is the goal of this award to recognize individuals who took the personal initiative to develop a program involving their agency that communicated a far greater understanding of the agency’s procurement process and commitment to the SWaM program.

While still in the early stages of a viable supplier diversity program, UMW is approaching the supplier diversity with a targeted focus.  During the past year, Procurement Services:

• Co-hosted a “How to Do Business” workshop for local businesses
• Established an improved workflow for contractors to report subcontractor SWaM utilization
• Participated in the Virginia Department of Business Assistance workshop in Winchester, Va.
• Collaborated with the Small Business Development Center to promote their “Fast Track” program to expedite state registration/eligibility process to be certified
• Attended training at DMBE and hosted a visit from DMBE
• Attended the first state-wide Supplier Diversity Advocate Institute
• Selected a UMW student intern to assist in the creation of a Supplier Diversity program
• Expanded reporting efforts
• All formal solicitations include an endorsement letter from UMW VP&CFO that support utilization of small, woman-owned, minority and disadvantaged businesses
• Received support from the UMW Capital Outlay Department identifying SWaM targets with Contractors

Submitted by Erma Baker, Assistant Vice President for Business Services and CPO