Minority Initiatives

Increasing Opportunities for Minority, Native American, and Women Owned Businesses

Links to more information at OMWBE:

At the Diversity Business Conference held June 2003, Governor Gary Locke directed state agencies to work harder at improving state contracting opportunities for businesses of diverse peoples. Over the past six months, the Commissions on African American Affairs, Asian Pacific American Affairs, and Hispanic Affairs, the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, and the Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprises, in collaboration with the Departments of General Administration and Community, Trade, and Economic Development began this process. We met several times with the business community as well as state agency representatives. We identified the initiatives stated below to incrementally address the decline in diverse business contracting.

Initiatives - Increasing Opportunities for Minority, Native American, and Women Owned Businesses

Description Interested Parties Time Frame Possible Strategies/Next Steps
Establish ad hoc advisory committee to monitor and report on progress of initiatives (to Executive, Agencies, Businesses) OMWBE, Businesses, Agencies Short OMWBE to appoint committee members and chair meetings
Agency performance agreements (directors and staff) should include M/WBE measurements Executive, Executive Cabinet Agencies Short OMWBE to present initiative to Executive Cabinet Agencies
Strengthen community outreach through Ethnic Commissions and GOIA Agencies Short Agencies to identify how they may utilize existing resources of Ethnic Commissions and GOIA to publicize contracting/procurement opportunities
Train Agency buyers re: recommended supplier diversity (e.g., outreach and documentation) Agencies, OMWBE Short OMWBE to offer additional training to agencies; OMWBE and Agencies to develop “best practices”
Prompt payment of vendors and contractors Agencies Short Agencies can monitor/ require documentation of timely payments by prime to “second tier” vendors
Create diverse business coalition council Businesses Short Advocacy group for diverse business to identify and advocate its priorities; Ethnic Commissions, GOIA and OMWBE to assist in forming coalition
Review state contract terms (general and special) and conditions to identify and eliminate barriers; Agencies, OMWBE Medium OMWBE can expand agency assistance; OMWBE and Agencies to develop “best practices”; Establish work group to identify policy/regulatory changes
Size of contract/ procurement opportunities reviewed to encourage participation by M/WBEs (e.g., “unbundling”) Agencies; OMWBE Medium OMWBE to offer expanded agency assistance re: procurement design; OMWBE and Agencies to develop “best practices;” identify and encourage “second tier” opportunities
Expand low, or no-cost entrepreneurial training to all M/WBEs (State certified firms) OMWBE Medium
OMWBE to seek additional partnerships with existing private providers/solicit private sector funding for additional training not otherwise available
Streamline OMWBE state certification process OMWBE; Firms Medium
OMWBE to conduct stakeholder meetings to identify efficiencies
Extend term and expand Linked Deposit Program fund amount Legislature; Firms Long Firms can establish advocacy committee; Agencies can provide input
Enhance OMWBE’s authority to enforce agency goal compliance; impose penalties for violations of M/WBE program Legislature; Executive; OMWBE Long Firms/OMWBE can establish work group for stakeholder input re: possible statutory/regulatory changes
Authorize some agency to enforce violations of RCW 49.60.400, .401; create penalties Legislature; Executive Long Firms can establish work group; Agencies can provide input re: proposed statute/regulations
Expand efforts to encourage public sector purchasing of Washington goods and services (ref: HB 2657 - agricultural products) Legislature; Executive; Agencies Long Agencies can identify current similar initiatives; need to research impact of federal law
Waive or reduce performance bonds and insurance requirements for contracts under a specified amount Legislature; Agencies; Firms Long Firms can work with State Facilities Committee (agencies, industry trade groups)