The University now is in full compliance with new procurement requirements set by Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner July 30 that require all state agencies and universities to obtain bids from small businesses owned by women and minorities when making certain purchases.
All departmental purchasers now must obtain and document at least one price quote from a Division Minority Business Enterprise certified small, women- and minority-owned firm for all non-contract purchases.
"We don't want to give a special advantage to these firms, we just want to level the playing field," Warner spokesperson Ellen Qualls said.
Although the new regulations were issued July 30, state agencies and universities were not required to be in compliance until October.
Information sessions for University officials responsible for purchasing were held over the past two weeks and led by Director of Procurement Services Eric Denby.
The new regulations came as the result of a statistical study, done by a company from Florida, which showed that Virginia ranked worse than any other state in the utilization of women and minority firms for procurement purchases, said Ed Hamm, director of the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise.
Hamm explained that states such as Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Maryland do between 8 and 15 percent of their procurement with minority firms, while Virginia does only 0.44 percent with women and minority firms.
"This gross disparity showed 'egregious discrimination' in utilization of these firms in every procurement category," Hamm said.
Warner Chief of Staff William H. Leighty recently sent a memorandum to the heads of executive branch agencies, independent agencies and higher education institutions further detailing the governor's expectations. The memorandum outlined additional guidance on Warner's objectives for increasing state procurement from small, women- and minority-owned businesses. As of July 30, state agencies and higher education institutions are required to submit goals to enhance SWAM procurement.
"The 138 state agencies and universities must each set reasonable goals in areas of discretionary spending," Hamm said. "The goals must be set with knowledge of availability" of small, women- and minority-owned businesses.
The revision, detailed in the memorandum, reflects an addition to the original policy, dealing specifically with small businesses. This new policy provides employers with the opportunity to give the directive that employees with purchasing power can set aside up to 30 percent of their discretionary procurement with small businesses, Qualls said.
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