ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN AND MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 

The policy of the university regarding purchases is to bring the buying needs of the university to the attention of women and minority-owned businesses and encourages meaningful participation of these businesses whenever possible. Purchasing personnel will attempt to locate and solicit women-owned and minority-owned businesses bids for products or services. 

The purpose of Slippery Rock University's Affirmative Action Plan is to provide policy, process, monitoring and reporting requirements to enhance the participation of women and minority-owned businesses in procurement activities and awards from Slippery Rock University. 

POLICY

1. It shall be the policy of Slippery Rock University to: 

   Award and administer contracts for goods and services in a nondiscriminatory manner.

   Promote the affirmative participation of women and minority-owned businesses in procurement activities and awards.

   Integrate the necessary practices and procedures for the procurement of all goods and services for the university to implement effectively the policy.

   Follow the procedures of the State System of Higher Education which promote awarding of construction contracts and subcontracts to MBE/WBE firms.

2.  procurement processes to ensure that proactive policies and procedures are operative and reports results of such reviews to the university president.

3. Each fiscal year, the university president shall review the results of the procurement processes and other appropriate information to determine if additional activities and initiatives can be undertaken to achieve the purpose of this policy. The analysis of nonselected bids by MBE/WBE firms should provide critical information as to the adequacy of the university's proactive procurement program. The Office of Social Equity shall report the results of such reviews to the president on a fiscal year basis not later than December 15 each year in accordance with procedures established by the State System of Higher Education.

4. The university shall coordinate the economic opportunity component of its affirmative action plan with the State System of Higher Education.

PROCEDURES

Certification   

1. The Governor's Office Executive Order 1987-88 directed the Department of General Services to develop a program for the certification of MBE and WBE firms. Universities will be authorized to access the computer file of MBE/WBE firms when conducting procurement activities. Slippery Rock University will include these lists in its bid process.

2. The university shall encourage MBE/WBE firms to be certificated by DGS, and in making these firms aware of the university procurement activities. Techniques to accomplish this objective may include, but are not limited to advertising in appropriate publications (including the Pennsylvania Bulletin) participating in minority trade fairs, participating and working with other governmental entities, coordinating with local and regional chambers of commerce and trade councils and establishing contacts with organizations of MBE/WBE contractors. 

Procurement Process Integration

1. University procurement processes and documents shall be modified to integrate actions, steps, and/or procedures to promote maximum involvement of MBE/WBE firms in all procurement actions. Universities will solicit bids/proposals from applicable vendors on the DGS MBE/WBE contract file for the product or service requirement.

2. Contract specifications, product evaluation criteria and vendor qualification/experience requirements must be developed and interpreted in a nondiscriminatory manner. Each procurement action must be able to withstand tests of rationality and objectivity.

3.  As with all other vendors, MBE/WBE firms that bid but were not selected shall, upon request, be given the opportunity for a debriefing regarding their non-selection. 

Reporting 

Slippery Rock University shall keep records of all procurement activities that facilitate the annual analysis and reporting of the activities to enhance MBE/WBE contracting. Such procurement statistics shall include, but not be limited to:

           ...total number and dollar amount of contracts
           ...total number and dollar amount of MBE contracts
           ...total number and dollar amount of WBE contracts 

Contracts with publicly regulated utilities and other protected vendors (i.e. Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind and Handicapped and the food service contracts) shall be excluded from the reporting statistics. 

The purchasing department cooperates with the Social Equity Office in compiling listings of minority-owned and women-owned business and reporting the dollar value of purchases from minority and women vendors.