Florida State University
Tier2-1: Historically Underutilized Businesses

An annual Small Business Participation Plan is created and submitted to the State Department of Management Services Office of Supplier Diversity. This document includes key focus areas that includes Leadership, Faculty & Staff Involvement; Education & Outreach; Communication; Reporting/Development & Monitoring; and Benchmarking & Best Practices. Objectives are established by and for the FSU Supplier Diversity Program Director who is the lead administrator for this initiative. 1.Monitors and reports overall spend by the University comparing spend of majority owned companies with historically underutilized businesses 2.Established ongoing meet and greet events to allow large and small firms to network with smaller firms promoting their goods and services. In many cases this relationship has lead to contract opportunities. 3.Developed and implemented a Construction Management Services Marketing Course that was a three phase process (1. Classroom training; 2. Mock interview presentation; 3. One-on-one assistance with bid submittal packages) that yield the first African American Construction Management firm to be awarded a minor contract (projects two million dollars or less) with FSU. 4.Planned and implemented the first annual Supplier Diversity Vendor Conference & Trade Fair with the purpose of promoting best practices in diversity and inclusion within the University and community, networking and building relationships between vendors and procurement staff. In addition to a reverse trade fair and business related workshops for vendors, there was also a seminar for internal staff with procurement responsibilities entitled “Small Acts of Inclusion – Creating Cultural Transformation”. 5.Participate in local, statewide, national conferences and trade fairs.

Indications that the Florida State University meets the criteria for this credit 1.Established the Supplier Diversity Program in 2007 2.Hired one FTE as program director to manage/administer the program 3.Created a Supplier Diversity Program webpage with up-to-date resource information about contract opportunities and key contact personnel http://supplierdiversity.fsu.edu/