University of Alberta
OP-T2-24: Historically Underutilized Businesses

While Historically Underutilized Businesses require certificates of registration in the United States, businesses in Canada are not identified by their ethnic or demographic information. UAlberta qualifies for this credit because of activities we invest in to ensure that opportunities to provide goods, services and supplies to our institution are made known to the community in which we operate. We issue opportunity notices to local firms that we are familiar with or upon request. We post all of our opportunities on the Alberta Purchasing Connection website (http://www.purchasingconnection.ca/) as required of all public sector entities in Alberta. Businesses have opportunities to search, register and download the opportunities at no cost. We share this information to all individuals making inquiries about doing business at the university and it is also available on our website. UAlberta participates in the "Selling to the Government and the Public Sector" information seminar hosted by the City of Edmonton each fall with other large public sector groups in Edmonton where business processes are shared with the vendor community. Where purchasing policies allow it, our Office of Sustainability seeks out historically underutilized businesses when selecting goods to use as prompts, incentives, prizes and gifts.