Overview
The University of Massachusetts launched its Supplier Diversity Program to align our procurement practices with our University’s values of building a more inclusive community that provides equitable access to opportunities for all. For UPST, this means we are intentional about creating access for more diverse-owned businesses, as well as businesses who align with our values and vision, to do business with UMass. This mission is championed by the UMass System President, Marty Meehan, and translates into how each Campus and the President's Office engage with our supplier base.
Our Supplier Diversity Program has been designed to ensure we continue to meet our mandate of "Better, Faster, Cheaper" by continuing to deliver the best overall value to our Campus stakeholders.
The UPST aims to support our University’s Supplier Diversity agenda by:
- Building a mature program that positions UMass as a leading higher education partner and peer for supplier diversity
- Delivering real economic impact - increased innovation, creativity, opportunity, and access - by doing more business with historically underrepresented communities
- Demonstrating our DEIA values across and with our supplier base, to increase the sense of inclusion and belonging for internal and external constituents alike
Doing Business as a Diverse Supplier with UMass
If you are a diverse-owned business that is interested in doing business with UMass, we invite you to explore our open bid opportunities:
- Review open bid/sourcing events on our Sourcing Portal
- Select an appropriate event to participate in, and click the 'Respond Now' button to participate
- Create an account to participate (for non-UMass active suppliers)
For more information and resources around submitting a bid, please visit our Bid Process and Submissions webpage for suppliers.
Diversity Classifications Tracked at UMass
The following diversity classifications are tracked by UMass at the Tier 1 and Tier 2 spend levels. The requirements for these classifications are aligned with the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and other organizations like NGLCC, Disability:IN, etc.:
- Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE)
- The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) includes the following minority groups: Black/African-American, Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Hispanic/Latin-American, and Native-American.
- In the state of Massachusetts, Portuguese Business Enterprises (PBE) are also included in this classification.
- Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE)
- Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (VBE)
- Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVBE)
- Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBE)
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs)
- HUBZone Small Business
- Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
Partnerships and Resources
If you are a diverse-owned business that needs support getting certified, you can reach out to any of the certifying agencies provided above. For businesses local to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, please also check out the government’s Supplier Diversity Office for the resources and services they provide to small and diverse businesses.
UMass has established partnerships with various diverse and local partner organizations. We encourage you to visit these organizations to understand their offerings for our diverse and local communities.
Questions
Please contact our team at upst@umassp.edu for additional information on the Supplier Diversity Program.