New state office to grow minority contracts

The Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity, headed by newly appointed Donna White, is in place to coordinate programs intended to increase the participation of Minority Business Enterprise and Women’s Business Enterprise members in state contracts.

The office replaces the state’s Office of Equal Opportunity, though White will continue to address issues of equal employment.

“State agencies must pursue contracts that afford meaningful opportunities for diverse businesses and must work to eliminate the existing disparity,” Blunt said in a news release.

Under the programs, state agencies will make the effort for participation at 10 percent for the Minority Business Enterprise and 5 percent for the Women’s Business Enterprise.

For example, in the Division of Purchasing and Materials Management in the Office of Administration, vendors must include minority and women participation information in their contract proposals. In the Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction, project goals for minority and women participation amounts will be set.