Florida State University is committed to the establishment, preservation, and strengthening of Small, Minority, Veteran and Women Owned Business Enterprises (SMV/WBE). The university’s procurement staff strives to employ well developed business processes that provide training, information, and an established framework for conducting procurement to those who engage in delegated small-purchasing. We seek to work with and communicate to the delegated procurement community on a continuing basis to emphasize the importance of diversity in procurement.

FSU seeks to expand relationships and enrich economic opportunities for businesses, as required to carry out the University's mission of education, research and service.

It is the ultimate goal of the university to have a diverse supplier base that provides the highest quality support services that are consistent with a world-class status the university seeks to achieve.

Every employee who is delegated the responsibility to either directly or indirectly commit the expenditure of funds for the purchase of goods and services, construction or related contracting is charged with the task of making this objective a reality as noted in policy.

What is a small business?

A business concern independently owned and operated, with a net worth of not more than $5 million and employ 200 or fewer fulltime permanent individuals or is recognized as a certified business by the federal government.

What is a minority, veteran, or woman-owned business?

A business concern that is at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by: African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, Native-American, American Woman or Florida veteran who is a citizen of the United States and a permanent resident of Florida.

I make small purchases for my college/department. What can I do to help?

In order to create a more inclusive supplier community, those individuals making delegated small purchases must fully embrace the FSU SMV/WBE initiatives. By force of habit, many departmental buyers tend to patronize the same suppliers over and over again, without first verifying the availability of SMV/WBE suppliers. Please remember to:

• Make use of established term contracts with small, minority-owned, women-owned, and service-disabled veteran businesses.
• Share information about new small, minority-owned, women-owned, and service-disabled veteran businesses sources.
• Be aware of SMV/WBE businesses and consider directing department-level purchases under $10,000 to those suppliers.
• When searching for goods or services in OMNI SpearMart, look for the Supplier Diversity icon next to the supplier name or the catalog site for Supplier Diversity Products

12 Month Operating Plan

Fiscal Year 17/18
 

Related Links

• FSU Bidder Registration
• MBE Classification Guidelines
• DMS State Office of Supplier Diversity Certified Minority Directory
• SMV/WBE Directory
• FAMU Small Business Development Center
• FSU Diversity & Inclusion
• Alliance of Entrepreneur Resource Organizations
• Enterprise Florida Inc.
• Contract Opportunities
• Supplier Diversity Program Regulation (FSU 2.0151)
• Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship

For more information, please email FSUSupplierDiversity@admin.fsu.edu