University of Nevada Las Vegas Purchasing and Contracts Department

Supplier Diversity Program Policy Statement

Policy

The Nevada System of Higher Education and the University of Nevada Las Vegas recognizes the benefit of creating an equal opportunity for all vendors to participate in the University’s procurement process, and is committed to diversity and non-discrimination in its business operations. Accordingly, UNLV will make a good faith effort to utilize Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, Disabled Business Enterprises, Veteran/Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises, and Small Business Enterprise throughout the procurement process. This effort does not equate to a quota or set percentage. All efforts to contact and engage small, minority, disabled, veteran, and women vendors will be fair and impartial.

In accordance with Nevada Law no preference will be given to any business group or classification. The Supplier Diversity Program has been created, however, to ensure that small, minority, veteran, disabled, and women owned businesses have the unimpeded ability to compete in the bidding process and to do business with UNLV .

Goals

The Supplier Diversity Program’s main objectives include but are not limited to the following:

(1) For goods and services that require a formal solicitation, recognition will be given to the vendor business classification as specified by the submitter on the Bid Response Form.

(2) Proposers will be encouraged to submit a plan identifying primary and second-tier suppliers that are small, minority, disabled, veteran, or women owned business concerns to be used for the commodity or service being bid.

(3) When subcontractors are utilized, primary vendors will be encouraged to demonstrate in their bid proposal that they attempted to obtain bids from small, minority, disabled, veteran, or women owned business where applicable.

(4) For purchase orders issued below the bidding threshold, the utilization of a diverse supplier base will be an objective facilitated by the purchasing staff.

(5) A reporting of transactions will be performed to monitor the success of our efforts to partner with a diverse base of suppliers.

Definitions

Minority Owned Business Enterprise (MBE)— An independent business which performs a commercially useful function and is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more minority persons of African American, Hispanic American, Asian-Pacific American, or Native American ethnicity.

Women Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) — An independent business which performs a commercially useful function and is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women.

Disabled Owned Business Enterprise — An independent business which performs a commercially useful function and is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more disabled individuals pursuant to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Veteran/Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise — An independent business which performs a commercially useful function and is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more veterans/disabled veterans who have served in the active military and discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

Small Business Enterprise — An independent business which performs a commercially useful function, is not owned and controlled by individuals designated as minority, women, veterans, or physically-challenged, and where gross annual sales does not exceed $2,000,000.

Requirements

Certification
UNLV is self certifying vendors wishing to do business with the University. All information submitted by a vendor must be accurate and in accordance with fair business practices.

Vendor Application Form

UNLV requires that a vendor application and W9 be filled out and submitted to the Purchasing Department in order to be considered for bidding and procurement opportunities. Please go to
http://purchasing.unlv.edu/PDF_Files/NEw%20Vendor%20App%201.30.07.pdf to access the form. Please be sure to fill out the entire form and specifically the Type of Organization area accurately.

When the form is completed fax to (702)895-3859 or mail to:

UNLV Purchasing Department
Attn: Rolando Mosqueda M/S 1033
4505 Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-1033

Completing the Vendor Application and W9 form does not guarantee selection for goods and services being purchased by the University, nor does it assure invitation to bid on UNLV projects.

Staff Contacts

The entire UNLV Purchasing and Contract department is committed to assisting vendors comply with the requirements of this program and to make available any information that will aid in this process. The team lead for the Supplier Diversity Program at UNLV is Rolando Mosqueda at rolando.mosqueda@unlv.edu or phone number 702-895-2561.

Resources

Small Business Resources

Local SBA Office http://www.sba.gov/localresources/district/nv/index.html
Women's Business Center www.onlinewbc.gov
Small Disadvantaged Business www.sba.gov/sdb
Veterans Business Development www.sba.gov/vets

Minority Business Resources

Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce http://www.urbanchamber.org/

Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce https://www.lvlcc.com/

Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce http://www.lvacc.org/mc/page.do

National Minority Supplier Development Council http://www.nmsdcus.org/

Nevada Business Resources

Nevada Minority Business Council http://www.nvmbc.org/

Nevada Small Business Development Center http://nsbdc.org/