Supplier Diversity

About Supplier Diversity

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Sections

• Introduction
• Supplier Diversity Plan
• Certifying Authorities
• FAQ

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Introduction

Mission

To serve Indiana University in meeting its strategic goal of actively engaging the university’s strengths to support the economic development of Indiana by exceeding the business diversity spend goals, successfully meeting all compliance reporting requirements and participating in community service activities to ensure a business environment that fosters the inclusion of businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women and other small disadvantaged businesses in Indiana University’s contracting and procurement processes.

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Vision

The Department of Supplier Diversity is committed to the following goals:

• Exceed the spend goals
• Comply with all state reporting requirements
• Improved purchasing and contracting processes and tools
• Maintain a diverse supplier data base
• Act as a resource to Staff and Faculty
• Develop mentoring partnerships
• Provide business diversity education and awareness training
• Engage IU Staff in Supplier Diversity
• Participate in business diversity advocate affairs and community outreach activities
• Indiana University - a leader in higher educational business diversity

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Strategy

• Collaborate with key internal stake holders
• Implement new internal systems to better monitor and track compliance
• Provide on-line Tier II reporting for subcontractor compliance
• Create a system-wide advisory board to develop policies and strategic vision
• Develop internal partners to advise on process changes
• Encourage Minority and Women participation in all RFP/RFQ’s
• Create new communication channels with brochures, newsletters, and a website
• Benchmark against other similar organizations and incorporate best practices

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Supplier Diversity Plan

Improve MBE/WBE Participation and Exceed Indiana State Goals

1. Implement internal procedures
   1. Follow up with M/WBE businesses that did not win contracts and explain why.
   2. Buyers with expiring contracts to ID potential recipients for RFQ/RFP.
   3. Develop mentoring partnerships with majority/minority owners.
   4. Benchmark ourselves against other organizations.
2. Collaborate with internal stakeholders
   1. Create advisory board to develop policies and strategic vision
   2. Create internal partners to advise on process changes
   3. Meet with faculty and staff
   4. Provide new construction contract language
3. Partner with external organizations
   1. National and Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council
   2. Indiana Black Expo
   3. State of Indiana Department of Administration
   4. Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
   5. Indianapolis Black Chamber of Commerce
   6. Chamber Diversity Council
   7. HUSB (Historical Underutilized Small Businesses)
   8. National Association of Women Business Owners
4. Strengthen relationships with MBE and WBE businesses
   1. Require minority participation in all RFP/RFQ‘s.
   2. Facilitate partnerships between minority and majority firms.
   3. Create new communication channels with brochure, newsletters, and website.
   4. Create a “brainstorm” panel to get ideas from M/WBEs.

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Certifying Authorities

Diverse-owned suppliers are strongly encouraged to register with the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA). The IDOA certifies minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses based in Indiana. Additionally, the IDOA has reciprocity agreements in place with many states such as Illinois, Kentucky, and many others.

• Get certified with IDOA
• Learn more about Reciprocity

Indiana University recognizes diverse supplier certifications from a broad range of additional certifying agencies, ranging from national to city-specific organizations. Review the table below for your business type to locate certifying authorities.

Certification type	Nationally Recognized?	Indiana Recognized?	City-Specific?	Certifying Authority
MBE: Minority-owned enterprise	Yes	Yes		Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council (Mid-States MSDC)
MBE: Minority-owned enterprise			Indianapolis	Office of Minority and Women Business Development
WBE: Woman-owned enterprise	Yes			National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
WBE: Woman-owned enterprise	Yes			National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC)
WBE: Woman-owned enterprise			Indianapolis	Office of Minority and Women Business Development
WBE: Woman-owned enterprise	Yes	Yes		US Small Business Administration
WBE: Woman-owned enterprise	Yes			Women Business Enterprise National Council, Inc. (WBENC)
VBE: Veteran-owned enterprise			Indianapolis	Office of Minority and Women Business Development
VBE: Veteran-owned enterprise	Yes	Yes		US Small Business Administration

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FAQ

Why do I need to register with the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA)?

IU is a state-funded institution which is required to report all state-certified supplier diversity dollars spent to the state of Indiana. When your business is certified with the IDOA, you help IU meet the standards and goals set by the State of Indiana.

Does Indiana University recognize business who self-certify?

No. IU does not recognize self-certifications. Proof of certification from an authority listed above must be submitted and approved by IU for a business to be recognized as diverse.

I’m registered as a diverse supplier with a state outside of Indiana. Do I need to recertify?

Possibly. If you are certified by an organization listed in the Certifying Authorities section of our site, it is not necessary to recertify. Simply add your certification document to your supplier profile.

The Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) currently certifies minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses only based in Indiana or in one of 16 reciprocal states. Visit the IDOA’s Reciprocity States page to learn more.

If you are not certified with an agency, you will need to certify and submit the appropriate documentation after it is received.

I’m an affiliate or subsidiary of a parent company. Am I required to submit certification for my individual business?

Yes. Parent company certifications do not extend to subsidiaries or affiliates. Review the Certifying Authorities list above to locate an organization who can certify your business.

I’m a veteran owned business (VBE). Can I submit my DD214 as proof of certification?

No. Although you are able to upload a DD214 during supplier registration, it does not count as a certifying authority document. You still must certify your business with at least one of the Certifying Authorities listed above to be considered a VBE by IU.

What decides whether a business is considered a “Tier 1” supplier for Indiana University?

Tier 1 suppliers are IU’s go-to partners in the supply chain. To be considered a Tier 1 supplier, the company in question should provide:

1. Goods and services at the scale and capacity a large institution like IU requires.
2. Efficiencies that translate to better pricing and customer service.
3. Examples of prior experience working with similar higher education or institutions comparable to IU in size.

Where do construction companies go to learn about potential opportunities?

Major construction projects are managed by the Office of Capital Planning & Facilities. Visit the Indiana University Plan Room for bid information.

What non-construction opportunities are available at IU?

Check out the Public Bid Posting page on IU Purchasing’s website to review a list of requests for proposal (RFPs) available for bid.