I. Context
Much progress has been made through the good work of many. What we have built to date is solid, it is sustainable and most importantly it is impactful. The spring semester project activities, goals and implementation plans are described below.
II. Organization:
To operate an intentional, sustainable, and impactful Supplier Diversity Program a dedicated resource is required.
Achievement #1: Marilyn Clark hired as UK Supplier Diversity Manager
A national search was conducted to recruit candidates for consideration to serve as the UK Supplier Diversity Manager. Upon completion of the national search, UK hired Marilyn Clark to serve in the position. Marilyn comes to UK after having served in similar roles with the Fayette County Public Schools and Lexington- Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG). Marilyn brings years of experience and relationships to the UK program and immediately resolved a credibility and trust deficit that was present with the Diverse Business Enterprise (DBE) community previously. This is important because building credibility and trust with the community is critical for our success.
Achievement #2: George Brown moved from Facilities to the Purchasing Division
George Brown, who previously served in a supplier diversity role in UK Facilities on a part-time basis, was moved from Facilities to the Purchasing Division to work with Marilyn. George also has a wealth of knowledge, credibility and trust with the DBE community gained through his years of service working in supplier diversity and in his role as a representative in the Kentucky General Assembly.
Together Marilyn and George are a powerful team.
III. Collaboration:
To achieve intentional, sustainable, and impactful success, it is important to collaborate both internally and externally.
Achievement #3: Advisory Committee Meetings Continue
Monthly Zoom meetings to discuss supplier diversity issues were held with interested members of the campus community. During the Fall Semester of 2020 the meetings were held weekly but switched to monthly for the 2021 spring semester. This committee will continue to meet in perpetuity.
Achievement #4: Community Partners Meet Monthly
External – UK is part of an extremely productive Community Partners collaboration. This group meets monthly, and attendees include staff from the Faith Leaders, Fayette County Schools, LFUCG, Commerce Lexington and UK. UK Trustee Ray Daniels Chairs the group in his role with Commerce Lexington. The shared information and on-going collaboration are an amazing opportunity not only for UK, but for the community as well. This activity is a continuation from the 2020 Fall semester.
UK has also joined several organizations that will assist us in growing our Supplier Diversity Program. The Women's Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley and the Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council offer significant access to information, networking opportunities and lists of suppliers. They also advertise our competitive bids and RFPs on their websites, thus increasing the exposure of our bid opportunities to the diverse business community.
Achievement #5: UK Joined Several External Organizations
UK has joined the Women's Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley (WBEC ORV) and the Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC). These groups offer significant access to information, networking opportunities and lists of suppliers. They also advertise our competitive bids and RFPs on their websites thus increasing the exposure of our bid opportunities to the diverse business community.
IV. Supplier Diversity Program Structure:
During the 2020 fall semester the project lead often referred to our fledgling Supplier Diversity Program as a four (4) legged stool consisting of the components listed below:
1. Identify
2. Educate, Train and Vet
3. Connect
4. Measurement and Accountability
Achievement #6: Develop New Supplier Diversity Program Graphic
During the 2021 Spring semester it became obvious to me that a four (4) legged stool was accurate but incomplete. The missing piece that has now been added to the conversation is “Impact”. The four (4) legged stool visual has been visually replaced by the graphic found below, which lists the fifth “leg.” Impact is the hub of the entire project, and this graphical representation effectively portrays that important point.
V. Identification:
To increase our expenditures with Diverse Business Enterprises an obvious initial requirement is to locate them so they can be contacted and made aware of opportunities. This has been one of the hardest parts of the initiative to date. I am happy to report progress is being made. Activities in this area include the following:
Achievement #7: Collaboration with Partners to Identify Diverse Suppliers
Monthly strategic sourcing meetings are being held with the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Kentucky Procurement Technical Assistance Center (KYPTAC) and Commerce Lexington Minority Business Development Program to work towards connecting DBE suppliers to our UK bids, RFPs, and departments.
VI. Certify, Educate, Vet:
This part of the project is key to growing our program and helping the DBE community. By working with DBE suppliers to prepare them to do business with UK we also prepare them to pursue other non-UK business opportunities. Activities in this area during the 2021 Spring Semester included the following:
Achievement #8: Training Programs Being Developed and/or Presented
A “How to do Business with UK” event with Commerce Lexington was held in March 2021. UK participated in similar outreach events in May and will participate in additional events in June, July, and August.
Work is underway, in collaboration with LFUCG to conduct a Minority Contractor Training Program for diverse construction contractors. The plan is for a 5-week program with an October 2021 start.
Work is underway to develop a series of classes and technical support in partnership with KYPTAC starting in July 2021.
VII. Connect:
This part of the project is focused on connecting DBEs with UK contracting opportunities. Activities in this area included the following:
Achievement #9: Review and Revise Terms, Conditions and Processes
UK is looking at the above referenced areas to streamline and simplify its business requirements and to ensure we are not using requirements that are excessive. We will continue to protect our interests, but we will modify our approach where possible to allow greater participation.
Achievement #10: Implement Best in Class eProcurement Technology
Currently UK is implementing the Ariba Catalogue Module. This technology will create an Amazon.com type shopping experience through which content offered by DBEs will be available for purchase. Not only will DBEs be included in the technology, but content acquired from DBEs and offered to UK through existing UK strategic suppliers like Office Depot, Grainger and others can be highlighted in the robust search functionality the Ariba tool offers. The technology will also assist in reporting for accountability and opportunity identification purposes. The current plan is for the new technology to go-live late summer 2021.
Achievement #11: Requests for Proposal
Several RFPs have been issued with the intent of identifying and contracting with diverse suppliers for specific topics. To date contracts have been awarded in the areas of promotional items and paint and coatings. Planning is underway to pursue contracts in a wide array of building trade subject matters. This process will continue in other areas as current projects are completed.
Achievement #12: Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Pilot Program
A pilot project was successfully launched to implement a pilot CSA program of 50 vouchers in partnership with Black Soil, a minority owned local firm. The program was successfully launched with all 50 vouchers being claimed. The project was a collaboration between the Purchasing Division, the Food Connection (CAFÉ), UK Human Resources and the Cornerstone.
VIII. Measurement and Accountability
Measurement and Accountability is very important for purposes of understanding our current status, tracking progress, identifying shortcomings, and identifying new opportunities for growth. Ultimately the goal is to quantify the impact our efforts are producing. The foundation was laid for the below activities by the systems improvements made during the fall of 2020 which included adding fields to capture data in our SAP systems and to PaymentWorks, our supplier on-boarding system. Spring 2021 activities included the following:
Achievement #13: Card Integrity Data Analysis Tool
The Purchasing Division and University Financial Services partnered to license an analytical tool called Card Integrity. This tool takes our raw data, categorizes the data, applies our business rules using machine learning tools and delivers to us a series of reports that highlight potential compliance issues. The tool can also be used to provide expenditure reports for use in the Purchasing Division for strategic sourcing activities. Finally, and most importantly the tool can deliver a report that identifies our diverse business expenditures using the new codes in our SAP system and then enriching the data using diverse supplier information resident in the Card Integrity database. This report is in the fine-tuning stage with the goal of having the report ready for use by July 1, 2021. This will allow a baseline to be established, and progress monitored for fiscal year 2022 and beyond.
Achievement #14: Competitive Bid/RFP Supplier Demographic Data
The Purchasing Division has prioritized the inclusion of diverse suppliers on vendor lists utilized as competitive bids and RFPs are issued. The number of diverse suppliers solicited and the number of diverse suppliers that submit bids and proposals are being tracked and a report will be developed.
Achievement #15: Tier 2 Expenditure Tracking
A material amount of expenditures with diverse suppliers occurs with Tier 2 suppliers. These are businesses who are doing business with our direct suppliers. UK is now requiring our strategic suppliers to report this Tier 2 spend on a quarterly basis. The data will be consolidated and included in a report.
The reports identified above will be distributed to relevant parties internally and externally for transparency and accountability purposes beginning in fiscal year 2022.
IX. Goals for Summer and Fall 2021:
Goal #1: Complete Supplier Diversity Contract Language
This language will go into one section of our Bids and Proposals. We will pre-promote these changes on our websites.
Goal #2: Complete the Supplier Diversity Plan for FY2022
The supplier diversity plan will include the blueprint we will follow in FY2022.
Goal #3: Complete Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Kentucky Procurement Technical Assistance Program (KYPTAC)
This MOA will include joint classes, events, and business development plans.
Goal #4: Finalize a Menu of Supplier Diversity Metrics
The metrics will be used to frame our reporting structure so we can track our progress and identify opportunities in the areas of maximum impact and importance.
Goal #5: Update Supplier Diversity Assessment
The initial review of our program utilizing this assessment tool indicated that UK is currently a level one program. The goal is to move from a level one supplier diversity program to a level two program.
Goal #6: Participate in the Minority Business Expo
Marilyn is serving on the marketing committee. This is an important event and UK will be actively engaged to help ensure it is a success.
Goal #7: Marilyn Serves on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the National Association of Education Procurement (NAEP)
This NAEP DEI committee will develop additional programming on the DEI topic in higher education.
Goal #8: Launch Minority Business Survey Through Collaboration with Black Faith Leaders
Through the collaboration with Commerce Lexington and the Black Faith Leaders, UK is taking the lead on developing a first ever minority business development survey to assess the capacity of minority suppliers in the region and to assess their training and financial needs.
Goal #9: Launch Corporate Engagement Survey for Corporate Members of Women’s Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley (WBEC ORV)
Marilyn is the chair of the corporate engagement committee for WBEC ORV. They will survey corporates for ideas on benchmarking and mentoring opportunities of 55 organizations representing 12 industries including higher education and healthcare and medical care.
Goal #10: LFUCG Small Business Economic Stimulus Grants
In conjunction with the Commerce Lexington Minority Business Development team, UK is taking an active role in processing grant applications for the $2.3M in funding for the LFUCG Small Business Economic Stimulus Grants.
X. Implementation Plans for Next Three (3) Months:
The next three (3) months will be consumed by the implementation of two (2) critical components of our Supplier Diversity infrastructure and building upon the good work completed to date. The activities are as follows:
Plan #1: Ariba Catalog Module Go-Live
This project is rather large and requires an “all hands on deck” approach from the Purchasing Division. Besides keeping routine operations flowing this will be the primary focus of the Purchasing Division until the application goes live in late summer.
Plan #2: Standardize Reporting
Beginning with the start of the new fiscal year on July 1 monthly standard reports will be issued. These will guide our efforts going forward by tracking our progress and identifying areas for improvement.
Plan #3: Continue to Build Internal and External Collaboration
Much work has already occurred in this area, but we must push forward and continue to build relationships and promote our efforts internally and externally. Training efforts internally and externally will be a focus in this area. Collaborating with faculty on research projects and integrating student opportunities to participate in the program will also be a priority.
XI. What Will Success Look Like:
Expanding the Supplier Diversity Program is not a Project- It is a Transformation. Success equals:
- DBE Expenditures are Equal to or Greater Than 10% of Total Procurement Spend
- Educational, Training, Vetting and Assistance Programs are in place
- Supplier Diversity Values and Expectations are Embedded in All Procurement Activities and Processes
- The Program has a Positive Impact on the Lives of Diverse Individuals and the Community at Large
Internal Collaboration - At the commencement of the DEI Initiative all individuals who expressed interest in volunteering to serve on the Project #14 committee were contacted and invited to participate in weekly Zoom meetings to discuss supplier diversity issues. Several individuals who were not on the original volunteer list that represent key constituencies were also invited to participate. The committee met on Monday each week during the fall 2020 semester and began to meet on a monthly basis beginning in January 2021. This committee will continue to meet in perpetuity.
Committee Members
- Carlos Cooper, III (Custodial Services, Medical Center)
- Elda Dede (Division Administrator, UK HealthCare)
- Roberto Obregon Garcia (Student)
- Kris Gilbert (Budget Officer, Legal Counsel)
- Karen Guettler (UK Human Development Institute)
- Chelsea Hansing (Capital Construction Coordinator)
- Sean Harrison (Facilities Management)
- Gerardo Heredia Melero (OBGYN, UK HealthCare)
- Rupinder Kaur (Graduate Student, College of Pharmacy)
- Kim Knorr (Technical Support Specialist, Center for Applied Energy Research
- Quantina Leavell (Facilities Supervisor, UK Medical Center)
- Robbert Lodder (Faculty, College of Pharmacy)
- Tina Navis (Budget Analyst Lead, College of Arts and Sciences)
- Anne Oberlink (Senior Research Scientist, Center for Applied Energy Research)
- David Peoples (Senior Pastor of Jabez Missionary Baptist Church)
- Lance Poston (Executive Director, Office of LGBTQ+ Resources)
- Gregory Robinson (Director of Recruitment, Lewis Honors College)
- Jennifer Rogers (Associate Director for Administration, UK Markey Cancer Center)
- Eve Schneider (Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences/Biology)
- Ashley Smith (Black Soil/Just Food)
- Jordan Shannon (Student)
- Wagner (Student)
- Jaleesa Wells (Assistant Professor, Arts Administration)
