Supplier Diversity
Boston University has developed a Supplier Diversity Program to align with goals and objectives outlined in Boston University’s Strategic Plan. Our primary goal is to create a more diverse and inclusive supplier base and provide increased access and opportunity to underrepresented diverse businesses, both locally and nationally, to provide products and service to the Boston University community. By increasing the competitive landscape for Boston University business opportunities, departments can achieve best total value when contracting for goods and services and realize valuable cost savings, which can be leveraged for more strategic initiatives.
Vision Statement: To be the leader amongst peer urban research universities (AAU) in providing increased access and opportunity to certified diverse businesses.
Supplier Diversity Dashboard
Working with Continuous Improvement and Data Analytics (CIDA), Sourcing and Procurement has developed a Supplier Diversity Dashboard in PowerBI to allow faculty and staff to view and evaluate diversity spend metrics, including trend analysis. Viewing-access is automatically filtered based on the user’s role and access to fund center data in the SAP system.
Please watch the video bellow to learn more about the Supplier Diversity Dashboard & Supplier.io
Supplier Explorer – Search for Diverse Suppliers
All faculty and staff now have unlimited access to a searchable database – the Supplier Explorer by supplier.io – to identify diverse suppliers by product category, location, and diversity attribute. Click here to access the tool using your single sign-on (SSO) credentials.
When logging into Explorer please enter your full email (@bu.edu) as the Username
Explorer User Guide |
Supplier Certifications
Our inclusion practice drives suppliers to deliver best total value to Boston University, including quality, service, and cost, while promoting economic growth to our target demographic of diverse businesses. Businesses recognized as a diverse supplier undergo a formal certification process by applying through the State or a national certifying agency. We aim to work with certified diverse suppliers with the following certifications:
| Description | Definition |
|---|---|
| Small Business SBA 8(a) | A small business participating in the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program. The business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are U.S. citizens. |
| AbilityOne Program | The AbilityOne Program, formerly known as JWOD, is administered by the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled through two Central Nonprofit Agencies, the National Industries for the Blind, and NISH (serving people with a range of disabilities). NIB and NISH work with over 600 nonprofit agencies. |
| Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise | Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) means a concession that is a for-profit small business concern (1) That is at least 51 percent owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged or, in the case of a corporation, in which 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals; and (2) Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it. |
| Alaskan Native | Federally Recognized Native American Entity – Alaskan Native Corporation Owned Firm. |
| Disadvantaged Business Enterprise | A for-profit small business concern (1) That is at least 51 percent owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged or, in the case of a corporation, in which 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals; and (2) Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it. |
| Disabled | A disabled-owned business is a business that is at least 51 percent owned, controlled and operated by an individual or individuals who are disabled. |
| Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business | A business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens. The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. In order for a WOSB to be deemed “economically disadvantaged,” its owners must demonstrate economic disadvantage in accordance with the requirements set forth in the final SBA rule. |
| Historically Black Colleges and Universities | Institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the African American community. |
| HUB Zone | A small business certified by the SBA as having its principle office in a certified historically under-utilized business zone, and at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, or a Community Development Corporation, or an agricultural cooperative or an Indian tribe. Additionally, at least 35% of the business’s employees must reside in a HUBZone. |
| Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender | A business that is at least 51 percent owned, operated, managed, and controlled by one or more individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, and who are either U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. |
| Minority Business Enterprise | A business that is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is owned, operated managed, and controlled by minority group members. “Minority group members” are United States citizens who are Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American. Ownership by minority individuals means the business is at least 51% owned by such individuals or, in the case of a publicly-owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. |
| Service Disabled Veteran | A business that is at least 51 percent owned by a veteran (see VBE) with a disability that is service connected. The term “service connected” means that such disability was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval or air service. |
| Small Business Enterprise * | A business concern eligible for assistance from SBA as a small business is one that is organized for profit, with a place of business located in the United States. It must operate primarily within the United States or make a significant contributions to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor. Together with its affiliates, it must meet the numerical size standards as defined in the Small Business Size Regulations. The business must also qualify as small as defined by SBA size standards for the company’s primary NAICS. |
| Veteran Owned Business | A business that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more veterans, who control and operate the business. Control in this context means exercising the power to make policy decisions and operate means to be actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business. The term “veteran” means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released there from under conditions other than dishonorable. |
| Women Business Enterprise | A business that is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is owned, operated, managed and controlled by one or more women who are United States citizens. Ownership means the business is at least 51% owned by one or more women or, the in the case of a publicly-owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more women. |
| Woman-Owned Small Business | A business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens. The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. |
*SBEs are not included in Boston University’s diversity metrics unless there is another qualifying diverse attribute.
| Ethnicity Definitions | |
|---|---|
| AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK | U.S. citizens having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa | HISPANIC AMERICAN | U.S. citizens of true-born Hispanic heritage, from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean Basin only |
| NATIVE AMERICAN | American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians |
| ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN | U.S. citizens whose origins are from Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, China, Taiwan, Laos, Cambodia, Kampuchea, Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, Samoa, Guam, Macao, Hong Kong, Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific, Northern Marianas, Republic of Palau & Marshall Islands |
| ASIAN SUBCONTINENT AMERICAN/ASIAN-INDIAN | U.S. Citizens whose origins are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands or Nepal |
| ASIAN AMERICAN | U.S. citizens whose origins are from Asian decent but are not certain which sub-category. This is a general classification. |
Our Internal Commitment to Boston University Requisitioners
We are committed to delivering resources to our Requisitioner community by delivering on best practices, including:
- Providing a searchable database by spend commodities and diversity classification
- Proactively including diverse suppliers in formal Request for Proposal (RFP) events, including smaller dollar purchases when departments request quotes (RFQ) through Fairmarkit
- Offering departmental spend metrics and helping departments achieve their diverse spend goals
- Arranging introductory meetings with diverse suppliers which meet department requirements
- Working with existing strategic suppliers to expand their secondary supplier network with diverse businesses
- Assessing standard contract requirements, including insurance, with diverse small businesses to reduce barriers to working with Boston University
Contact Us
Boston University Requisitioners
Our team is prepared to assist in identifying certified diverse suppliers for your department needs. We are currently working on creating an updated supplier diversity database for Requisitioners. In addition, the Fairmarkit tool can be used to conduct a Request for Quotes (RFQs) where registered diverse suppliers with Boston University can be invited to bid. Fairmarkit will also review outgoing quote requests and manually add diverse suppliers when appropriate.
For assistance on projects with more significant spend (~$100k+), please submit a Sourcing Request Form via Guided BUying or submit an inquiry form on the Financial Affairs Customer Service Portal.
Suppliers
If you are a certified diverse business interested in working with Boston University, please submit a request via our Interested Supplier Portal.
Please remember this form is only used to express interest in supplying goods or services to Boston University. Submitting a request does not guarantee, or obligate, the University to transact with your company in any way. By submitting this form, you may receive a request for additional information, including a link to register as a supplier, which is required to receive a valid purchase order.