Credit: Original article published here.

So I have a project that includes minority and disadvantaged business participation requirements. Now what do I do? At first glance this can look like an overwhelming task. Although the requirements for individual projects can vary based on a number of things including the funding mechanism, it has actually become easier to identify and communicate with MDBE certified companies.

In 2015, the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights (MDSR) was asked to research and identify the best practices and processes used on projects in Minneapolis and the region that have been most successful in meeting Workforce in Business Inclusion goals.  To complete this task MDSR enlisted the help of regional partners, this led to a group called the Best Practices Roundtable (Roundtable).

The Roundtable is led by administrators from the Minnesota Department of Administrations, M

innesota Department of Human Rights, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, the Met Council, Metropolitan Airports Commission, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, City of Minneapolis, City of Saint Paul and the University of Minnesota. Roundtable members include both contracting compliance and procurement staff from the respective organizations.

If we fast forward to today, the work of the Roundtable helped lead to an organization called the Small and Disadvantaged Business Opportunity Council (SADBOC) that has created a directory of the various diversity certification programs in Minnesota, click on image to review this list in detail.  These directories provide different certifying organizations, the certifications categories within each organization along with the city, county and other organizations in which they are aligned; these easy to use search engines help to quickly identify potential business partners.

Gary Pooley

Regional Sales Manager