Hillsborough County Public Schools Information and Technology
Information Item

DATE: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Update on Office of Supplier Diversity Focus Groups

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In October 2007, the Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) conducted three focus group meetings with registered vendors and other interested businesses in the community. The mission of the focus groups was to hear from the community on how the district can better reach out to its small, women, and minority owned businesses. This workshop update includes summary documents and notes from the focus group meetings. The input provided by the focus groups will be used to improve Office of Supplier Diversity services and to create a policy for the expansion of this program into all areas of the District's procurement of goods and services. The original plan for policy development was to be completed by the Spring of 2008. Subsequent to the original planning, the District, in partnership with the NEOLA group, embarked on a total review and edit process for all policies and procedures that is planned to be completed before July of 2008. The OSD policy development and review process will conform with the NEOLA policy development and timeline with the same anticipated completion date.

ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)

The Office of Supplier of Diversity program encourages small, minority and women owned business enterprises to participate in providing goods and services to the Hillsborough County Public Schools. The District's objective is the reinvestment of tax dollars into the local Tampa Bay business community.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Since fiscal year 2002, Hillsborough County Public Schools has reinvested approximately $100,000,000 in bid awards to small, minority and women owned business enterprises.

EVALUATION

Each year, the Office of Supplier Diversity measures and reports the utilization of Tampa Bay based small business in the provision of goods and services to our Hillsborough County Public Schools.

SUBMITTED BY:

Henry J. Ballard, Jr.
Minority Business Enterprise Manager, OSD
813 635-1240
Jack E. Davis
Chief Information and Technology Officer
813 272-4600
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Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20080311_321 * Section W Item# 4