Supplier Diversity Program

The Smithsonian and Small Business Community

Strengthening Our Commitment to Utilize Small Businesses in Our Business Relationships.

Supplier Diversity is a business process that proactively seeks to provide small businesses with access to procurement and business opportunities. The purpose of the Smithsonian’s Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) is to provide advocacy for and direction to small businesses. SDP is committed to improving our relationships with small and disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, SBA 8(a) Certified small businesses, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small businesses and Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones). SDP seeks to ensure that small businesses receive equal access and appropriate consideration in the Smithsonian's procurement of goods and services.

The Smithsonian Institution's Policy is to provide small businesses the opportunity to participate, to the maximum extent possible, in all federal contracts entered into by the Institution. When appropriate, the Smithsonian also expends trust funds based on these principles.

The Smithsonian is not an executive agency as defined in the Administration Procedures Act and, as such, is not subject to Public Law 95-507 and other relevant statutes and executive orders that mandate the establishment of an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. However, the Institution has long followed the spirit and intent of these statutes in its procurement actions and, by establishing the Supplier Diversity Program, chose a more active approach in recognizing the utilization of both federal and trust expenditures, acknowledging the diversity of the Smithsonian suppliers, and promoting equal opportunity in its business relationships.

Key Program Components

Development of outreach initiatives to heighten small business awareness of contracting opportunities at the Smithsonian;
Development and implementation of creative initiatives that encourage the increased utilization of small businesses through "win-win" strategies;
Establishment and monitoring of goals for the participation of small businesses in the procurement process;
Management of Supplier Diversity Program liaison staff to assist in promoting SDP initiatives at the Smithsonian unit level;
Development of training seminars to educate Smithsonian buyers on the benefits of utilizing small businesses;
Evaluation of large prime contractors' subcontracting plans, negotiation of goals for small business participation, and monitoring of performance following contract awards;
Maintenance of a database of qualified small businesses used to conduct vendor searches for Smithsonian buyers; and,
Publication of information materials that assist small businesses with their marketing efforts.