M-DCPS ECONOMIC EQUITY & EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE GIVES M/WBEs AND LOCAL VENDORS INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has launched a new business initiative to empower minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) and local business owners and provide them with greater opportunities for economic success through a business relationship with the school district. Promoting business growth and development, while creating an economic stimulus for the community that does not burden taxpayers is the impetus behind this initiative. 

“There is a powerful link between education, opportunity and economic success,” said Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho. “We have taken monumental steps in refining our purchasing processes and procedures to give every segment of the business community, especially minority and women-owned enterprises and local vendors, an opportunity to compete for school district business. Doing so will have tremendous impact on our local economy and help drive economic development right here in our community.”

“The School Board has long been a champion of opportunity for everyone in our community,” said School Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman. “Today’s Board action will ensure that our local business owners have the opportunity to work with the school district, keeping local dollars here where they are so vitally needed.”

M-DCPS is committed to finding ways to give M/WBEs and local business owners increased access to competitive opportunities with the school district, thus spurring economic prosperity and local job creation.

“The increased participation of minority and women businesses in the procurement process of our school district is a critical issue,” said Board Member Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall.

“I am pleased to have the support of my colleagues in establishing a local vendor preference policy in our school district. Policies such as these support local businesses and help revitalize our local economy – it’s the right thing to do,” said Board Member Renier Diaz de la Portilla.

Currently there are two components to the district’s Economic Equity & Empowerment Initiative which address minority/women business enterprises and local vendor preference.

Minority/Women Business Enterprise
The new district policy related to M/WBEs substantially lowers the thresholds for school site purchases requiring written quotes. Under the new policy, purchases of $1,000 or more, but less than $50,000, require no less than three written quotes from vendors and at least one vendor quote must be from a certified M/WBE. The policy also further promotes equality of economic opportunities for M/WBEs and eliminates barriers to their participation in district business opportunities.

Local Vendor Preference
The proposed Board policy related to local vendor preference gives local business owners competitive leverage when bidding on district goods and services in excess of $50,000. Local businesses that come within five percent of the price submitted by a non-local business will have the opportunity to submit a best and final bid equal to or lower than the amount of the bid submitted by the non-local business.

In the near future, the district will launch an awareness campaign to provide business owners with information on how to take advantage of business opportunities with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

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