Women- and minority-owned businesses are the focus of Marquette's recently launched Vendor Diversity Initiative, a program that encourages interaction with these businesses to lessen economic inequalities in the community.
Marquette is continually looking to include more diverse vendors in the purchasing process to increase their potential for competition, said Jenny Alexander, director of the purchasing department.
"What this translates to on a day-to-day basis is increasing our relationships with diversity vendors, which then provides for the opportunity for a business relationship and direct economic interaction between Marquette and diverse vendors," Alexander said.
"We are also learning from organizations such as We Energies and Miller Brewing Co. that currently have successful diversity vendor programs," she said.
The university works with various diversity vendor development organizations, such as the Wisconsin Supplier Development Council and the Small Business Administration, to "take advantage of the available talent base in the area," Alexander said.
Keenan Grenell, associate provost for diversity, is also contributing to the program by helping with personnel choices, setting up the infrastructure, indicating possible ramifications and creating the opportunity for partnership in a diverse community through his networking and connections.
The initiative can have "tremendous benefits," Grenell said.
According to Marquette's vendor Web site, Marquette has established several goals it is working to achieve in order to lessen the inequalities. The university hopes to increase spending on direct and tier 2 businesses by 5 percent each year and will also track the spending of tier 2 businesses with activity that exceeds $250,000. The university will also try to have at least one qualified diversity vendor bid for all contracts and services.
When diverse vendors are found they are included in the bid and evaluation process, but are not necessarily guaranteed the job, Alexander said. They need to meet university specifications, quality and cost standards like all other competitors.
Linda Raymonds, founder of Piranha Promotions, said the initiative has given her company the chance to become more involved with the university and bid on an increasing number of projects.
"In order to win and keep the business, we certainly have to offer competitive pricing, stellar service and quality products," Raymonds said, "but all we ask for is the opportunity to earn the business, and that is what the diversity initiative has provided."
A convention hosted by the Small Business Administration enabled the university to meet other vendors, said Dennis Streich, assistant director of the purchasing department.
The convention was designed to "increase awareness of diversity vendors and facilitate networking opportunities with these companies," Alexander said. The Wisconsin Supplier Development Council has also hosted a similar event, she said.
Marquette is also encouraging vendors to begin mentoring programs to ensure minorities a stake in business operations in the future and to strengthen their economic base, Alexander said.
"As an educational institution, we also believe there are increased opportunities to assist businesses with training opportunities," she said.
This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on October 11, 2005.