Supplier Diversity
CalPERS is committed to awarding 3% of all eligible competitive contracts and procurements to Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) and maintaining an overall Small Business/Micro Business (SB/MB) contract participation goal of 25% in keeping with state public contracting laws.
Achieving and exceeding this commitment enriches California’s local economy and our experience by doing business with a wide range of supply and service vendors.
To better understand the supplier and vendor community through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion, a top priority this year was to increase the participation rate for the Voluntary Statistic Data Sheet (VSDS). We realized that if we wanted to make significant change, we needed to simplify the VSDS and the way we solicited its completion. The changes we made resulted in a 200% increase in vendor participation over the prior fiscal year for a very strong beginning.
Key Highlights
- The team updated the VSDS to ensure language on the form was clear and accessible. These efforts led to a 200% increase in participation over the previous fiscal year.
- OSSD processed two spring-fed pool solicitations in FY 2020-21, which allowed CalPERS to award multiple contracts and increase the number of suppliers we can do business with.
- These contracts also have the requirement of subcontracting 3% or more of the work to DVBEs, also increasing the amount of DVBE suppliers CalPERS does business with.
- Achieved a DVBE participation level of 5.20% of all contracting, well above the 3% goal set in 2005. Highlights of DVBE participation include:
- 11.92% procurement of non-information technology (IT) goods and services
- 13.54% procurement of IT goods and services
- Achieved a 25.51% SB/MB participation level. Contracts and procurements remained consistent with the prior fiscal year, including:
- A total of 19.73% to SB prime contractors for the procurement of non-IT goods
- A total of 35.39% to MB prime contractors for the procurement of IT goods and services