Supplier Diversity

The Statewide Supplier Diversity Program’s goal is to reduce disparities in the State of Colorado’s utilization of small and diverse businesses. The State of Colorado disparity study report, which guides this work, found that:

• Small and diverse businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are all underutilized in State procurement; and
• Small and diverse businesses have historically faced challenges in competing for State contracts.

Our program will identify and remove barriers to provide greater access to State procurement for small and diverse businesses. We believe a diverse supply chain is important to our state and that all businesses, regardless of size or ownership, deserve the opportunity to do business with the State of Colorado.

Where do I start?

• I am a supplier of goods and services
   
• I provide construction services or need bond assistance
   
• I am a buyer looking to diversify my supply chain
   
• I am a small and/or diverse supplier or contractor looking for business certification

Want to meet with the Statewide Equity Office of Supplier Diversity team? Register for their monthly meetings. 

In May of 2023, the Colorado Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Administration reported that there are approximately 691,230 small businesses in Colorado, making up 99.5% of all businesses in the state. These small businesses employ 1.2 million workers, accounting for 49.6% of all private-sector employment in the state. Many of these businesses are owned by women, minorities, veterans, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Buying from small and diverse businesses strengthens our local economy by creating jobs, helping improve and maintain our local public infrastructure through tax revenue, and benefiting our communities both socially and economically.  

The state benefits from a stronger competitive base with a more diverse supplier pool, can better respond to emergencies, and provides more continuity in the supply chain and better adaptability to fluctuations in the economy.

Understanding the importance of a diverse supply chain, the Colorado General Assembly directed that the 2020 State of Colorado Disparity Study be completed. To eliminate disparities as found in the study, a State Procurement Equity Program was established in C.R.S. 24-103-1104 and part 11 of the Procurement Code to:

Provide solicitation assistance through a help desk and a bond assistance program.
 
Convene an internal and external stakeholder group to review the findings of the disparity study and submit recommendations (Supplier Diversity Partners of Equitable Business Committee Report) to DPA on these findings. (C.R.S. 24-103-1105)

To ensure an equitable procurement ecosystem, any cases or concerns of fraud must be reported. Contact the Office of the State Auditor's Fraud Hotline if a State employee or contracted individual (i.e., individual acting under a contract, purchase order, or other similar agreement for the procurement of goods and services with a State agency) may be committing fraud against the State or others.