Oregon Governor Encourages State Contracting with Minority and Women Owned Businesses

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Governor issues Executive Order outlining efforts to create more opportunity for minority and women owned businesses

August 13, 2008 -- (Salem) – Oregon Governor Kulongoski today announced he sent a letter to state agencies accompanying Executive Order 08-16, directing agencies to adopt aspirational targets to increase opportunities for minority and women owned businesses that are competing for state contracts. The executive order identifies agencies that have contracting needs that are a good match with existing certified minority and women owned businesses.

“I firmly believe the State of Oregon must be a leader in promoting diversity,” Governor Kulongoski said in his letter to agency directors and contract procurement officers. “We must foster an inclusive business environment that supports economic growth in all sectors, including among Oregon’s minority and women owned businesses.”

The executive order does not change any contract procurement code and does not create a preference program but directs agencies to examine how they award contracts and encourages them to reduce unnecessary barriers in the contracting process for certified minority and women owned businesses. The executive order also creates a new Promoting Diversity Certificate of Excellence program to recognize outstanding efforts by agencies to include minority and women owned businesses in their contracting efforts.

Executive Order 08-16 directs agencies to set aspirational targets for agency contracts worth $150,000 or less because they are a good size match for minority and women owned businesses, but those businesses can compete for contracts of any amount.

Source: Oregon Governor