The University of California, and UC Davis Health, are committed to the small and diverse business community. Here are a few ways that UC and UC Davis Health are advancing Health Equity and Addressing Disparities as part of its Clinical Strategic Plan (PDF).

 

Small and diverse supplier registration

UC Davis Health strives to provide the maximum opportunity to small and diverse businesses to participate as suppliers and providers of goods and services. UC Davis Health has committed to establishing and integrating measurable and effective diversity and inclusion processes into all procurement activities that support strategic sourcing and procurement across all divisions, maximizing the number of small and diverse suppliers in our supplier base. Small and diverse suppliers may register to become a UC Davis Health vendor by completing the business information form (PDF) and emailing required documents to: hs-SmallBusinessFirst@ucdavis.edu. Becoming a vendor in our Material Management Information System will provide visibility to UC Davis Health departments as supply and service needs arise. Suppliers must provide a certificate of insurance and W-9. UC Terms and Conditions may be accessed on the UC procurement website.

In addition to completing the business information form (PDF), we encourage small and diverse suppliers to register as a supplier with Supplier.IO, which is the supplier database for the entire University of California system. Supplier.IO’s SupplierOne Registration portal enables diverse and small business suppliers to be discovered by over 400 corporations looking for new supplier sources. Suppliers can create free profiles with the information buyers need to know when evaluating companies and products. There is also an option for self-certification. Visit the UC Health supplier diversity web page to register.

Please note that registering as a vendor does not guarantee a business opportunity.

Small Business First Program

The University of California is committed to providing contracting and procurement opportunities with certified Small Businesses (SBs), Microbusinesses (MBs), and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBEs). Wherever practicable, the Small Business First program calls for solicitations for the procurement of goods and/or services valued between $10,000 to $250,000 to be awarded to a certified SB/MB/DVBE (with some waivers and exemptions allowed).

This is part of the UC Small Business First program.

The informal solicitation process for Small Business First requires:

  • One quote for purchases between $10K and below $100K
  • Two quotes for purchases between $100K up to $250K

There is a waiver process (PDF) for when the Small Business First program is not feasible, or when contracting with other business types is justified.

*There are some exceptions:

  • Medical and patient care
  • Purchases that are sole source/unique professional services/emergency
  • Purchases through existing strategically sourced agreements
  • Other exemptions not applicable to UC Davis Health UC Procurement, Small Business First Program website

Suppliers may reference a listing of purchase types (PDF) to view frequently procured supplies and services that are within the scope of the Small Business First program.

25% spend with EaSR

The University of California has set a target of reaching 25% spend with Economically and Socially Responsible Suppliers (EaSR) as a total percentage of addressable spend within five fiscal years. The details are outlined in the UC policy on sustainable practices (PDF) and UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines (PDF)

Local and Diverse Chambers of Commerce

In partnership with UC Davis Supply Chain Management and Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office, Health Procurement has been engaged with several local and diverse chambers of commerce. See how these resources can help your business increase its visibility with the larger community. Below are links to their websites:

Other activities strengthening our commitment

It is UC Davis Health’s commitment to:

  • Measure and report small and diverse spend and establish improvement targets
  • Communicate the value of supplier diversity both internally and externally to all stakeholders
  • Ensure the inclusion of diverse suppliers as a part of our strategic sourcing and procurement process
  • Develop new, creative, and innovative means to utilize diverse business enterprises

Small and diverse supplier resources

Small Business (SB) or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DBVE) certification

Cal eProcure website has guidelines and instructions on getting certified as an SB or DVBE. Some of the UC programs allow for purchases only to certified SB or DVBE businesses.

After getting certified, registering with Supplier.IO (UC Health supplier diversity web page) is a good way to increase your visibility with potential customers. Supplier.IO is an online platform for buyers searching for small and diverse businesses.

Small Business Administration Program

The Small Business Administration program offers many resources and tools for small businesses and may be helpful for some of you.

Other resources

*This list is not exclusive.