OMWBE - Who we are, core services and 2021 Legislative Priorities
Summary
Document from OMWBE, the Washington State office for minority and women owned businesses, stating that it was established in 1983. It lists its core services as Certification, Supplier Diversity, the Linked Deposit Program and the Governor's Subcabinet on Business Diversity. For the Linked Deposit Program it reports 229 firms with loans totaling over $115 million. It lists 2021 Legislative Priorities, including $1.862M (partial ongoing) for the Business Diversity Management System. It also states that white business owners were 3x more likely to receive funds than Black and Hispanic business owners, and lists issues accessing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans.
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“OMWBE - Who we are, core services and 2021 Legislative Priorities.”
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OMWBE – Who we are
Established in 1983, OMWBE was created to mitigate societal
discrimination and other barriers to minority and women owned
businesses participating in public works and in providing goods and
services.
“…. minority and women-owned businesses are significantly
underrepresented and have been denied equitable competitive
opportunities in contracting”
- RCW 39.19.010
omwbe.wa.gov
Embodying our values and mission
• Improved hiring practices and
outreach to partners to share
opportunities with their networks
• Doubled our agency staff diversity
• Our diversity allows us to better
serve the businesses we work for
• Consult regularly with our
Advisory Committee
omwbe.wa.gov
What we do – Core Services
Certification
Supplier Diversity
Linked Deposit Program
Governor’s Subcabinet on
Business Diversity
omwbe.wa.gov
Certification
• OMWBE is the sole certifying entity for the state
and federal programs in Washington State
• Maintain the certified business directory for state
agencies, institutions of higher education, and
prime contractors
• Conduct statewide outreach and relationship
building to increase the certified business pool in
areas it is most needed
• Provide business resources to certified businesses
omwbe.wa.gov
Supplier Diversity
• Analyze and report annual amount of agency and higher education
spending with certified businesses
• Meet at least annually with over 70 agencies and institutions of
higher education, and many prime contractors to:
• Adopt inclusive contracting practices,
• Establish and improve annual inclusion plans,
• Measure progress towards increased inclusion, and
• Increase their annual spend/work with minority and women owned
businesses
omwbe.wa.gov
Linked Deposit Program
• Provides access to capital for certified
firms using surplus state funds to offer
business loans at reduced interest rates
• Currently ~$60 million available and 10
participating financial institutions
• 229 firms with loans totaling over $115
million
omwbe.wa.gov
Governor’s Subcabinet on Business Diversity
• OMWBE has led the Subcabinet since Summer 2019
• Formed by Gov. Inslee in 2015, includes agencies accounting for
2/3rds of the overall state spend in the private sector
• Seeks statewide, sustainable, long-term solutions for equity in state
contracting and procurement
• Implementing recommendations of the 2019 Washington State
Disparity Study
omwbe.wa.gov
Disparity Study Key Recommendations
✓ Implement an electronic data collection and monitoring system for all
state agencies to improve accuracy, consistency, and access to data
✓ Increase access to state contracting information for bidders
✓ Increase outreach to enhance certified business pool
✓ Increase technical assistance to certified businesses
✓ Implement inclusive best practices, such as longer solicitation times for
contract bids, review contract size/scope, experience requirements, etc.
✓ Inclusive practices training for contract and procurement staff
✓ Develop and implement performance measures for success
omwbe.wa.gov
Tools for Equity in Public Spending
• Best practices, tools, guides,
templates, and more available
on www.omwbe.wa.gov!
• Additional releases over the next
year, plus training offerings on
all topics
• OMWBE will monitor progress of
agencies in using these tools
and best practices, and measure
statewide M/WBE participation
omwbe.wa.gov
Our Priorities
• OMWBE & Subcabinet work and priorities are
focused directly on the 2019 Disparity Study
recommendations
• OMWBE 2020 legislative funding started the work,
2021 Legislative Priorities will ensure it continues
• Top priority: Complete the Business Diversity
Management System, #1 recommendation from the
Disparity Study and foundational for all other equity
work.
omwbe.wa.gov
2021 Legislative Priorities
Business Diversity Management System $1.862M (partial ongoing)
Supplier Diversity Investments $221K
Small Business Support & Community Engagement $290K
Certification Unit Support $256K
Language Access $100K (one-time)
omwbe.wa.gov
Why our work matters
• Supports all facets of the economy and helps “diversify” our
economic investments, contributing to resiliency and recovery
• Promotes competition, innovation, and better quality service
delivery for the government
• Small businesses make up a large part of our economy and
over 51% of jobs, supporting success, prosperity, and resiliency
of our communities and families
• Government contracts can provide stable, predictable work and
help M/WBEs weather economic changes and grow their
businesses
omwbe.wa.gov
COVID-19 Impacts to M/WBEs
• Disproportionate impacts – amplifying existing inequities and systemic
barriers
• Issues accessing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans and other
financial support
• White business owners were 3x more likely
to receive funds than Black and Hispanic
business owners
• COVID-19 infections, remote work, and lack
of childcare also affected minority owned
businesses more in 2020
omwbe.wa.gov
How can we help?
• OMWBE operating as a hub for information, innovating how we work,
and focusing on virtual communications to support M/WBEs
• We should double our efforts – government contracts can provide a
steady stream of work and cash-flow for businesses even when other
work is difficult to obtain
• Investments in supplier diversity work to support all portions of our
economy and communities
• Broadband access and digital equity investments: work, school, rural, etc.
• Funding to support small businesses in addition to federal assistance
omwbe.wa.gov
Questions / Contact Us
Lisa van der Lugt, Director
LisaV@omwbe.wa.gov, 360-528-0514
Sarah Erdmann, Deputy Director
SarahE@omwbe.wa.gov, 360-528-1176
omwbe.wa.gov
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