Small Business Diversity Program

It is the policy of The Regents of the University of California that race, religion, sex, color, ethnicity, and national origin will not be used as criteria in its business contracting practices. Every effort will be made to ensure that all persons, regardless of race, religion, sex, color, ethnicity, and national origin have equal access to contracts and other business opportunities with the University.

Note: Nothing in this policy prohibits any action which is necessary to comply with state and federal law, or to maintain eligibility for any federal or state funded program, where ineligibility would result in a loss of funds to the University (see Federal Small Business Subcontracting Plans).

The Small Business Diversity Program is part of the Purchasing Department. Its function is to facilitate equal opportunity at the UCSF campus with regard to the purchase of goods and services. Some of the services provided by the program are:

• Developing targeted expenditure plans to meet federal contract requirements.
• Monitoring small/small disadvantaged business subcontracting plans for federal contracts exceeding $500,000.
• Advocating use of small, disadvantaged, women-owned, HubZone and veteran/disabled veteran suppliers of goods and services to meet the needs of UCSF departments.
• Counseling vendors on UCSF policies and procedures, helping to identify potential users of their goods and services when possible.
• Educating vendors on how to do business with UCSF departments.
• Performing targeted outreach for purchasing staff to enhance equal opportunity in business contracting.
• Advertising the program in campus publications.
• Representing UCSF in off campus community organizations and local trade fairs to communicate UCSF's desire for equal opportunity in business contracting.
• Generating purchasing reports to university management and Federal funding agencies on campus utilization of small, disadvantaged, women-owned, HubZone and veteran/disabled veteran business.
• Acting as liaison between the business community and campus buyers/end-users.

Certified Small Disadvantaged Businesses

Effective September 22, 2008, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) certification by the Federal Small Business Administration (SBA) has been suspended. The SBA will no longer certify SDBs via a formal certification process.

Please refer to the published SBA notice of this change in regulations.

From July 1, 1999 through September 22, 2008 the SBA certified that a small business was in fact a SDB, based on certain qualifying criteria established by the SBA. UCSF accepted this certification so that:

1. The university would get credit for using SDBs under federal contracts, and

2. Expenditures with these types of businesses would be counted toward UCSF’s SDB goals for subcontracting purposes.

The university also preferred this certification for consideration as a SDB in overall business activity with UCSF. Please refer to the SBA certification web site for more detailed information: http://www.sba.gov/sdb/section06h.htm