Summary of Strategic Plan

Governor Napolitano has given her direction for a plan to increase small, women and minority contracting opportunities with the State of Arizona. In brief, the strategic plan envisions two teams working together on needed data and personnel. One team, which will consist of executive office members, will be called the Governor’s Equity in State Contracting Executive Oversight Review Team. This team will assess the viability of recommendations from a Community Consultants Group and, where appropriate, authorize their implementation within executive branch state agencies.

The second team will be named the Governor’s Equity in State Contracting Community Consultants Group and will consist of not more than twelve (12) individuals from a cross representation of Arizona’s business community. This group will gather data from stakeholders, advise and recommend to the Oversight Review Team action to be taken within specific agencies in terms of state purchasing and procurement activity, and will work with each state agency on implementing approved suggestions and monitor their successes.

A series of focus groups will be organized in March 2004 within each executive branch agency. These focus groups will review a standard set of questions on past utilization, perceived and ongoing challenges to efforts to significantly increase small, women and minority participation in state purchasing and procurement processes.

The State Procurement Office and its online SPIRIT system will be a central component for small, women and minority supplier registration. The Governor’s Office of Equal Opportunity will maintain a concurrent listing of each person within executive agencies performing a procurement or purchasing function, and serve as a central repository for data gathered from intra- and inter-executive agency focus groups. A Procurement, Purchasing and Vendor Symposium will be organized to (1) review the overall plan for enhanced women and minority contracting opportunities with the State of Arizona, (2) provide education and instruction on doing business with the State of Arizona, and (3) provide an opportunity for vendors to display and interact with purchasing and procurement personnel.

Legislation to increase the small business allocation from $25,000 to $50,000 has been passed and efforts to forge a partnership with the City of Phoenix, Maricopa County and/or Pima County in creating and implementing a race and gender neutral component to the Governor’s overall state program will be undertaken.