KCTCS, through a relationship with National Diversity Solutions, has implemented a Supplier Diversity Initiative to help reach that objective. The system now uses a Diverse Supplier Collaboration Portal to register, qualify and communicate with current and potential diverse suppliers of certain goods and services.
Once approved, suppliers are eligible to receive invitations to participate in opportunities to provide goods and services through a competitive RFP/RFQ process.
There is no cost associated for suppliers to register or participate in identified opportunities. To be successful with KCTCS, suppliers must provide impeccable quality and deliver as promised at competitive costs.
West Kentucky Community & Technical College, amember of KCTCS, will host a KCTCS Supplier Diversity Initiative event for area diverse business owners to learn more about opportunities for doing business with the college from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, in room 109 of the Emerging Technology Center on the WKCTC campus.
“The key is ‘opportunity,’” said John Carrico, vice president of administrative services at WKCTC. “We want to provide area diverse business owners with the opportunity to easily learn about, and compete for, the goods and services that are needed here at our college, as well as at other area colleges within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.”
The definition of “diverse businesses” includes minority owned businesses, women owned businesses, and veteran owned businesses, disabled business enterprise or veteran disabled owned business enterprise.
Once a diverse business is registered with the Initiative they will be notified by phone and email when a matching opportunity occurs. Newsletters and other communications will also keep them updated on future opportunities, Initiative-related events and more.
“This is an ideal way for us to express our support for the diverse businesses in our community, demonstrate best-in-class supplier diversity for educational institutions in Kentucky, and allow these businesses to learn more about what WKCTC has to offer,” Carrico said.
The agenda for the April 12 event includes an overview of how the Initiative works, a demonstration of the online registration process and an open question and answer session. A brief tour of the college campus will follow for interested attendees.
Purchasing agents for the college will be present. Light snacks will be provided.
For more information please contact Susan Graves, vice president of business affairs for WKCTC at 270-534-3155.
Interested diverse suppliers may also visit supplierdiversity.kctcs.edu to learn more about the KCTCS Supplier Diversity Initiative and to register their company.
Janett M. Blythe, a former reporter for The Paducah Sun, has been director of public relations at West Kentucky Community & Technical College for 19 years.
