The Fayetteville Public Works Commission received 10 policy recommendations designed to encourage local companies and minority- and women-owned businesses to bid for supply contracts.
The recommendations are based on a disparity study of the utility’s procurement policies.
The report was presented to PWC on Thursday.
The disparity study was commissioned by PWC and the city of Fayetteville and conducted by Atlanta-based consultants Griffin & Strong P.C.
Since 2016, when the PWC set goals of increased local spending, procurement outreach and building vendor capacity, the utility has “implemented a widespread focus of vendor outreach, including a series of building business rallies and engagement activities from 2016 to 2020,” PWC spokeswoman Carolyn Justice-Hinson said in an email.
Among Griffin & Strong's recommendations, she said, was that PWC use a sheltered market program that reserves a certain number of contracts that only small businesses can bid on.
According to Justice-Hinson, Griffin & Strong commended PWC in a half-dozen areas, including use of small businesses, minority business involvement, prompt payment, and outreach.
Another recommendation was for PWC to encourage joint ventures.
PWC held a Vendor Industry Day in August as an outreach to small, local suppliers, and it plans another one in the spring.
Vendors interested in registering for PWC’s Small, Local Supplier program or learning more about other procurement opportunities can contact PWC at is SLS@faypwc.com.
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