2009 Best in Class: Supplier Diversity - Nonprofit/Government


Ensuring that diverse suppliers have ample opportunity to conduct business with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) is part of the organization’s transformation over the past two years. The NEORSD has revamped its vendor outreach, communication and tracking systems and made the process transparent and accountable.

In 2009, NEORSD spent 12 percent of its regional expenditures ($8 million) with minority-owned businesses, compared to the five per cent its comparison group of nonprofit and government organizations spent. The NEORSD is poised to exceed these numbers in 2010. Effective strategies include:

  • Offering two series of workshops to enable small business owners to position themselves for success. Business Development Program for Construction program has seven sessions. Topics include: bonding, insurance, safety, and bid preparation. NEORSD staff and majority contractors (Shook, Kokosing, Independence Excavating, Davey Tree, CH2MHILL and Ozanne Construction) teach the sessions which offer close access to prime contractors. The Goods and Services Program sessions focus on Cash Management; Running a Successful Business; and Winning a Bid. The Urban League; Hispanic Business Association; City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County assist with this course.
  • Conducting business opportunity/certification workshops in four counties. The workshops cover certification information and business opportunities with NEORSD and four other organizations/agencies. Hundreds of businesses attended the 2009 sessions.
  • Using Business to Government Now (B2G), a Web-based system for compliance and electronic monitoring of subcontractor payments. The system generates an email to the prime as well as the subcontractor working on District projects. The subcontractor confirms payment via email to NEORSD verifying the actual payment to the subcontractor, not what was invoiced to the prime. The goal is to make sure that the minority firms are working on the projects and receiving proper payments.
  • Seeking minority owned vendors and suppliers via outreach meetings with organizations such as The Presidents’ Council, NAACP, Northern Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council, Urban League of Greater Cleveland, Urban League of Akron, Hispanic Business Association and the Asian-American business community. The District spent nearly $30,000 in 2009 on advertisements targeting MBEs.
  • The Small Business Enterprise Program of NEORSD provides procurement opportunities to small and local business thereby contributing to the economic health and vitality of the region. In 2009 the Board of Trustees approved a Disparity Study. Results are expected in 2010 and will determine whether the District can legally establish MBE/WBE goals.

“By extending financial opportunities to diverse small businesses, the District can play a major role in strengthening the local economy. So it’s important to me that we have the best SBE program possible. I told our folks, if we’re going to do this, let’s do it right. And I feel we have."

Julius Ciaccia, Jr.
Executive Director
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District