Leveling the Playing Field

Recently Black Enterprise Magazine posted an article entitled "New Study Delivers ‘Overwhelming Evidence’ of Racial Discrimination in the Job Market."  What I found most interesting within this article was "a Chicago-based consulting firm found that 60 partners at law firms rated the same legal brief consistently lower when told the author was black (3.2 out of 5), compared to when they were told the author was white.  Reviewers were also more likely to point out spelling, grammar and technical errors when under the impression the author was black."  My first thoughts were wow this still exists in 2014!  Now lets apply these same statistics to a small business trying to garner business, but instead of it being a legal brief it's a proposal response to a Request for Proposal (RFP).


Small businesses in general are struggling for survival!  In particular, minority and women-owned businesses are struggling, but for a different reason.  These groups have to overcome barriers of economic inclusion in contracting.  In an area where contracting to minority and women-owned business enterprises are low as compared to the overall population establishes a basis for inclusion programs.  Barriers to inclusion can be seen in access to capital, bonding and insurance, and also in contracting.  However, when barriers to inclusion are unfairly added in the selection criteria of a procurement process it makes business impossible to obtain.  Barriers to inclusion can be evidenced in the drafting of RFPs, selection methods, scoring/ranking criteria, and even in the selection committee (staff participating).  Which brings me to the point of this blog post of "Leveling the Playing Field."


A level playing field as defined by Wikipedia Online - is a concept about fairness, not that each player has an equal chance to succeed, but that they all play by the same set of rules.  I was told a few years ago that "you live in fantasy land" and that's partly true in a sense.  That statement from a former colleague still pops up every now and again.  It's true that I believe people will do the right thing in business and life!  Yeah I know that's wishful thinking right?  A foreign concept for many to treat people fairly and not deliberately place barriers in contracting documents.  Yes it's true in 2014 we are still talking about these types of issues, but we can't move past it unless there's recognition.  How do we level the playing field?

The answer...We level the playing field by eliminating barriers to inclusion.  A good start to eliminating those barriers to inclusion is by being fair and impartial in your procurement practices.  Secondly establish programs that specifically address these issues that minority and women-owned small businesses face.  A third way is to accurately establish goals for not only construction contracting, but also professional services.  Finally, establish specific programs that include management & training for small business concerns.

That's just my take on it......Lets make Leveling the Playing not only a catch phrase, but a reality.   

Brenda Brown is the Business Development Director of Patterson-Brown & Associates.  She is a small business advocate with a passion for diversity & inclusion.  Ms. Brown can be reached at (706) 834-4207 or email bbrown@pba-diversity.com.  You can also find them on the web at www.pba-diversity.com.
 
Please read the article from Black Enterprise Magazine here.

Why Your Small Business Should Be Located In a HubZone?

A few months back a good friend tasked me with writing a blog on Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones).  Needless to say I didn't write the article, not because there was not a need, but I just didn't know enough about it.  After researching, meeting with federal contracting officers, and plain ole (yes I said that) watching SBA's website here's the blog my friend. 

As small business owners we are constantly thinking about how we can grow (at least I am) and increase our sales. An often neglected and also valuable tool that qualified business owners disregard is not obtaining their small business certifications. Opportunities in those programs are endless especially in the 8(a) program. However, "The Benefits of Certifications" is saved for another blog. This blog is designated to one certification in particular which is the HUBZone Program. I know you are saying so get to the point....

HUBZones

As defined by the Small Business Administration is a program to encourage economic development in historically underutilized business zones through the establishment of preferences.

SBA's HUBZone Program is an effort to promote economic development and employment growth in distressed areas by providing access to more federal contracting opportunities.

Those qualified small businesses located in HUBZones have access to federal contracting assistance which will also

• Increase employment opportunities
• Stimulate capital investment in those areas
• Empower communities through economic leveraging and reinvestment within the community of wages and taxes

Now in order to be qualified as a HUBZone Small Business your company must meet the following criteria:

• Be a Small Business
• Be 51% owned and controlled only by U.S. citizens
• Have the “principal office” located in a HUBZone
• Have at least 35% of the company’s employees residing in a HUBZone (doesn’t have to be the same HUBZone as the company’s principal office)
• Be certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration

That's it! Simple right? Now go and see if your business qualifies for this program. For additional information on the HUBZone Certification Program please visit SBA's website at www.sba.gov. 

Ms. Brenda Brown is President/CEO of Patterson-Brown & Associates.  She can be reached at (706) 834-4207 or bbrown@pba-diversity.com.

Patterson-Brown & Associates is a woman-owned small business which provides program management, marketing & strategic communications, staff augmentation, and professional services to governmental and private entities.  Find them on the web at www.pba-diversity.com.