THE QUARTERLY
The Office of Diversity in Business Practices
Our Mission:
It is the policy of The Office of Diversity in Business Practices (ODPB) to provide all persons an equal and fair opportunity to participate in procurement and contracting opportunities sponsored by the District.
Our ultimate goal is to support sustainable growth and economic opportunities for small, women-owned, and minority businesses. School Board Policy 6.143
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From the Director's Desk
The Future of Work as Shown through the SDPBC SBE Program
When I started with the School District in 2017, I knew it was critical to establish relationships with prime vendors and District staff to help them understand the mission, purpose, and goal of the Small Business Enterprise program. It went beyond numbers and goals - we wanted to create a culture where all small, minority, and women-owned businesses felt heard, understood, and respected for the value they bring to large organizations. We wanted to create what Deloitte’s internal leadership program calls “The Art of Empathy,” which helps leaders learn to walk in the shoes of others. If we did not understand the growth challenges that small businesses have, our SBE program would not be as successful. Empathy helps leaders and their organizations evaluate their own personal behaviors, policies, and practices to determine their impact on others. Empathy helps leaders lead the workforce of the future differently. Read More
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Five Million and Counting: Creating More Opportunities The Office of Diversity in Business Practices’ “Second-tier Pilot Program” with Pirtle/MCO and Moss/Messam is a huge success. The estimates are in and this pilot program will bring in an additional five million dollars to District-certified SBEs on projects HS-000 and Elementary 05-C; this is after both firms exceeded their tier one 20% goal on their GMP. In fact, the results are so successful that we are analyzing other primes and projects to determine best fit and manageability. It is very clear that the Office of Diversity cannot do this work alone. We need diversity advocates - mentors, sponsors, and allies in every corner of the District, along with our prime partners, to make equity not just talk, but an outcome. Everyone has a part to play in creating more diversity, inclusion, and equity. Read More
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New to PBC Pilot Employee Resource Group (ERG) Dicky Sykes, Director of the Office of Diversity in Business Practices, has been selected as the Executive Liaison for the history-making endeavor. New to PBC Employee Resource Group (ERG), Dicky’s role is to provide input and guidance on group initiatives and strategic plans, and to help champion the group’s initiatives throughout the organization. In this role, she will also be a member of the ERG Council.
Employee Resource Groups serve as a means to harness the talents and productive energy of our employees, provide opportunities for professional growth, and foster an inclusive organizational culture. The ERGs are employee-led and are formed around common demographics, characteristics, or shared interests.
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Who's Being Awarded PBCSD Contracts?
The Latest Contract Compliance Data Broken Down by Gender & Ethnicity
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Our Department's End of Fiscal Year 21 Review |
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Nominated Local Corporation of the Year and Advocate of the Year |
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The School District of Palm Beach County Office of Diversity in Business Practices has been nominated for the prestigious Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council's (FSMSDC) Local Corporation of the Year award! FSMSDC recognizes the achievements of Florida’s top minority-owned businesses, dynamic industry leaders, and major corporations that are committed to supplier diversity. Winners of this prestigious award will be announced at their 46th Annual Awards Gala on the evening of September 17, 2021.
Additionally, the School District of Palm Beach County Office of Diversity in Business Practices has been nominated for Advocate of the Year at the upcoming Palm Beach County Matchmaker Conference and Expo 2021! This award is given to a for-profit or non-profit organization or individual that has contributed to the growth and development of the small, minority/women-owned, or disadvantaged business community. The Advocate of the Year should be highly visible in the S/M/WBE/DBE community and a strong supporter of diversity programs within the community.
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Congratulations to Florida Palm Construction, dba Glades Plumbing and Ani Con Services, LLC
We’re excited to share the first contract for our SBE & MWBE dual-certified vendor Florida Palm Construction dba Glades Plumbing with the School District of Palm Beach County. They recently became one of several Bid Awarded vendors on a three-year term contract for Plumbing Contractor Services. Established in 2014 by Ileana & Brian Fay, Florida Palm Construction, dba Glades Plumbing was launched as a start-up company providing project management and plumbing services throughout the South Florida Region. As stated by Ileana, “Florida Palm is excited to expand our services into Palm Beach County this year, starting with this contract. Since we have serviced Broward County over the past two years we’ve all been looking forward to moving more north to offer our services and to expand into Palm Beach.”
In addition, Ani Con Services, LLC, a dual-certified SBE & MWBE vendor, was also one of the Bid Awarded vendors for Plumbing Contractor Services. As an incumbent under the leadership of owner Yanelis Genaro, Ani Con also provides services for septic systems, tank pumping and cleaning, as well as drain cleaning.
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During FY 2020-2021 Diversity compliance oversight managed to perform 195 site visits to a total of 105 sites, ensuring that certified small businesses were obtaining opportunities in school district projects and that they were being treated fairly. An updated list of upcoming projects have been added to the Diversity in Business Practices website totaling $30M for facility renewals, $73M for Modernizations, and $9M for new construction. |
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The Office of Diversity in Business Practices is the only public agency in the State of Florida that provides certification training in three languages. Sessions will resume in Fall 2021. (See flyers below) |
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HAITIAN CREOLE
November 2021
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Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, the PBCSD will offer a dual-language Haitian Creole program for incoming kindergarten students at Rolling Greene Elementary School. The program will be the first of its kind in the School District of Palm Beach County, and the only two-way dual-language immersion Haitian Creole program in the state of Florida. Read More
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The Palm Beach County Black Business Investment Corporation ensures that black-owned and controlled businesses have the opportunity to obtain financing and other resources to compete in the market place . Learn More
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Upcoming Events, Training, & Outreach |
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Small Business University 2021
In partnership with Kaufman Lynn Construction, we are wrapping up our 11-week series of classes targeted to grow and develop small businesses to be ready, willing, and able to obtain procurement. We currently have 26 students on track to graduate. During our final class, students will apply knowledge obtained throughout the courses and develop a presentation that highlights their business as their Capstone Assignment.
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Amazon Commits $150 Million to Empower Black Entrepreneurs
Amazon’s new Black Business Accelerator provides access to capital, business guidance, mentorship, and marketing support to help Black business owners succeed as sellers in Amazon’s store. Read More
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McDonald's Increasing Spending with Diverse-Owned Media, Content, and Production Partners
Over the next four years, the company and owner/operators are accelerating the allocation of advertising dollars to diverse-owned media companies, production houses, and content creators. McDonald's total investment in diverse-owned partners, including Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific American, Women and LGBTQ-owned platforms, will more than double. Read More
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Eligible Small Businesses Selected as Stacy's Rise Project Finalists will Receive $10,000 and Mentorship
Staying true to our roots as a female-founded brand, Stacy’s is committed to empowering and supporting women entrepreneurs on their paths to establishing a successful business. To further our mission, Stacy’s launched the Rise Project - a program dedicated to helping women grow their businesses through funding, mentorship, and community. To date, Stacy’s has invested more than $300,000 to #HelpWomenRise. Apply by sharing how a grant and mentorship opportunity would help grow your business.
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Northern Trust Expands Supplier Diversity Supplier Diversity360 Broadens Focus Beyond Ownership
"It is important to encourage doing business with women and minority-owned firms, but ownership is just one way to measure diversity,” Northern Trust Chief Financial Officer Jason Tyler said. “It says nothing about other factors that can have equal or even larger impact - including the diversity of a company’s board, senior leadership, and workforce, along with a firm’s community engagement. We focus on small, emerging firms as well as bigger, established firms that foster diversity within their workforces and the communities in which they operate.” Read More
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Spectrum Health Joins National Effort to Boost Procurement Diversity, Sustainability
Spectrum Health has joined several health systems around the country that committed to increasing purchases from local minority and women-owned businesses. The dozen U.S. health systems that signed on to Washington, D.C.-based Healthcare Anchor Network’s “Impact Purchasing Commitment” will increase spending by at least $1 billion over five years with minority and women-owned businesses and enterprises that are owned by employees, cooperatives, and nonprofits. Read More
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Michelle McKiver is a Contract Compliance Specialist for Goods & Services and Construction. Michelle has a passion for working with minority-owned companies and aiding them in being competitive in the contracting space. She attended Tucks Executive Education Program at Dartmouth for Growing the Minority Business to Scale. Michelle loves reading, traveling, and hiking. She's planning her next trip to Santorini and Milos Greek Isles. |
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Congratulations: Tina's Tires Receives Scholarship from AT&T |
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Tina’s Tires has been selected to receive the 2021 Growing An Established Diverse Business scholarship sponsored by AT&T Supplier Diversity. This scholarship will be used for one of the Tuck Diversity Business Programs. Tina’s Tires sells tires to retail consumers, corporate and government fleets of passenger cars, SUVs, mini-vans, lightweight trucks, heavy-duty trucks, ATVs, forklifts, skid steer loaders, backhoe loaders, industrial tractors, mini excavators, and golf cars. Tina’s Tires is the first and only certified African-American M/WBE with dealer agreements in the United States for the brands it carries. Learn more about Tina's Tires at tinatires.com
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All the Best with Your Future Endeavors |
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Farewell to longtime District employee Heidi Galloway. Heidi handled SBE certification for the Office of Diversity in Business Practices and represented the department during outreach events and Palm Beach County Matchmaker planning sessions. We will miss her quiet sense of humor and wish her the best in all her future endeavors. ~Dicky Sykes
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Thank you so very much Samantha Conde Gau for your dedication and hard work with expanding the Office of Diversity in Business Practices engagement and outreach to the Hispanic and Haitian small business communities. Your endeavors helped to ensure we did not lose contact with our small businesses at a time when hosting in-person events had all but disappeared. We are very grateful as you have opened doors that we will benefit from for years to come. I wish you all the very best in your future endeavors. ~Dicky Sykes
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