The State of Missouri has announced that it has begun the process of conducting a new disparity study (referred to as the Small Business Impact Study for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program). The study will examine the participation of minority- and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) in state contracting to determine if MWBEs have been underutilized relative to their availability, and, if so, how the disparity might be remedied. The last such disparity study conducted by the state was delivered in 2014.
The state has maintained a goal of 10 percent of state procurement dollars going to MBEs and 5 percent going to WBEs since 2005. However, the state has only reached its participation goal in four years in the last thirty. In 2021, the state spent $1.5 billion contract dollars, of which 8.2 percent went to MBEs and 3.5 percent went to WBEs.
A series of upcoming focus groups at locations across the state have been announced for the month of April 2022, with MWBEs encouraged to attend and share feedback on either working or attempting to work with the state. The data gathered at the meetings will form part of the conclusions made by the study.
The study has been given a deadline of June 30, 2022, for its submission.
"Conducting this study gives us the opportunity to assess where we are as a state and will assist us in creating access information, resources, and capital for the benefit of M/WBEs," said Corey Bolton, Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity within the Office of Administration in a press release.
Read the press release announcing the study at https://oeo.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/01/Impact-Study-2022-Press-Release.jpg.
Find a link for registration for upcoming focus groups for the study at https://umkc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eQJEDUmUpeyZq8m.
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