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Governor’s Special Minority Business Awards:

Procuring diversity

by Jonathan Gramling

The largest "corporation" in Wisconsin is state government and all of its branches. Through its decisions to purchase goods and services, the state determines the fate of many businesses. While conventional wisdom dictates that relying solely on state business does not make very good business sense, doing business with the state can be a major source of revenue for minority-owned businesses. In many ways, the state has a large impact on the level of economic activity - and prosperity - in the African American community.

Godwin Amegashie, the director of the WI Dept. of Administration's Minority Business Procurement Program, knows this all too well. Each year, Amegashie's office sets targets for state purchasing from minority-owned businesses. And each year, the Dept. of Administration honors those state departments, agencies, and branches that meet or exceed the state's 5 percent goal.

On May 25, Marv Marotta, the secretary of WI Dept. of Administration and Amegashie awarded the Governor's Special Minority Business Awards to 16 state agencies for exceeding the state's target of conducting 5 percent of its purchasing with minority-owned businesses. The ceremony was held in the Governor's Conference Room in the State Capitol.

The most successful agency was the Wisconsin Investment Board's Procurement Division, which awarded 25.54 percent of its business to minority-owned businesses. In addition, several agencies were new to the list in 2003 including the WI Dept. of Regulation and Licensing.

The following agencies received a 2003 Governor's Special Minority Business Award (percent achieved):

• WI Investment Board - Procurement (25.54)

• WI Supreme Court (20.63)

• University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh (16.42)

• WI DNR - Southeast Region (16.06)

• State Ethics Board (11.41)

• WHEDA (8.47)

• University of Wisconsin - Stout (7.45)

• WI Dept. of Transportation (6.63)

• WI Employee Trust Funds (6.51)

• Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District - DNR (6.18)

• WI Dept. of Workforce Development (5.51)

• WI Dept. of Administration - Division of State Facilities (5.43)

• WI Dept. of Tourism (5.38)

• WI Investment Board - Financial & Investment Services (5.26)

• DNR - South-central Region (5.13)

• WI Dept. of Regulation & Licensing (5.06)