Supplier Diversity Program

Launched in 1995 and managed by Purchasing Services in collaboration with its supply management business partners, the Supplier Diversity Program is designed to develop meaningful and mutually beneficial business relationships with diversity suppliers that can add value to our institution and help us achieve our research, education and business objectives. Diversity owned businesses not only provide economic and social vitality to our community, they also add value to our institution and help us achieve our purchasing objectives. In fiscal year 2007 alone, Penn purchased approximately $69.9 million (approximately 10% of total purchase order spend) in products and services from diversity suppliers, bringing the total spend with diversity suppliers since FY1995 to approximately $563 million.

We offer a Diversity Supplier Development Program in collaboration with Drexel University Procurement Services and the Pennsylvania Minority Business Enterprise Center (PA MBEC) to streamline the supplier engagement process and assess supplier's ability to meet Penn's business and procurement technology requirements. We partner with SciQuest Incorporated, Penn's eProcurement business partner, for a Diversity Supplier Enablement Program that streamlines the marketplace supplier enablement process for qualified diversity suppliers.

It is our goal to identify and include qualified diversity suppliers when we purchase the products and services required by Penn faculty and staff. We encourage diversity suppliers who can meet our business and procurement technology requirements on a competitive basis to utilize our relationship with PA MBEC to pursue a new business relationship with the University of Pennsylvania.

Ralph Maier
Chief Procurement Officer