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State Agency Recognition Awards 2003 Nomination
State Agency Being Nominated : Department of Motor Vehicles
Title of Nomination : (Customer Service) DVBE Contract Resource Notification Process
Award Recipient: Shamim Khan, Deputy Director
Contact: Peggy Okabayashi, Small Business/DVBE Advocate/Liaison
Mailing Address: 2415 First Avenue, MS F-112 Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: (916) 657-6639
Fax: (916) 657-2387
Executive Summary:
DMV initiated the DVBE Contract Resource Notification process as the result of concerns raised by prospective bidders regarding difficulty locating DVBEs for specific industries/services through existing state resources. The DVBE Contract Resource Notification process informed contractors bidding on DMV contracts of resources available to assist them in locating state certified DVBE vendors to meet the 3% DVBE participation requirement and/or comply with the "Good Faith Effort". The DMV Small Business/DVBE Coordinator discusses the DVBE participation program requirements and provides DVBE vendor information at pre-bid conferences and is specifically identified in solicitations as the source for DVBE vendor information. The DMV Small Business/DVBE Coordinator develops lists of certified DVBE vendors by industries/services and provides the information to interested bidders. These lists are made available at the pre-bid conference or upon request. In addition, the Small Business/DVBE Coordinator assists prospective bidders on how to locate sub-contractors, advertising resources, how to navigate the Department of General Services website, etc.
Results:
Since implementation of this process, DMV's Small Business/DVBE Coordinator has received numerous inquiries from contractors for information on the availability of certified DVBE vendors. The department has noticed a gradual increase in the DVBE participation level.
Lessons Learned:
Although DMV has actively promoted the use of DVBE vendors by contractors and provided listings of certified DVBE vendors specific to a solicitation, the "good faith effort" prevails as the method documented by bidders to meet the DVBE participation requirement.
Benefits:
Each time the DMV conducts the pre-bid conferences and/or provides DVBE vendor information to prime contractor it helps to raise the awareness of the DVBE participation program requirements.
The process of locating certified DVBE vendors has permitted the DMV Small Business/DVBE Coordinator to greatly improve his knowledge and ability to manipulate the DGS database to locate certified vendors. He has helped contractors and staff to navigate the system efficiently and effectively.
Other Agencies:
Any department can easily implement this type of customer service for DVBEs and also for small businesses. This information is readily available and requires minimal time to prepare. In addition, personal contact with vendors does demonstrate the department's commitment to the program and to assisting the vendor community.
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