Kershaw school board adopts minority-business enterprise plan, sets 10% procurement goal

The Kershaw County School Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt a minority business enterprise (MBE) plan that sets an aspirational 10% goal for the district’s procurements.

The plan, presented to the board by Mr. Willard, applies to the district’s controllable purchasing dollars and follows state procurement guidance requiring agencies to adopt an MBE plan, Mr. Willard said. “It is a plan. It is a goal. It is not a required percentage that we have to meet,” he told trustees before the vote.

Why it matters: the plan aims to increase participation by minority- and woman-owned businesses in district contracting. Under the presenter’s figures, the district’s controllable procurement base is about $24,800,000 for the year; a 10% target on that amount would equal roughly $2.48 million in goal spending. The presenter also…