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Mercer County reviews 2022 disparity study; commissioners push for more outreach to small and minority-owned firms
Summary
County staff and consultants summarized the March 2022 Disparity Study and the county's Small Business Outreach efforts tied to Ordinance No. 2018-5. Commissioners asked why diverse and women-owned firms miss awards, urged active notification and training, and discussed next steps to increase participation.
Anthony Carabelli Jr., Mercer County's economic development director, and Isamar Maldonado, the county purchasing agent, presented the March 2022 Disparity Study and described work the Small Business Outreach (SBO) program has done to implement Ordinance No. 2018-5, the county's set-aside law for qualified small and diverse businesses.
The study, conducted by 35th Street Consulting, examined historical procurement records and vendor availability and found barriers that kept many certified small, minority- and women-owned firms from successfully winning county contracts. Commissioners were briefed on recommendations including clearer bid communications, standardized electronic submission and reporting, and more training and outreach for local vendors.
Commissioner Melker asked what prevented women- and minority-owned firms from becoming successful and whether rejected bidders were notified of deficiencies. Maldonado told the board her office had not been routinely notifying businesses about reasons for rejection and said she could reach out to vendors to explain what they missed and help them correct errors. Commissioner Frisby suggested convening a hearing where small and minority-owned businesses could describe the obstacles they face; Commissioner Walter recommended partnering with outside organizations to widen outreach.
Carabelli and Maldonado described prior procurement events, use of the Edmunds software platform to track vendor activity, and the county's Mercer County NJ Certified Diverse Vendor Directory as tools for increasing participation. The consultants and staff highlighted that, before the SBO program, documented utilization of certified diverse vendors by dollar value was very low and recommended both process and technical changes: digitized, fillable forms; searchable vendor databases; routine renewal reminders for certifications; and targeted training so vendors can better prepare bids.
The board did not take formal action on the study at the meeting. Carabelli and Maldonado said additional events and outreach are planned, and the study's Schedule A was entered into the record as part of the meeting materials.
